Hilton Sofia, the new inspiring leader in the capital's 5-star scene, has opened its doors after a major renovation, offering an exceptional experience. The updated spaces provide guests with a tranquil and refined atmosphere, with an architectural concept inspired by its location and the beautiful surrounding green spaces. The renovation of the iconic building in the capital involves reshaping volumes and enhancing the park environment to present a beautiful transformation based on the motto "A Park in the Hotel and a Hotel in the Park."
The design is based on the principles of "green architecture," which emphasize functionality, aesthetics, efficiency, and sustainability. The project team faced the challenge of integrating an innovative and functional approach, combining a luxurious ambiance with high comfort standards and contemporary, flexible public spaces to meet the expectations of every guest.
The hotel is surrounded by pedestrian walkways and green areas, with vertical green walls installed in the exterior complementing the existing park environment. The parking, main entrance, and all surrounding areas have been completely transformed to seamlessly blend nature into the public zones.
As part of the overall architectural style and in the context of the existing building, the architects from IPA added three new extensions, including an expanded restaurant and lobby bar, the creation of a new "Vihren" conference room on the ground floor, and a beautiful "Musala" ballroom with a unique 270-degree view of the South Park.
At the main entrance of Hilton Sofia, a new canopy has been built, 5 meters high, with a glazed area of 290 square meters. It is made with a steel structure, completely hidden behind a double-sided living vertical garden. The total area of vertical greenery is 550 square meters, which, besides creating an aesthetic and pleasant environment, places the building at the forefront in the country for this type of greenery.
Hilton Sofia welcomes its guests in the spacious lobby, where a 7-meter wooden panel rises in the center, reminiscent of the ancient Bulgarian craft of wood carving and wood processing. From the glass roof, a unique artistic composition made of metal and glass descends, resembling the branches and leaves of a tree.
The interior design was entrusted to the Turkish studio Toner Architects. The entire interior concept focuses on the presence of nature both around and inside the building. The skillful combination of colors and textures, the use of textiles, wood, natural stone, and glass, creates a reference to the vision of mountains and the movement of lakes and rivers.
For the first time in Europe, Hilton Sofia presents two of the brand’s newest concepts – OXBO and Regale. The concept of OXBO restaurant, the hotel's main restaurant, is inspired by the traditions of local agriculture, respect for the land, and love for nature. The Regale bar, located on the ground floor, includes elements of the hotel’s overall interior vision and is a new place for business meetings or leisure time.
The new Executive Lounge offers VIP services and amenities in a pleasant setting. To complement the green environment, feel, the hotel features spacious terraces with a total area of 400 square meters, allowing guests to conceptually diversify their events and celebrate special occasions while enjoying nature.
A significant improvement is the installation of operable windows in each room, something that was previously considered a drawback of the building. The biggest challenge faced by the architectural team from IPA was adapting and expanding the existing 11th technical floor of the building into hotel rooms. After the renovation, Hilton Sofia has 259 rooms, including two premium and one presidential suite on the top floor, with views of the park and the city. The top floor also houses 11 exclusive hotel units, including the two new apartments and the presidential suite. Each room on this floor has its own accessible terrace, and the presidential suite boasts a 270-degree panoramic view of the entire Sofia.
Hilton Sofia is the first Hilton hotel in Europe to present the brand’s latest Arcadia Meetings concept. The hotel features 13 state-of-the-art meeting rooms, intelligent and flexible spaces for business, social, and personal events. The hotel offers rooms of various capacities, some with the option of using outdoor terraces. The "Musala" hall, with a height of 5 meters and a unique view of the South Park, is the perfect venue for events up to 400 people. Hilton Sofia minimizes its environmental impact by offering Carbon Neutral Meetings, or meetings and events free from harmful emissions.
