Sofitel has opened the first European outpost of its ultra-luxury Legend brand in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

The French-owned luxury label inaugurated the Sofitel Legend The Grand Amsterdam last week, marking the end of a two-year refurbishment.

Sofitel has transformed the property into a hotel to compete with the Dutch city’s original grande dame, The Amstel, run by InterContinental.

Sofitel has opened a luxury property in the new Moroccan resort of Essaouira Mogador on the country’s Atlantic coast.

The Mogador resort is set in some 600 hectares of forest along 4 kilometers of coast line, boasting a 36-hole Gary Player golf course and a number of exclusive villas.

The villas are all designed to be eco-friendly thanks to features such as energy-efficient lighting and water recycling systems.

Accor-owned brand Sofitel is to wrap up 2010 with a triple-whammy of hotel openings in exotic locations around the world, the company said December 13.

The five-star brand is opening properties in Austria, Mauritius and Cambodia this week, including a new flagship for Europe in Vienna.

The new Sofitel Vienna Stephansdom features a futuristic glass and steel tower which rises 18 stories high and showcases art by Swiss artist Pipilotti Rist and a living garden wall by landscape architect Patrick Blanc.

French hotel chain Sofitel launched an iPad newspaper service for guests July 26, in a move that could mean a fresh start for the dwindling tradition of the morning newspaper in hotels.

The luxury chain has launched “The Kiosk,” a customer-only iPad app which offers a selection of interactive daily magazines and newspapers and will be provided to guests on an iPad for the duration of their stay.

Guests can choose from publications such as Le Monde in France, the Independent and Vogue in the UK, Bild or Die Welt in Germany or La Repubblica in Italy.

Macau’s Ponte 16 casino will display next year ten pieces of iconic Michael Jackson memorabilia, including the cream leather rhinestone glove he wore for his first Moonwalk performance on television.

Michael Jackson’s glove was sold to Hoffman Ma, deputy chief executive of the casino, at New York’s Julien’s Auctions at a whopping US$350,000.

“We’re a bit surprised that we were able to acquire the glove, as there’s a high demand for it among bidders.”