Luxembourg City is in the midst of a hotel boom: between the opening of the Marriott Alfa in the Gare district, the arrival of chef Milan Brée at the Hôtel Le Places d’Armes, the opening of the Villa Pétrusse and, soon, the Hôtel des Postes--the Hôtel Le Royal is joining the race.

“Le Royal is a little big hotel and a big little hotel,” explains its general manager, Philippe Scheffer. Since opening its doors in 1984 in the heart of the old town, the hotel has built its reputation on the combination of tranquillity and top-of-the-range service. After modernising its rooms and inaugurating the Amélys restaurant in 2016, Le Royal is looking to reaffirm its excellence through a new brand campaign.

“Le Royal is inaugurating a new page in its history,” adds Patrick Lesage, founder of the communications consultancy Takaneo. Having established a loyal international clientele, the hotel is deploying a new storytelling focused on closeness with its guests and a more personalised, engaging tone. In other news, a fitness club reserved for guests is currently being created.

Named “Le Royal. Une évidence,” the new signature aims to convey the customer experience in a more legible way, without denying the hotel’s institutional image.

Finally, to date, no new information is available on the reopening of the Pomme Cannelle restaurant, whose doors closed in late 2020. The relaunch remains on hold.

The Amélys spring menu by Paul Fourier

Since April, the Amélys restaurant has been rolling out chef Paul Fourier’s spring menu. It will move onto its summer version around mid-July. Trained in Belgium and proud of his coastal roots, this chef’s approach is rooted in seasonality and--above all--simplicity.

Seared red tuna fillet, crisp vegetable salad and ponzu vinaigrette. Photo: Paperjam

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Honey-lacquered duck breast, pea pommade, picalilli poultry juice and sautéed baby potatoes. Photo: Paperjam

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Strawberry gariguette, rhubarb confit and crispy Breton galette by Yannick Marchand. Photo: Paperjam

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And some amuse-bouches: salmon, prawns and delicious polenta. (Photo: Paperjam)

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Seared red tuna fillet, crisp vegetable salad and ponzu vinaigrette. Light, no-frills cooking, enhanced by a homemade ponzu sauce combining soy, yuzu and a hint of picalilli.

Honey-lacquered duck breast, pea purée, picalilli juice and baby potatoes. The honey caramelises the meat, whilst the picalilli sauce--inspired by a Belgian recipe based on condiments, poultry stock and cream--adds freshness and relief.

Strawberry gariguette, rhubarb confit and crispy Breton galette. A classic dish that has been reinvented, where the generosity of the fruit converses with the iodised crunch of the galette, Yannick Marchand’s signature.

“I always say, cooking is simple,” says chef Fourier. True to this motto, he reserves some classics for each season. What’s on the menu for this summer? Come mid-July, guests can enjoy Belgian-style mussels, homemade cordon-bleu for Luxembourgers and a Belgian-style dish featuring tomatoes and hand-peeled shrimp, a tribute to his coastal origins.

This article was originally published in French.