Sofitel's new luxury hotel in Guangzhou, China features 'sub-aquatic music broadcaster'

Travellers to the capital of Southern China, Guangzhou (formerly Canton), now have a new hotel option: a luxury Sofitel hotel Guangzhou Sunrich.

The hotel has opened just in time for the massive The Canton Fair -- one of the world's biggest trade shows, in October.

It includes one particularly interesting-sounding feature for the tech-fancier, a swimming pool with a "sub-aquatic music broadcaster" -- underwater music to keep you entertained while you swim. There's also a fitness area which Sofitel promises has the "leading edge of technology".

The hotel is located in the heart of Tianhe, Guangzhou’s financial and business district, and a few minutes from the East Railway Station, a hub that connects Guangzhou to Dongguan, Shenzhen and Hong Kong.

Sofitel CEO Robert Gaymer-Jones says the hotel will “breathe a little of the unique French culture into Guangzhou" and aims to become a meeting place for cultural events and the arts.

The hotel has 493 rooms and suites, with decor blending contemporary Asian design and Parisian chic.

There are five bars and restaurants: fine dining-restaurant “Robata Grill & Bar”, which combines a steakhouse with modern Japanese Izakaya and a Robatayaki - a sushi bar with a walk-through wine cellar.

“Le Chinois” features Cantonese gastronomy and “8 Faubourg” reproduces the decor typical of a Parisian apartment.

The “Mar-Tea-Ni” lounge bar provides French pastries accompanied by rare teas suggested by a Tea sommelier -- in what Sofitel says is a good example of creating a link between French and Chinese culture.

There are also 17 meeting rooms and an enormous 900 sq.m. conference room.

When you can catch a couple of hours away from work, the hotel has a spa featuring L’Occitane products from France and a rather spectacular design.

danwarne