ACCOR OPENS ITS 140TH SOFITEL PROPERTY SOFITEL PARIS LA DEFENSE GRANDE ARCHE

Hong Kong, May 29th, 2000 ------ Following the openings of Sofitel Paris

Bercy in January, Rabat in February, Philadelphia this month and soon,

Sofitel New York, Accor continues its expansion plans with the opening

of Sofitel Paris La Défense Grande Arche on 28th August 2000.

The 384 room hotel is located at 17, avenue de l'Arche in Courbevoie,

in the heart of Europe's largest business quarter, where over 6,000 large

multi-national companies are based, five minutes from the Métro and 30

minutes away from the Roissy Charles-de-Gaulle airport. Sofitel Paris

La Défense Grande Arche will provide luxurious accommodation including

32 suites, a rôtisserie restaurant, bar and conference centre complete

with auditorium.

The FF510 million construction project, which began in November 1998,

has been undertaken by architect Marie Parente, creating a 22 floor contemporar

y building suitably matched to the beautiful architecture of the area.

The conference centre on the first floor is equipped with the latest technology

and includes three meeting rooms, a conference room with natural daylight,

a private dining room and private lounges. The 110-seat rotisserie 'L'Avant-Se

ine' on the second floor is bathed in light through the large glass windows

and the encompassing ceiling. The 'Bar 6' which can accommodate up to

30 guests, has a terrace and is open until 1am. A private dining room

is also located on the same floor. The hotel's facilities will include

a fully equipped fitness room, sauna and steam room. Commercial and cultural attractions in and around La Défense include the

450-seat IMAX® cinema, the Musee de l'Automobile, the Colline de la Défense

and the Centre Commercial des Quatre Temps, a shopping centre with 260

boutiques. The numerous parks and pedestrianised streets allow guests

the opportunity to discover this fast emerging area by foot.

The opening of Sofitel Paris La Défense Grande Arche underscores Accor's

international expansion of the Sofitel Hotels & Resorts brand, which will

comprise a total of 145 properties in 48 countries by the end of 2000.

Sofitel Hotels & Resorts is one of the most important and diversified

network of hotels worldwide. The forthcoming developments will continue

to strengthen the brand's position with openings in key cities targeting

international and leisure travellers: in 2001, Washington, Chicago, London,

Buenos Aires and Athens; in 2002, Dallas and in 2003, Frankfurt Airport.