21 Jan 2015
Tennis legend Serena Williams hosted an exclusive event last week at Sofitel Melbourne On Collins for members of Le Club Accorhotels, the global loyalty program of Accor, turning up the heat in an impromptu cooking challenge with sister Venus Williams and surprise guest judge, Strictly Ballroom director Baz Luhrmann.
The VIP event – held prior to the world's #1 ranked women's tennis player's appearance at the Australian Open in Melbourne yesterday - showcased her passion for cuisine and high culture, with a fashionable French twist. As one of the most recognised people in the world, Serena is a woman of style and passion and this intimate evening was a rare opportunity to get to know the person behind the racquet.
Graham Wilson, Chief Marketing and Distribution Officer, Accor Asia Pacific, said, “Serena is a woman of many talents, with an obvious passion for fashion, style and beauty. She is a wonderful supporter of the hospitality Accor provides around the world, and we are honoured that she gave us some of her precious time during this visit to Melbourne.
“Blending French sophistication with Melbourne's famous chic style, the Sofitel Melbourne On Collins was the perfect setting for this beautiful event, and Serena and Venus' presence certainly helped us create a magical evening for our valued Le Club Accorhotel members, prior to the excitement of the Australian Open.”
Le Club Accorhotels members mingled with the superstar trio over cocktails and canapés, before being led through the special dessert challenge between Serena and Venus by the Sofitel's executive chef, John Savage.
Internationally renowned Australian director Baz Luhrmann judged the sisters' efforts a dead heat — so they both went home winners.
A cool creation designed to deliver some sweet relief for diners looking to counteract Melbourne's soaring Summer temperatures, the dessert item aptly called The Serena Surprise will also be available for a limited time as a feature item on the menu at Sofitel's restaurant, No35. Available for the duration of the Australian Open in Melbourne (January 19 – February 1, 2015), the dessert will be priced from $17 so that all guests can experience Serena's chilled treat when they visit.
The gathering was the latest offering from Le Club Accorhotels' VIP Events, a series of once-in-a-lifetime experiences to reward members for their loyalty. Serena Williams also previously hosted a VIP event for members at Accor's newest luxury boutique hotel, Sofitel So Singapore, which features signature elements by world-renowned fashion designer, Karl Lagerfeld and an exciting interior design by the Miaja Group.
An even more generous and caring loyalty program
Le Club Accorhotels is a free-to-join program that allows members to enjoy exclusive access to a range of benefits including VIP welcome, late check-out, executive lounge access, room upgrades and private sales with discounts of up to 50% off room rates at more than 2800 hotels globally.In July the program launched increased generosity, now offering members up to 25% more points for each stay, helping to fast-track guests to rewards and higher tier levels so they can enjoy greater privileges.
Since launching six years ago, Le Club Accorhotels has reached over 17 million members worldwide. Le Club Accorhotels is the only hotel loyalty program that allows members to use their points at more than 2800 hotels globally, without any validity or availability restrictions. For every €10 spent, members earn 25 points; as soon as they reach 2,000 points, members are entitled to a €40 voucher, which they can use towards future stays or convert into privileges with one of the program's many partners and exclusive Le Club VIP member events.
Consult the list of partners and all the information about the program on: http://www.accorhotels.com/gb/leclub/
Accor, the world's leading hotel operator, offers its guests and partners the dual expertise of a hotel operator and brand franchisor (HotelServices) and a hotel owner and investor (HotelInvest) with the objective of ensuring lasting growth and harmonious development for the benefit of the greater number.
With around 3,600 hotels and 460,000 rooms, Accor welcomes business and leisure travelers in 92 countries across all hotel segments: luxury-upscale with Sofitel, Pullman, MGallery, and Grand Mercure, midscale with Novotel, Suite Novotel, Mercure and Adagio and economy with ibis, ibis Styles, ibis budget and hotelF1. The Group boasts a powerful digital ecosystem, notably its booking portal accorhotels.com, its brand websites and its loyalty program Le Club Accorhotels.
As the world's top hospitality school, Accor is committed to developing the talents of its 170,000 employees in Accor brand hotels. They are the daily ambassadors of the culture of service and innovation that has driven the Group for over 45 years.
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Rebecca Freestun
Accor Asia Pacific
Email: Rebecca.freestun@accor.com
Tel: +61 (0) 417 667 042
