The Sofitel chain is one we’ve generally got a lot of time for; they do many of the things we want from a chain (service, professionalism, above all consistency) and very few of the things we don’t (bland décor, dull atmosphere, that deflating feeling when consistency turns into sameness). And in sleepy, serious Luxembourg City, the Sofitel stands out. Here, right across the street from the European Court of Justice, you could be forgiven for expecting something a little more safe — say what you will about international lawyers, but they’re not necessarily the most raucous crowd. So full marks for style to the Sofitel Luxembourg Europe, whose interiors, conservative by Sofitel standards, are nevertheless a cut above the sort of beige-on-beige business hotel you might expect to find in its place. As such it’s pretty much the top hotel in Luxembourg’s Kirchberg plateau, and all manner of international business gets done in its restaurants, from Italian cuisine at Radici to the locally-themed De Feierwon. If it’s lacking anything, it’s in the pampering department; no pool, no spa, no fitness center — this is no urban resort, but a business hotel through and through.