SOFITEL LUXURY HOTELS ANNOUCES NEW PROPERTY IN KUNMING

Prestigious new Sofitel opening in the heart of the city in 2014

Hong Kong, 8 June 2011 – Sofitel Luxury Hotels has announced that it will open a stunning new 405-room hotel in the booming city of Kunming in early 2014. Kunming is the capital of Yunnan province and often referred to as Spring City due to its pleasant climate.

The Sofitel Kunming is being developed by Kunming Iron & Steel Holding Co. Ltd. (whose parent company is KunSteel), and will occupy first to third, fifth floors plus the top 24 floors of the 50-storey building, guaranteeing sweeping views over the city. The lower floors will comprise luxury office space and will become the headquarters of KunSteel.

Set to become one of Kunming’s most luxurious hotels, the Sofitel Kunming will feature 405 spacious hotel rooms and suites, three restaurants and two bars, a large pillar-free ballroom and a multi-function room, eight meeting rooms of various sizes, the group’s signature So SPA, a fitness center and an indoor swimming pool. It will also have an executive lounge which is complemented by a fully equipped business center.

The downtown location of the new hotel makes it an ideal choice for leisure and business travelers. For those wishing to visit the city’s cultural sites, the well known Dian Lake tourist destination is just 15 minutes away and, for business, the Kunming International Convention & Exhibition Center is 20 minutes’ drive. The brand new Kunming International Airport, which opens in three years’ time (by which time the hotel will be open), is 50 minutes away.

Meanwhile, in the hotel’s immediate neighbourhood, Luosi Bay Central Business District is being redeveloped under an ambitious urban planning scheme. Luosi Bay will feature commercial complexes, office buildings, recreational infrastructures and residential complexes and will become a focal point of the city.

Kunming Iron & Steel Holding Co. Ltd is one of the largest state-owned enterprises in China. Given the tremendous growth in tourism thanks to the many diverse and colourful resources in Yunnan Province, the Company is committed to its first international brand hotel, the Sofitel Kunming, and will add to its hotel portfolio in the coming years.

Commenting on the strategic location of this first Sofitel property in Yunnan Province, Markland Blaiklock, Senior Vice President of Sofitel Asia Pacific, said, “We look forward to opening this new Sofitel in Kunming, the biggest city of the South West frontier of China and one which is famous for its rich history, culture and tourism. With this additional presence, Sofitel Luxury Hotels will have a total of 27 hotels in Greater China including upcoming projects in Sanya, Haikou and Lianyungang which will come on line in the next three years.”
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