Sofitel Luxembourg Le Grand Ducal

Meet Luxembourg’s Sofitel Luxembourg Le Grand Ducal: a five star playground for design aficionados.

Places like Greece and Spain have always been holiday hotspots during the summer months (hello, Mykonos and Ibiza!), but check out this hidden gem for a fresh taste of European flavour. What do you think of when you hear Luxembourg? I think money and castles – and a quick Google search shows that I’m right.

I took it a step further to get the inside track from Lena Baraka, a beautiful British-Sudanese dentist who lived there for years with her husband and son. These idyllic surroundings helped inspire her to start the popular Creme de la Creme Facebook page about all things lifestyle for women. She recommends Sofitel Luxembourg Le Grand Ducal as one of her favourite hotels in the city.

Hi Lena!

Sweet Suite

sofitel room

The rooms have pops of colour and beautiful views – even from the bathrooms!

That’s not a painting – talk about a bathtub with a view!

Many of the rooms have a creative spin, such as pet-friendly corners so your puppy can tag along, or a hot tub right in the middle of the room because – why not?

sofitel Prestige-Suite-2

Food-tastic

The dishes are made with local ingredients, though it may be the view that arrests your attention. Ideal for a romantic tete-a-tete, the decor is pared back and simple to keep focus on the greenery and castles ahead.

I spy castles!

How do you say ‘romance’ in Luxembourgish?

sofitel food

Let’s Party

Bet you didn’t expect to see this psychedelic bar in a quiet, regal hotel, did you?

Sofitel-Le-Grand-Ducal-photos-Exterior

And man do they know how to throw a good party! Here are photos from Lena:

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#WhatToPack

Lena’s style is classic, feminine and bold. Put the Lux in Luxembourg with this ensemble inspired by the lovely Lena to rock a party at the Sofitel Luxembourg Le Grand Decal!

Lux in Luxembourg by holidaysinheels featuring flower earrings

Red dress
185 AED – lindybopusa.com

Black shoes
1,650 AED – antonia.it

Âme moi horse purse
2,075 AED – selfridges.com

Flower earrings
20,200 AED – scullyandscully.com

House of Harlow 1960 bracelet
185 AED – nordstromrack.com

Shiseido lipstick
105 AED – saksfifthavenue.com

Gucci fragrance
380 AED – lordandtaylor.com

Guest Post by Rupert Wright of Ashbright

Welcome

Paris holds no terrors for well-heeled travellers, who can check into one of the city’s eleven palaces such as the Georges V, Plaza Athénée, Le Bristol or my favourite, Le Meurice. But for those on any kind of budget, finding a decent place to stay in the French capital can be a challenge. Bedrooms smaller than a bathroom, bathrooms smaller than a bidet, we’ve all stayed at one of them and lived to regret it. So, it’s with great pleasure that I have found almost the perfect Parisian hotel – and you don’t need to be a tech billionaire to afford it. The Bedford has been family owned and run for more than a hundred years, combining Swiss roots, French flair and English tradition. It benefits from strong leadership, attention to detail, and a staff eager to look after you. With just 140 rooms, it is large enough to intimate, but not so large that you are anonymous. It’s a 4 star, but deserves more.

The rooms

Parquet flooring; high ceilings; comfortable beds and pillows; keys rather than plastic cards; and best of all, real switches, that turn the lights on and off. The Bedford has sensibly ignored many of the technical traps that can make staying in a hotel room more challenging than setting up your own satellite transmission site. The result is a place that combines understated elegance with modern touches and old school service. Some rooms overlook the rue de l’Arcade, others look over a courtyard, but all are a decent size and a muted colour. There is air-conditioning too, which is a relief when the summer strikes.

Eating

Breakfast is a buffet in a glorious belle époque room, boasting stucco reliefs and a glass roof. Dinner happens here too, French cuisine and fairly formal. There’s also a relaxed bistro/bar that serves meals and cocktails.

Location

A stone’s throw from the Place de la Madeleine, the Place de la Concorde and the Tuileries Gardens, and the Opera, this is one of the best areas to stay in Paris. (Marcel Proust used to live just around the corner). It is a lively area, with great boutiques, wine bars and an eclectic mix of restaurants, Japanese, Italian, Chinese, Korean, Lebanese and French too.

Don’t miss

The Bedford knows that many people like to travel with their pets, so they are allowed to stay too.

HOTEL BEDFORD, 17, RUE DE L’ARCADE 75008 PARIS Tel. : +33 (0)1 44 94 77 77 Fax : +33 (0)1 44 94 77 97 More information at www.hotel-bedford.com

Rooms from €250; Suites from €450

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Sara Hamdan

Welcome to a magazine editor’s guide to luxury hotels and what to wear when you’re there! My work has appeared in: The International New York Times, Rolling Stone, Variety and CNN Travel. I’ve held editorial roles at VIVA Magazine, Dubai Magazine and Stylist Arabia. Now, I freelance for the likes of Google, CNN and Savoir Flair!

Editing travel pages was always my favourite part of working for lifestyle magazines. I started this blog out of a love of beautiful hotels that provide the fairytale escape of a day as a princess where breakfast is a buffet and chocolates appear on my pillow.

PR queries, feedback and compliments? Email sara@holidaysinheels.com!