Destination Report Luxembourg

hot city / cool country… and so close by !

L U X E M B O U R G : S U R P R I S I N G FA C I L I T I E S & M O R E . . .

LUXEMBOURG

Spepeciacial MMIM IM magmagazia ne SupplementDestination Report Luxembourg is a special edition of MIM magazine N° 107 - October 2009published by Meeting Media Company (Belgium) - www.MIMmagazine.eu

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MIM > categorie > onderwerp

MIM: How do you see the future of the meetings industry for Luxembourg, espe-cially considering the recent efforts that were made?Roland Pinnel: 'The current trend towards short-haul destinations puts Luxembourg City in a privileged position. Having its largest share of clients within Europe, it's ideally situated in the heart of Europe and therefore easily accessible. Luxembourg is an authentic, secure and dynamic capital, in constant growth, especially in terms of the infrastructure offered, with a combina-tion of the new and the old, purpose-built or unusual venues combined with an excellent selection of support services

and qualifi ed providers. Multilingual, with an open spirit and excellent means of communication, our capital city is and will stay a privileged place of welcome. The Luxembourg Convention Bureau, the offi cial conference bureau of the city of Luxembourg will, even more than before as a principle of solidarity, promote the destination as a whole with its partners.'

Pierre Barthelmé: 'Due to recent de-velopments in seminar and conference infrastructure, both in the capital and throughout the country, the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg intends to assert its right-ful place among the medium-capacity

European meeting and incentive cities and regions.

'The recently (re-)opened the Euro-pean Conference Centre in Luxembourg-Kirchberg is one of the many venues in Luxembourg, next to the great hall of the Philharmonie, the Municipal Grand Theater or the Cultural and Meeting Center Neumünster Abbey. Across the country, there's also the Cultural, Tourist and Congress Centre Trifolion in Echter-nach, the Cube521 in the Ardennes in Marnach, or the usual suspects such as the Domaine Thermal or Casino2000 in Mondorf, to name but a few.'

When we were there, we absolutely loved the contrast between the bustling city life and the relax-ing peace and quiet in the countryside... with an extra European touch. What has struck us even more during our visit was the speed with which new projects and developments are underway. But these lady and gentlemen will give you an exact idea about what's going on in Luxembourg: Pierre Barthelmé, Executive Counselor 1st Class at the Ministry of Tourism and Chairman of the Board of Luxembourg Congrès, Roland Pinnel, Director of the Luxembourg City Tourist Offi ce, Jean-Jacques Knaff, Director of Luxembourg Congrès, and Sarina Migge of the Luxembourg Convention Bureau.INTERVIEW AND TEXT SOPHIE MOLLE AND STEVEN KINS

Nothing says Europelike LuXembourgThe size of a region but the independence of a state.

'A small country is an advantage for everyone,' says Olivier Barbieux, Director of the Luxembourg

Tourist Offi ce in Brussels, and he adds: 'Luxembourg may have the size of a region

but it has the independence of a state.' That's one of the main advantages of the Grand Duchy, certainly if you link that to

its favourable position on the European map - literally and fi guratively.

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MIM > LuXembourg > Intro

MIM: It's obvious that the new Conference Centre will play an important role.Barthelmé: 'Luxembourg is often in the spotlight on the news in Europe because of its status as one of the three capitals of Europe: indeed, the meetings of the Coun-cils of Ministers of the EU are held here and have necessitated an in-depth upgrade of our European Conference Centre. This being done, we intend to capitalize on that reputation to communicate that these magnifi cent facilities are available to any company or organization to hold its congress or seminar outside the months of April, June and October when the sessions of the '27' are held in Luxembourg.'

Jean-Jacques Knaff: 'Don't forget that we're not really a conference centre. It has been built for the European Minister Coun-cil, with specifi c requirements in mind. It requires a closed-off centre, while it needs to be open and accessible for conferences. Nonetheless, we have tested every possi-ble event, even a fashion show and a disco - and it was the best disco in Luxembourg, I may say. For a special event we once put cushions on the fl oor of our loft-style room and we invited some musicians with a cello and a harp to create the perfect atmosphere. Everything had one colour: the main dish was one colour, the dessert another, and so on. Every evening a lot of passers-by stop and look inside because the light show looks so impressive.

'It's a prestigious centre with a lot of wood in the interior, and when there is an exhibi-tion everything needs to be protected, which is not obvious. The prestige is shown in the lights in the auditorium; if you re-place one, you have to replace all of them, which takes two to three weeks. Cleaning all the windows even takes one month.

'Since we have fl oor heating, car presenta-tions are impossible because they are too heavy. But we have a wonderful site which is close to the Philharmonie. We had Vo-dafone UK and they're returning in 2010, and we also had a lot of pharmaceutical companies, lawyer associations...

'We don't have exclusive partners, except for catering, because we consider our reputation to be extremely important. Since it is the same catering as for the ministers - and they are happy - it has to be very good.'

Sarina Migge: 'Another fact about the Cen-tre to point out is that it is a very secure location because of its specifi c concept.'

MIM: How do you promote the centre and the destination?Knaff: 'The European Minister Council will occupy this conference centre three months a year: in April, June and October, and then the city will be packed. That means there are nine months left, which is the reason why we, as Luxembourg Congrès, are making promotion for this centre and for the Grand Duchy. Of course it is important that you have enough capacity to accommodate people, so it is easier to sell the centre and then the rest of the available accommodations in the destination.'

Barthelmé: 'In my capacity as Chairman of the Board of Directors of Luxembourg Congrès and my duties in the Ministry for Tourism, I can perfectly combine the resources of both Luxembourg Congress,

a Luxembourg City Convention Bureau, a National Tourist Offi ce and our tourist rep-resentations abroad. To demonstrate the importance of the MICE segment to the Luxembourg Government, the declaration of the government programme of the new government mentions the development of this economic activity.

'Of course we are present at the main professional fairs like CONFEX, IMEX and EMIF but we complement this with fam trips, road shows, round-tables with pro-fessionals whom we meet in the different European markets. Often, our Embassies are valuable partners in this approach.'

'Thanks to recent developments in seminar and conference in-frastructure the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg intends to assert its rightful place'

from left to right:Sylvie Meyer, Olivier Barbieux, Sarina Migge and Jean-Jacques Knaff in the European Conference Centre

Pierre Barthelmé

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MIM > LuXembourg > Intro

Knaff: 'Luxembourg is a cosmopolitan village. Filling up the conference centre equals promoting the destination because people visit the city and return afterwards, be it for business or pleasure. We do not accommodate groups under 300 people, so we send those to another location in Luxembourg. Once they visit Luxembourg, they see that everything is close-by.'

Migge: 'We let people choose their hotel according to their budget, but we are able to offer them a wide range of possibilities within close proximity of each other.'

MIM: Apart from the new hotels that are opening, are there any future projects that the public might be interested in?Pinnel: 'The new Conference Centre on Kirchberg is partially opened. The fi nal renovation phase will be terminated by the end of 2012. The Cité / Cercle complex, a cultural and business meeting place right in the downtown area, will open in two steps: the Cité offi cially in January 2010 and the Cercle building beginning of 2011.

Furthermore a tramway is planned, con-necting the train station, the airport and the Kirchberg plateau with the city centre.'

Barthelmé: 'To accommodate participants in conferences, seminars and incentives that we wish to draw to Luxembourg, the capacity of the hotel infrastructure has been expanded or modernized. Several ho-tel projects have emerged in Luxembourg City, or will open their doors soon: Sofi tel & Novotel in the station area, in addition to their presence in the Kirchberg plateau, the Melia group opposite the Conference Centre Kirchberg and the castle-hotel Urspelt in the Ardennes, near Clervaux will soon be joined by the hotel 'The Place d'Armes' in a listed building on the square that bears the same name and the 'Suit-ehotel' Accor, also in Kirchberg.'

Migge: 'There are also a few other novel-ties in Luxembourg like the Rives de Clausen, and a new 4-star hotel next to the brasserie Mansfeld, in a beautiful location next to the river and near the Casemates.'

Olivier Barbieux: 'I can only add that spring next year will see the opening of a new-generation design hotel in Munsbach: the Légère Premium Hotel Luxembourg. This four-star property will be located near the airport and will have 156 rooms and 400 square metres of conference space.'

'The current trend towards short-haul destinations puts Luxembourg City in a privileged position'

A nice view and easy accessibility when fl ying in from abroad, where can you fi nd that? The only answer: NH Luxembourg ****. It's right next to the new airport, but strangely enough you don't get awak-ened at night by a plane that's fl ying over, and you have a wonderful 180 degree view from the fourth fl oor meeting room where you feel as if you're inside the control tower of the airport itself. The hotel recently had some major behind-the-scenes refurbishments, which have made the hotel an even better place to stay.

Contact:T: +352 340 571 - F: +352 [email protected]

NH Luxembourg

'We have tested every possible event in the European Conference Centre, even a fashion show and a disco - and it was the best disco in Luxemburg,I may say'

Roland Pinnel Légère Premium Hotel Luxembourg

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MIM > LuXembourg > City

According to Thai Luong of the Melia, Luxembourg is a vibrant location, as proven by the free con-certs on Sunday morning, for instance with the Simple Minds, and we defi nitely won't challenge his point. On one side you have the characteristic, elegant side of the city that's been kept up to date, which is perfectly illustrated by the Place d'Armes hotel, a historic building that has been restored marvellously. On the other side you have the modern, more 'design' aspect which you fi nd in the Sofi tel Luxembourg Le Grand Ducal and the Grand Hôtel Victor Hugo for instance.

Luxembourg cityVibrant Elegance

Place d'ArmesThe main thing they want to do is preserve the character of the old building, but this has some consequences of course. No two rooms are alike and everything had to be tailor-made, so we don't have to tell you that no trouble or expense was spared in this project that will open at the end of 2009. Three different styles are combined in a perfect balance: modern, baroque and art-deco, and all over the place real design pieces can be admired. A lounge bar, brasserie, restaurant, wine-vault and a wellness centre complete the already marvellous picture.

Grand Hôtel Victor HugoA new name in Luxembourg is always refreshing, and this one defi nitely is. The Grand Hôtel Victor Hugo **** is a design boutique hotel with a perfect location in between the city centre and Kirchberg. The 40 rooms and 5 suites each have their own colour according to the fl oor they're on and the sales director, Mr. Castellanetta, is very proud of some of

the famous guests he's already welcomed in his property. The 3-star Hôtel Victor Hugo across the street copies some of the characteristics of its bigger brother but in a looser atmosphere.

Château de SeptfontainesWe arrived at the castle and we were actually interrupting on a movie set, that was an immediate indication of how well-preserved this property really is. It's located next to the Villeroy & Boch factory and was the home of the Boch brothers. Christian Coljon wanted to stress two things: the fl exibility of the different spaces (there's more than 3000m2 of event space) and the contrast between the château and the industrial grounds, because you can actually choose between the smaller meeting rooms in the castle or the bigger spaces in the old factory. Christian is also president of No Borders which organizes concerts that promote the connection between cultures all around the world.

Alvisse Parc It's not exactly in the city centre, but it's really nearby, and still you feel as if you're in the forests. If you need a large amount of rooms, the Alvisse Parc **** is a good alternative with its 765 beds divided over 245 rooms and 95 studios. Mireille Micoud was proud to tell that the lobby, the bar and the restaurant are being refurbished, which will give the hotel a new appear-ance. A major asset is the 1300m2 Europe meeting room.

HiltonClose to the Alvisse Parc lies a true monu-ment among the Luxembourg hotels, the Hilton Luxembourg *****. It towers above the quiet Gruneward Forest and this en-sures a superb view from one of the 337 guest rooms, 15 meeting rooms, Indigo Restaurant or Bar Mezzo. Surely the Hilton brand stands for quality and business will defi nitely feel important here, as proven by the business centre which is open 24/7.

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37° is nestled in the Cloche d’Or business park with a breathtaking view of green sur-roundings. An open deck invites for coffee breaks and after-work parties. The facades of the two adjacent buildings offer an excel-lent advertisement space when illuminated at night for events of all kinds. German ar-chitect Stephan Braunfels calls 37° his fi rst masterpiece in Luxembourg. The owning company matched architectural purism with minimalistic Italian furniture: Elipse tables and Verner Panton S chairs, the combina-tion is predominantly modern. The building is managed by a group of people known for their professionalism in event productions, your event will be in experienced hands.

Contact: Annik PaquayImpasse Drosbach1882 Cloche d'Or, LuxembourgT: +352 661 37 37 [email protected]

Meeting facilities 2009(total of 2315sqm)'grande salle' 614 sqm, daylight, 442 conferencein theater style, 450 cocktail, 400 walking dinner, 300 seated dinnerwooden deck 515 sqm, daylight, 250 cocktailbusiness lounges from east to west: 64 and 73 sqm, indirect daylight, 16-24 in boardroom or cabaret style, 35 in classroom style, up to 45 in theater stylebusiness lounges from north to south: 66 and 79 sqm, indirect daylight, 20-30 in boardroom or cabaret style, 40 in classroom style, up to 55 in theater stylereception area for coffee breaks 170sqm, daylight

Meeting facilities 2010 (total of 4000sqm)workshop 514sqm, daylight, 120 classroom + space for workshops or luncheon/dinners 120restaurant 1021sqm, daylight, seating 350reception area enlarged, 270sqm, daylight, coffee breaks and display/exhibition area 250

MIM > LuXembourg

37°Human Warmth

37° IN LUXEMBOURG is the fi rst'green' meeting place of the Grand

Duchy, the newest conference centre and event venue of Luxembourg

city, an architectural piece of art

Restaurant ‘Le Petrusse’ is a specialist in hosting and enter-taining large groups. The restaurant offers you a magnifi cent view of the Petrusse valley and is ideally located within 3 minutes walking distance of the old city centre.

Whether it’s for breakfast, lunch, dinner or a cabaret night, res-taurant ‘Le Petrusse’ can receive around 180 guests in a warm and welcoming atmosphere.

[email protected]

Restaurant Le Pétrusse

YOUR INCOMING AGENCY IN LUXEMBOURG:

Our specialty: the ‘Three Borders Country’Our desire: to be at your service for the conception of trips across our countryOur hope: to share with your friends our knowledge and our love of Luxembourg

[email protected]

Luxembourg Visit Tours

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MIM > LuXembourg > Le Royal

Although this is a fi ve-star hotel, it re-cently received the Ecolabel rating for its commitment to preserving the environ-ment. They promote the use of bikes and public transport, they sort and recycle waste, print on recycled paper, use eco-friendly maintenance products,... In short, they really make an effort to be 'green'. Accessibility is no problem either, since the hotel arranges a shuttle service to the train station and the airport.

There are 210 rooms, of which 32 Royal Club rooms that have a private elevator with direct access to this new wing. In the latter you're also pampered with Hermès products in the bathroom. If you want to feel special, this is the exclusive environ-ment you're looking for.

If you're wondering whether or not this property can handle top-level events, we heard the reassuring news that recently the Elite Model Casting was held in the Salon des Roses, which can accommodate a maximum of 600 people. How's that for a reference? But if you're in a more low-key mood, just install yourself in the Piano bar, sit back and enjoy the atmosphere. And when you need even more thorough

relaxation, head to the health club with its heated swimming pool, exercise room, massage room, beauty salon, sauna, ham-mam and solarium.

And the future is still promising for this well-established name in Luxembourg because Florence promised they want to keep on working on their 'business profi le' in order to respond to what matters most to business clients, and although there are already nine meeting rooms, she mysteriously added that more projects were planned.

Le Royal is part of the Leading Hotels of the World, so you know this is not your ordinary hotel. It was a hot day in the Grand Duchy and at noon Florence Pichon escorted us through the restaurant 'La Pomme Cannelle' with its new chef, to the sunny terrace where someone was preparing deliciously smelling summer food on the barbecue for the guests of the outdoor restaurant 'Le Jardin'. Nonetheless, Florence quickly had our full attention for what she had to say about Le Royal.

Hotel Le Royal Luxembourg

Get the RoyalTreatment

Contact:Florence PichonT: +352 241616 715F: +352 22 29 [email protected]

If you want to feel special, this is the exclusive environment you're looking for

Terrace of the Restaurant Le Jardin

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MIM > LuXembourg > MeeTincS

In 2008 Marcel A.M. Vissers, our own editor in chief gave MeeTincS the ‘Award for the Biggest Buzz’ at the EMIF. This was just another of many crowning moments for a company that has been an impor-tant player in the Luxembourg meetings industry for over 12 years. Why? The answer is simple. MeeTincS combines in one company four essential parts of the meetings industry.

From preparing to fi nalising your event, MeeTincS is there to face any challenge, plan for the unexpected and check each detail. From simple staff parties with an Oktoberfest theme to 3-day motivation trips to Marrakech. From oenological hunts in the exclusive Caves Saint Martin of Remich to team building workshops for the Glory of Uruk. These incentives will

meet your expectations anywhere and anytime.

A PCO’s job is never done. Before, during and after your congresses and conferenc-es MeeTincS’ experienced and multilingual team will take care of, amongst other things, fi nding a venue, booking hotel rooms, designing a website, social pro-gramme, follow-up, publishing documents, ... It doesn’t matter if it’s a seminar, a conference, a congress, a training session or an exhibition, each event gets its own personal and specifi c approach.

With the globalization of political, eco-nomical, social and cultural relations, hardly any events are left where all par-ticipants have the same mother tongue. Having interpreters on stand-by will create an atmosphere of trust and congeniality, but is easier said than done. MeeTincS has a team of translators and interpreters at your disposal to translate in the shortest of time and into 60 different languages. All are bound by the strictest professional secrecy. In a business where each word is worth gold and has to reach its target, they only select the very best.

Even if you’ve decided to organise your event by yourself, without MeeTincS pro-fessional assistance, you can still rely on them to provide the very best equipment. Their equipment is constantly updated and state-of-the-art. Simultaneous trans-lation, conference sound systems, video, wireless voting system ... The material is of such high quality that it has been used for both Luxembourg presidencies of the European Union (1997 and 2005). Your event will be supported by their technolo-gy and their technology will be supported by their technicians: tailored know-how.

To sum up: MeeTincS will help you with the organisation of any kind of meeting or incentive, translation and interpretation and with rental equipment. Their profes-sionalism and experience are supported by a long list of references, including the accession of Grand Duke Henri, a NATO summit, dozens of meetings of foreign Heads of States in Luxembourg, the Ben-elux IFA Seminar of 2003, ...

[email protected]

The Grand-Duchy of Luxembourg is ideally located for the organisation of a congress, an exhibition, a conference... At the heart of Europe, within easy reach and providing an infrastructure in constant evolution, Luxembourg and MeeTincS are in a position to meet your expectations.

MeeTincS The missing piece to your success

MeeTincS is there to face any challenge, plan for the unexpected and check each detail

Teambuilding in the Caves Saint Martin

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MIM > LuXembourg > Moselle

You've probably read the name Moselle already on some wine label, but this region in the South East of the country has more to offer than that. It's named after the river that separates it from Germany, a river that is in this case also a condominium - it belongs to Luxem-bourg and Germany at the same time. That's why it was the scene of one of the landmarks in the history of a unifi ed Europe.

MoselleA European Landmark

SchengenYes, Schengen is a village in Luxembourg! That was the fi rst remark of Martina Kneip of the Schengen Tourist Offi ce. In 2010 - 14 June to be exact - they're celebrating the 25th anniversary of the signing of the Schengen agreement, the event that gave this little place its spot in the history books. This is still remem-bered by the Europe memorial stone. The European Centre is currently being transformed into a sort of a museum, a documentation centre to be exact, with a permanent exhibition on Europe and the Schengen agreement. The offi cial opening is planned during the offi cial festivities in the presence of the Ministers for Foreign Affairs on 14 June 2010. But Martina ensured us that the city is more

than just the agreement, even Victor Hugo was here. As a proof, there's a painting of the Château de Schengen that the French writer made. In the Europa Museum a small room and a cosy cellar are available for cocktail events.

The MS Princesse Marie-Astrid played an important role in the history of Europe. It was on this ship that the Schengen agreement was signed by the leaders of Belgium, France, Germany, the Nether-lands and Luxembourg, thus creating a Europe without frontiers. This place where Germany, France and Luxembourg meet, was the perfect symbolic loca-tion for this. Now themed seminars on the water can be held along different trajectories. The boat stops along the way and the passengers can take the bus to Trier for instance. Easter 2010 will be the time that the new ship will see the light. Of course, Princess Marie-Astrid will be there to inaugurate it. From mid March to June and from September to mid November the ship can be privatized. The same people also run the Wine House and Museum in Ehnen which is great for up to 180 people and this place will also be renovated, in order to give the region another new asset.

Bernard Massard is a name that rings a bell when you're talking about wines in the Moselle region. We can imagine that you're immediately thinking about blind tastings and sampling some local prod-ucts - and this is of course possible here - but the property which lies alongside the Moselle river also has enough space for events. First of all, you have the entrance

hall for 100 people and a smaller room which is perfect for buffets, then there's another room for 40 people which is built like a wine-cellar and on the fi rst fl oor there's room for 100 people in a seated arrangement with access to the terrace and a view of the river.

Mondorf-les-bains is a rather exclusive town in the south of the region, at the French border, famed for its spa treat-ments, and the most reputed name in that area has to be the Domaine Thermal of Mondorf (see further on). Casino 2000 is another big name in Mondorf-les-Bains. The staff aims to fulfi l every possible wish an event organiser might have, be it in one of the three restaurants or the eight private salons.

Commemorative monument for the Schengen Agreement

Caves Bernard Massard

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More than you ever imagined

(+352) 23 66 60 | www.mondorf.lu

where Business meets Wellness

Attila Laszlo joined us for breakfast on the terrace of the Mondorf Parc Hotel and from our fi rst impression and the friendly tone in his voice, we could tell that he's not at all as savage as his name might suggest. On the contrary, he was more than happy to welcome us in his hotel and show us around the domain - and yes, it's more than big enough to rightfully call it a domain!

Mondorf Parc Hotel

But fi rst of all he wanted to focus on Lux-embourg as a meeting destination because of the good accessibility and the knowledge for organising mid-scale meetings and busi-ness events. Mondorf Parc Hotel is not only a thermal centre, he assured us, but also a business location where you can have residential seminars. The main building, the four-star Mondorf Parc Hotel, has 113 rooms, 30 identical suites. Two restaurants on the site; a cool bistrot atmosphere in the “Maus Kätti” and the “De Jangeli” offers a modern design where the red sets off nicely against the grey.

To respond to the business market two new renovations have already been done:

you can also book twin rooms now, and free WiFi is installed throughout the hotel. The “Al Thermen”, or old spa, has been completely renovated and now houses a ballroom that can be combined with the amphitheatre in the neighbouring Waasser-haus or with the historical Orangerie, a great location for elegant events.

Then there's also the Mondorf Le Club which groups the sports and spa activities - or Tonic and Zen as they call it -, and if we look at the offer, it's no wonder that Attila stays in shape.

[email protected]

MIM > LuXembourg > Mondorf Parc Hotel

Salon Bémol

Ballroom

Al Thermen

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MIM > LuXembourg

Kirchberg

Luxexpo

The Philharmonie Luxembourg is Luxembourg’s national concert hall, the grand auditorium which can seat over 1500 people. The bold curves of Portzamparc’s Philharmonie form an exceptional setting for musical, artistic events or conferences. If you pass by after dark, you certainly can't miss the Philharmonie.

Maybe even more exclusive as an event location is the Grand Duke Jean

Museum of Modern Art or Mudam. The museum stands on the site of the old Fort Thüngen, parts of which have been rebuilt.

Melia LuxembourgThe new Melia with its modern and 'design' approach is defi nitely a worthy addition to the Kirchberg area. Thai Luong informed us that this is not really a confer-ence hotel but then again that's not really necessary because they're right next to

the Conference Centre. However, there is a meeting room for 150 people and the Italian restaurant is also accessible for exterior guests. At the back of the hotel there's now a new street that leads to the city centre down a winding road, which is a great alternative for the traditional route along the main roads. Then he took us to a suite on the top fl oor and said: 'Have a look at the best view of Luxem-bourg!' And how right he was.

Luxexpo is located on the very outskirts of the city, looking out over the green countryside. Perfect if you’re in need of a peaceful location. Its actual distance from the city is negligible with its own tram stop, a direct bus connection to the airport and its close proximity to an inter-national railway station.

The Luxexpo team has acquired vast experience and knowledge to help you organize any kind of event. The team does not allow itself to remain complacent and

set in its ways. The most prominent ex-ample of their progressive thinking is the construction of a new conference centre (completion planned for 2013). Like so many things in Luxembourg: 'Ça bouge!'Until then, Luxexpo offers a total opera-tional space of 35,000m2. Two restaurants can accommodate up to 600 people. Con-ference facilities for 20 to 2000 delegates and all technical equipment is up to date.

[email protected] www.luxexpo.lu

In Luxembourg City most national and European institutions have their headquarters in the Kirchberg quarter. It’s no wonder that a lot of meeting and incentive possibilities can be found on this plateau overlooking the city centre: Utopolis, D’Coque Arena, LuxExpo, and of course the Conference Centre. There are even special guided architecture tours in this part of town. Two atypical yet interesting locations deserve special mention: the Philharmonie Luxembourg and the Mudam.

For more than thirty years, Luxexpo Exhibition and Conference Centre has been the location of multiple trade and cultural fairs and a variety of exhibitions for the general public or for profes-sionals. The success of this large venue can be measured by the many events organized by third parties: presentations, confer-ences, workshops, seminars, product launches and banquets that fi ll the calendar.

Europe Square

Offi cial fair opening with H.R.H. Grand Duke Henri and Director Jean-Michel Collignon at Luxexpo

Luxexpo - Arcelor

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Sofi tel Luxembourg EuropeAs he told us, many VIPs have come here before us to have a drink on the terrace, have dinner in one of the restaurants, or enjoy a nice cigar in the Havana Lounge. The Venetian restaurant, Oro e Argento, with an Italian chef was renovated this Summer and was awarded 'Best Discov-ery' in Luxembourg for 2009 by Gastro-mania.Maximilian explained that Sofi tel’s new concept for meetings, 'Inspired Meetings', will provide themed packages to suit the client. Every single element of the meet-ing refl ects the same motif. Therefore they work together with different partners and event companies. The hotel also has a good relationship with the nearby Philharmonie, which is a good option for people who are interested in an evening programme. 'We want to profi le Sofi tel even more on the meeting market,' he explained, 'so we now have a dedicated

meeting planner who takes care of a whole project from start to fi nish, more or less as a consultant.The emphasis is also on the quality of the gastronomy, and we're proud that we're the hotel brand with the most Michelin stars.'

Novotel Luxembourg KirchbergWhen you're not looking for 5-star luxury, the adjacent Novotel defi nitely has its own qualities. It has a brand-new main meeting room, with 260 rooms newly renovated in 2009. They also have their own meet-ing approach with the Meeting@Novotel offer and the 10 meeting rooms promise nuremous possibilities, especially if you consider the options you have at the Sofi tel just next door.

Novotel Luxembourg CentreThe same level of expertise can be found in the four-star Novotel Luxembourg Centre. Located in the city centre, and

very convenient for those traveling via the train station with its high-speed connec-tions, the hotel can offer 150 guest rooms and 7 meeting rooms.

Sofi tel Luxembourg Le Grand DucalAfter our visit of the Sofi tel and Novotel on Kirchberg, we were treated to a glass of champagne on the top-fl oor of the 5-star Sofi tel Luxembourg Le Grand Ducal, and they must have anticipated that we were going to be enchanted by the view, as we were so impressed that we even stayed there for dinner. The experience was not a disappointment, but we should have known that beforehand, since the menu is under the direction of the famed chef Antoine Westermann. Equally as impressive as the view and the food is the design of this hotel. Although it is a hotel with 128 rooms, it breathes a modern yet cosy atmosphere.www.accor.com

The Accor group has a few tricks up its sleeve in Luxembourg, and its latest addition - the Sofi tel Luxembourg Le Grand Ducal - might be the most stunning trick of them all, but our visit started in the European district. If your event is held in one of the venues on the Kirchberg plateau, you can’t have many more convenient options than the two hotels from the same group that lie next to each other, like brothers. The Hotel Manager Maximilian Von Hochberg welcomed us in the Sofi tel Luxembourg Europe - 'one of only two fi ve-star meeting hotels in Luxembourg', he proudly announced - and invited us for a drink on the terrace which is in the middle of an impressive atrium. This gave us a magnifi cent view of the hotel, since all of the 109 rooms are built around it.

MIM > LuXembourg > Accor

Sofi tel and NovotelMixed Doubles

Sofi tel Luxembourg Europe

Sofi tel Luxembourg Le Grand Ducal Novotel Luxembourg Centre Novotel Luxembourg Kirchberg

MIM > LuXembourg > Countryside

CountrysideAn Adventurous Nature

Nature & Culture in EchternachEchternach lies at the very center of the German-Luxem-bourg nature park. This is not the only name by which this sub-region is known. Other names are: ‘Mullerthal’, valley of the millers, because of the numerous watermills, and ‘Luxembourg’s Little Switzer-land’. Whatever you want to call it, the region is alive with fauna and fl ora and is the perfect lo-cation for walking, cycling and other more sporty or adventur-

ous incentives. Indeed, right at the very gates of the town, one can fi nd a grand recreational park of 60 hectares: canoes, sailing, surfi ng, fi shing, paddle boating, mini-golf, …

The close proximity to Germany makes Echternach and its sur-roundings especially interest-ing. Very recently, the region has gained a multifunctional venue, also available for con-gresses: Trifolion (see below).

Apart from Luxembourg city, Kirchberg and the Moselle region, the countryside of Luxembourg is defi nitely worth mentioning. Drive away from the

busy roads and you'll fi nd yourself in a beautiful green, hilly and perfectly peaceful environ-

ment which might be the ideal place for your back-to-basics event with places like Echternach, Château d'Urspelt, Château de Vianden... If you want to explore the

more adventurous side of the countryside, the guys at Parc Mamm'Out will defi nitely be

able to help you (see below).

Dancing procession of Echternach

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Diana's father owns a successful construc-tion company, F. Lodomez Constructions, and he wanted to give something back to the region, so he bought the deteriorated estate in 2005. That's when his experi-ence in the construction business came in handy because they did everything themselves, turning it into an authentic, modern and comfortable château.

When it was restored, it fi rst served as a holiday home available for families from Friday to Monday. It only opened as a hotel since October 2008 and received its four stars in February. Now 14 people are working on the estate. It has 29 rooms but then there's also the impressive suite that looks like it came straight from a fairy-tale. Whoever needs to relax can book a private session in the two wellness

rooms, one with a sauna and the other with a hamam.

The restaurant opened in July and is typical for the region. The one who prepares the meat is the same person who produced it. There are also several meeting packages available. Everything is possible, small or big, thanks to a number of multipurpose rooms and the space that is available in the separate reception area in the same authentic style and with a wooden-beam ceiling.

[email protected] www.chateau-urspelt.lu

After a hard day's work we arrived in front of the driveway of the Château d'Urspelt late in the evening - too late actually. We were heartily welcomed however, and were invited to the restaurant for a sumptuous cold dish, which proved to be a sensible choice due to our late arrival. The winding roads had taken us to a place that was peaceful and quiet and the stately presence of the residence, the interior and the rooms exuded this same feel-ing. As the charming lady of the house, Diana Lodomez, says: 'This place has a soul. Over here the mentality is different and more relaxed than in the city.' When she gave us a tour around the property you could tell she was more than just proud - this is clearly not just a hotel, it's a family estate!

Château d'UrspeltCountry Class

MIM > LuXembourg

'Over here the mentality is different andmore relaxed than in the city'

Mamm'OutMany adventurous teambuilding activities are artifi cial, but not so in the Luxembourg Ardennes. It's really back to nature, hidden in the woods on the banks of the river Wiltz where Mamm'Out's operating base lies. If you're in for some adventure, the action takes place in three quarries: abseiling, crossing a rope bridge, rock climbing, death ride and much more. For the less adventurous among us the environment is also perfect for mountain biking, GPS search or hiking with a nature guide. After a nice hard day of action it’s time to relax on the terrace and just enjoy the beauty of nature. In Spring or Fall the fi replace provides a cosy feeling and you can spend the night in the Tipi Tents, the gite or another hotel accommodation. After your stay you’ll be convinced that an active and exiting teambuilding gives your team the extra drive and new energy they’ll need! All of this is organised by Axel Vosters together with the Mamm’Out Team according to your wishes and the luxury level of your group.

[email protected], www.mammout.be

Castle of Urspelt and its garden

Entrance of the castle

Typical teambuilding activity

MIM > LuXembourg

Trifolion,Centre Culturel, Touristique et de CongrèsEchternach is a charming and picturesque place surrounded by the craggy terrain, thick forests and myriad streams that gave the region the nickname ‘Little Switzerland’. It’s also the oldest town in Luxembourg, attested by its Roman ruins, medieval fortifi cations and the abbey-basilica at its centre. The town has been the site of the ‘International Festival Echternach’ since 1975. Overlooking the abbey is the newly built ‘Trifolion, Centre Culturel, Touristique et de Congrès’.

The fi ve-storey Trifolion is a prime exam-ple of how contemporary architecture can merge with the surrounding architecture of times long gone. Large windows, high ceilings and wooden panelling create an

atmosphere of peace and quiet for the many concerts and congresses that fi ll the centre’s calendar.

The building has a congress hall with a capacity for 700: the main naive has comfortable fi xed seating while the side galleries allow for fl exible seating – per-fect for personal assistants, journalists, etc. Moreover the side galleries allow seated dinners prior to concerts. Special cabins for interpreters are available for simultaneous interpretation. The adjoining auditorium has room for 300 and can be arranged in whatever way you wish. This room also sports an impressive round gallery. The main welcome hall has a surrounding gallery too as well as a star-

dotted ceiling. Additional rooms of varying size can be used for seminars, workshops and smaller meetings.

In short, Trifolion is the place to meet if you want to enrich your event with culture and nature.

[email protected]

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Trifolion: culture and congress at the same place © Ph. Hurlin

LUXEMBOURG NATIONAL TOURIST OFFICE (BELGIUM)75, avenue de Cortenbergh1000 BrusselsT.: (+32) 2 646 03 70F: (+32) 2 648 61 [email protected]

LUXEMBOURG CONGRÈS1, rue du fort Thüngen1499 LuxembourgT: +352 4302 577 51F: +352 4302 575 [email protected]

LUXEMBOURG CONVENTION BUREAUPlace Guillaume II - B.P. 1812011 LuxembourgT: +352 22 75 65F: +352 46 70 [email protected]

LuXembourg, hot city / cool country ...and so close by!

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Destination Report Luxembourg

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