Step inside Sofitel Sydney Wentworth this December and you’ll find the city’s festive season reframed through a distinctly French lens. The landmark hotel has unveiled its Christmas collaboration with Maison Balzac and it’s sure to get you in the festive spirit.

The showstopper is the Sofitel Sydney x Maison Balzac Christmas Tree: a soaring, shimmering installation adorned with the Maison’s coveted Pomponette coupes. Each glass catches the light like a floating bauble, while velvet bows by Sydney florist Dr Cooper add a nostalgic softness. It’s the kind of tree that will stop guests mid-stride and spark that first flicker of festive joy.

As the sun dips each evening, the hotel hosts a candle-lighting ceremony, echoing a French tradition embraced by Sofitels worldwide. The ritual carries a personal note too: Maison Balzac founder Élise Balzac grew up with this nightly moment in the South of France, where candles glowed at dusk and her family shared les treize desserts – sweet confections symbolising generosity and abundance. Guests can savour these flavours at Club Millésime, where 13 – yes, you read that right – of citrus, spice and confections are on the menu. 

Credit: Supplied

For something truly immersive, guests can book the Sofitel Candle Room Experience, which turns an overnight stay into a curated retreat designed to slow time and awaken the senses. Rooms are softly lit by hundreds of flickering candles and accompanied by music from a Devialet speaker. Guests will receive a bottle of Pommery Champagne and a signature Sofitel Candle, as well as a festive treatserved on a Maison Balzac ‘Everything’ Plate’, which is gifted to take home, creating a pocket of French Christmas magic.

Whether you wander in to see the gleaming tree, pause for the nightly ceremony or try to work your way through all 13 desserts throughout December, Sofitel Sydney Wentworth is where Sydneysiders and travellers alike can revel in a season shaped by heritage, beauty and pure festive magic.

For more information, visit sofitel.accor.com

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