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A fusion of 1970s elegance, French heritage, and contemporary sophistication, the Signature Suites set a new standard for design-led luxury in the capital

Sofitel London St James is entering a new chapter with the complete reinvention of its six signature suites by Paris-based interior architecture studio Pierre-Yves Rochon (PYR). Four Prestige Suites are now open and available to book, with the final two Flagship Suites, Suite 70 and The Opera Suite, set to launch in January 2026.  

Celebrated for its lauded designs, Pierre-Yves Rochon’s studio has long been a close friend and collaborator of Sofitel. Its philosophy of preserving heritage while reimagining it for today aligns seamlessly with Sofitel’s values of reinvention, French sophistication and cosmopolitan flair. At Sofitel London St James, PYR has respected the property’s historical layers and French legacy while weaving in the bold aesthetic of the 1970s, a decade when London emerged as the epicentre of pop culture and radical design.

Housed in a Grade II listed neoclassical landmark on Pall Mall, once the home of Cox’s & King’s bank, the hotel’s gravitas is reimagined rather than preserved in amber. Its new collection of six suites transcends traditional hospitality, offering immersive, bold spaces where history, design and culture meet.  The four Prestige Suites express Sofitel’s design evolution with chromatic harmonies. Focused around Klein blue and Wimbledon green colour block schemes, these light-filled corner suites, with front row views over Pall Mall and Waterloo Place, are brought to life with original modern art, aquatints, and miniature libraries of coffee table books. Tactile furnishings, characteristic of the Rochon aesthetic, include padded suede wallcoverings layered with leather bedheads, and bespoke marbled furniture alongside a dividing wall of mirrored glass.

In January 2026, the two Flagship Suites will complete the collection. Suite 70 will be a bold manifesto of 1970s style, complete with an Arne Jacobsen Egg chair, vibrant orange tones, a vinyl record player with a curated library of albums, a musician’s trunk reinvented as a minibar and a library of art and photography books, an immersive bohemian nod to London’s creative energy.

The Opera Suite, the largest in the hotel, will take a more serene approach: pale oak, natural tones and tactile details combine with a private in-suite bar inspired by London’s exclusive members’ clubs, creating a residential sense of discreet refinement. 

Each suite integrates thoughtful modern touches that elevate the guest experience, from wireless bedside charging and smart lighting controls to luxurious marble bathrooms stocked with Diptyque amenities.

In-room bars are fully equipped for bespoke cocktail moments, while curated artwork and photography offer subtle nods to the building’s storied past as the former headquarters of Cox’s & King’s bank. A Nespresso machine and Smeg kettle—signature touches found across all guest rooms at the hotel—complete the sense of a refined home away from home.

Marie-Paule Nowlis, General Manager of Sofitel London St James, said: “This is more than a redesign, it is a reinvention. With Pierre-Yves Rochon, we have created suites that embody French sophistication and heritage while expressing the cosmopolitan spirit of London today. Each suite is a destination in its own right, where guests can experience style, culture and story driven design at the very highest level.”

Pierre-Yves Rochon Studio, commented “I hope the Prestige suites bring back the thrill of the seventies, its energy. That sense of freedom, of irreverence, of dressing differently, thinking differently. I wanted it to feel like London at its most rebellious. You come in, and for a moment, the space feels suspended like a echo of the city’s creative pulse.”

This launch reflects a wider shift in luxury hospitality, where travellers are seeking immersive, design led spaces that connect them with place and culture. The reinvention of the suites complements Sofitel London St James’s broader luxury offering, which includes Michelin starred dining at Wild Honey St James, afternoon tea in the elegant Rose Lounge, and signature cocktails in the award-winning St James Bar.

With this transformation, the five-star Sofitel London St James strengthens its position as one of the city’s defining addresses a living narrative where Edwardian grandeur meets Parisian flair, and where elegance is continually reimagined through a contemporary lens. The six redesigned suites, culminating in the launch of the Flagship Suites in January 2026, embody the evolution of Sofitel’s art de vivre: timeless, cultured, and unmistakably modern.