© Amaury Laparra
Villa Pétrusse, a newly restored five-star hotel opening on 16 June in Luxembourg, blends historical charm with modern luxury, featuring unique rooms, a hidden tunnel, and a fine dining restaurant led by Luxembourgish chef Kim de Dood.
Just over five weeks before its official opening on 16 June, Villa Pétrusse was presented to the press for the first time. This new five-star hotel, housed in the fully restored former Villa Baldauff, will welcome its first guests on 16 June, followed the next day by the opening of its fine dining restaurant, Le Lys.
Purchased in 2017 by private investment company Compagnie Financière La Luxembourgeoise for ten million euros, the former Villa Baldauff underwent five years of extensive renovation to become one of the capital’s most prestigious addresses.
According to Arthur Carvas, Head of Real Estate and Hospitality at Compagnie Foncière La Luxembourgeoise, the primary challenge was to honour the legacy of the original home. Their aim was to preserve the spirit of a private residence and ensure that guests feel more like family visitors than hotel clients.
Listed as a national monument since 2018, the building's protected status is both a constraint and a mark of distinction. Carvas noted that while some elements of the past had to be respected, the project also needed to create something new and forward-looking.
From the outside, the Villa’s silhouette, perched above the Pétrusse valley, still evokes its bourgeois past. Inside, interior designer Tristan Auer has transformed the space while preserving its original character. Restored ceilings, historic tilework, and stained glass sit comfortably alongside modern elements designed for the comfort of both local and international guests. The final days before opening are focused on completing the finishing touches, installing the last furnishings, and fine-tuning technical details.
A hidden tunnel
The hotel features 22 rooms spread across the main building – the Villa – and the former stables of Madame Baldauff, renamed “the Pavilion”. On the first floor of the Villa, the Pétrusse Suite offers a stunning view of the valley. Each room has a unique headboard and distinctive décor. The second floor, once reserved for domestic staff, lacks original tapestries and features, which allowed for a more contemporary approach.
One of the most remarkable discoveries during renovation was an old tunnel, part of the historic casemates, uncovered during underground works. This tunnel now discreetly connects the Villa and the Pavilion beneath the gardens and has been integrated into the design. Carvas describes it as one of the renovation’s most exciting finds.
The tunnel leads to a wine cellar housing over a thousand labels and to six “Signature Garden” rooms that overlook the park. From there, guests can see the upper edge of the fortress wall, currently undergoing a 20-metre-long stabilisation project.
Le Lys – a fine dining experience led by Luxembourgish chef
The restaurant Le Lys will be led by Luxembourgish chef Kim de Dood, who trained at several three-star establishments across France, Belgium, and Asia. De Dood has set his sights on earning a Michelin star swiftly, feeling that the setting itself calls for such ambition.
His menu celebrates local Luxembourgish ingredients while also incorporating Asian influences developed over eight years working in Singapore and Kuala Lumpur. Dishes include reimagined kniddelen, unexpected tea pairings, root infusions, and desserts inspired by traditional family recipes. In the evenings, the restaurant will offer tasting menus of four, six or eight courses, starting at €110.
During the day and when the fine dining venue is closed, a more accessible bistronomic offering will be available, with starters priced between €15 to €20, mains up to €39, and desserts around €12 to €15. Breakfast, included in the room rate (around €450 per night), will feature a Luxembourgish selection of local meats and specialities.
Nearly €40 million invested
Upstairs in the Pavilion, the Gëlle Fra Suite features a bold contemporary design, with round windows and an open-plan bathroom. Nearby, a glass-walled salon is under construction. To be named the “Salon Edouard André” in honour of the landscape architect of Luxembourg’s municipal park, it will host intimate gatherings of up to ten guests.
On the ground floor, remnants of rails once used by François Baldauff’s personal locomotive remain embedded in the floor, telling yet another chapter of the building’s story. A small but well-equipped fitness room completes the facilities.
With 47 staff members, including kitchen and service teams, and a total investment nearing €40 million, the project is as much about cultural preservation as it is about hospitality. Carvas emphasised that profitability is not the driving concern. Instead, the goal is to honour and renew the site’s legacy. In his view, the Villa Pétrusse is a way of returning something valuable to Luxembourg.
