Marie-Paule, who brings with her 30 years’ experience with the Sofitel brand, and a career shaped by international roles, joins at the start of a new chapter for the hotel and will be integral to its transformation.
With a total investment of £16.5m, the transformation will ensure Sofitel London St James remains one of the most sought-after destinations in the city. The redesign will extend to the hotel’s rooms, restaurant, lounge and bar, reaffirming Sofitel London St James as the home of luxury French elegance in London.
“This year, Sofitel London St James will proudly unveil an extensive transformation and mark a new era for this prestigious hotel, a flagship for Sofitel and a cornerstone of London’s luxury hotel scene,” Marie-Paule comments.
“This summer we launch our new restaurant, Wild Honey St James, an exciting collaboration with renowned chef Anthony Demetre, a reimagination of his iconic restaurant concept opening on the former site of The Balcon restaurant.
“The restaurant is just the start of our journey. Our 183 guestrooms and suites are being designed by world-renowned interior designer, Pierre-Yves Rochon, and will be unveiled later this year.
“I’m thrilled to join the dynamic team at Sofitel London St James as we prepare to showcase the transformation of the hotel. My new colleagues are outstanding hoteliers whose knowledge of our guests and their needs has been key to deciding how each of the spaces around should evolve.
Our vision will ensure this iconic Sofitel property continues to raise the bar in the vibrant London hotel market and we look forward to continuing to provide outstanding service tailored to the evolving needs of today’s luxury traveller.”
Marie-Paule Nowlis was most recently Hotel Manager of Sofitel New York, responsible for operational and strategic execution of the 400-room branded flagship property. She held the position as of February 2016, during which time she was also Acting General Manager for 20 months.
Marie-Paule started her hospitality journey in 1988 and joined Accor in 1989 as Night Manager at Sofitel Strasbourg. Before moving to the United States in 2015, Nowlis held a number of top positions with Sofitel while based in Paris, including Vice President of Guest Experience & Operations for Sofitel – Europe, Middle East, Africa and Brand Director of Sofitel Legend. Nowlis was elevated to these roles after spending more than 18 years rising through the ranks of Sofitel properties, including the opening of the Sofitel Le Faubourg in Paris as Director of Operations.
Nowlis holds a Master’s degree in Human Resources Management from ESSEC-Paris Business School and an undergraduate degree in Hotel and Food Service Management.
