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FOR most Europeans, I would guess, Luxembourg features very little in our thoughts. It sits oddly, permanently in the background of our lives, a minor detail on the map of Europe as we scan for more glamorous locations in Italy, Switzerland or France. For some reason, we had a rising curiosity about the Grand Duchy in 2008, partly inspired by the search for well-regarded Michelin-starred restaurants on the continent. It turned out that Luxembourg was home to Mosconi, a two-star Italian restaurant - the only one with such status outside of Italy itself. So we packed a party of six onto one of those tiny VLM Fokker 50s that fly from London City to the BeNeLux countries. At the end of September, London was turning cold, and the forecast in Luxembourg was still ‘warm and sunny’.

Sofitel Grand Ducal


Having experienced such luxury and fantastic service at the Sofitel Wanda in Beijing a few weeks before, I had high expectations of the new Sofitel Le Grand Ducal. The two cannot really be compared, but the ultra-chic and intimate Grand Ducal sits as perfectly in Luxembourg overlooking the Petrusse Valley as the magnificent Wanda does in the megalopolis of Beijing. We booked the Suite Sofitel with its warm colour scheme and plentiful supply of comfy seating (above) and exceptional bathroom (below) - complete with Hermes Eau D’Orange Verte toiletries.



The Sofitel also has a very cool bar on the top floor called Coco Mango, where you can find many of the country’s smart young set enjoying the ‘New Wave’ ambience and views of the Old Town. In summary, this is a great place to stay for the the weekend, perfectly located to explore the best that Luxembourg city has to offer.

The old town


It really was the last day of summer here (compared to the foggy day we left behind in London) and we spent a sublime few hours walking around the pristine old town of Luxembourg, and drinking beer in a sun-kissed square near the main public buildings. Doubtless we would go mad if we were stuck here for longer, but for this one day it was simply glorious. I was struggling to think of a part of London where one could enjoy such a chilled-out urban experience with friends. Maybe it’s time to move to Barnes!

After strolling back to the hotel to freshen up and have an aperitif at the Coco Mango lounge, we walked back across to the old town for dinner at Mosconi. The best of the day was yet to come!

Marvellous Mosconi


Mosconi is, to repeat, the only two-starred Italian restaurant in Europe outside of Italy itself. It’s in a white-walled town house which sits by the banks of the Alzette river in the cutest part of old Luxembourg - a wonderful location. The lady of the house, Simonetta Mosconi, took charge as soon as we arrived, with a big Italian welcome, overseeing every aspect of the service during our meal. She has to be the best maitre d’hote I have experienced at any restaurant in the world.

Mosconi gets its two stars from Michelin because of the combination of classic Italian cuisine and imaginative and appropriate modern touches. The highlights: my friends shared a wild turbot in salt crust, with light marjoram in tomato sauce, while I tucked into a delicious veal entrecote, lightly coated with white truffle cream over baked tomato and celery. My dessert was a dream-like ‘Symphonie Chocolat’, a combination of cocoa flavours that left me feeling light-headed and slightly delirious! What a stupendous evening’s dining.

The Verdict
If you live almost anywhere in Europe west of Warsaw, Luxembourg is the perfect 24-hour location and weekend holiday break. Mosconi and the Sofitel Grand Ducal offer the ideal combination of fashionable European dining and hospitality.

How we got there
We flew from London City Airport to Luxembourg on VLM Airlines, and stayed at the Sofitel Luxembourg Le Grand Ducal for one night.

Our ratings for Luxembourg
1-5 stars
 
Sofitel Luxembourg Le Grand Ducal
*****
VLM Airlines
***                                                                
Mosconi
*****                                             
Location
****