Orient Express (Accor)

Orient Express SAS
IndustryHospitality
HeadquartersParis, France
Key people
Omer Acar (CEO Orient Express & Raffles)
ServicesTrains, Hotels, Cruises
Owner
Websiteorient-express.com

The Orient Express is a private luxury train service and luxury hospitality company operated by Accor. It will carry passengers between Paris and Istanbul, like the original Orient Express, beginning in 2025.[2] It will also offer journeys around Italy.[3]

Trains

The Orient Express

In 2017, Accor purchased a 50% stake in the Orient Express brand from SNCF for the right to use the name.[4] In 2018, Accor began renovation work on 17 CIWL carriages from the defunct Nostalgie Istanbul Orient Express, which date back to the 1920s and 1930s, to create a modern Orient Express.[1][5]

Two services will be operated, Central Europe (France, Germany, Austria, Hungary and Czechia) and the mythic/original route (France, Germany, Austria, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria and Turkey).[6] The first service will begin in 2025.[2] The service has no relation to the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express, which is owned by Belmond.[7]

Orient Express La Dolce Vita

A total of six Orient Express La Dolce Vita trains, each accommodating 62 guests, were constructed in Brindisi, Italy. The interiors are inspired by 1960s Italian design. The trains will offer overnight journeys around Italy, with itineraries including Rome, Venice and Portofino.[3][8][9] The service was first announced in 2021 and was supposed to launch in 2023 but delayed till 2024 and later 2025.[10] Its inaugural journey will embark on April 4, 2025.[11]

Private events for up to 62 people can also be reserved, including for weddings and corporate events, with the option to choose custom decor, menus, and itineraries.[12]

Hotels

Logo of Orient Express Hotels

Accor purchased a 50 percent stake in the Orient Express brand from SNCF in 2017 to launch a chain of Orient Express hotels.[13]

In 2019 it was announced that the first Orient Express hotel would open in Bangkok, Thailand at the King Power Mahanakhon skyscraper.[14] It was planned to open in 2020 and would have had 154 rooms.[14] In 2020 Orient Express and King Power mutually agreed to part ways and the Orient Express Hotel Bangkok was cancelled.[15]

In February 2022 Arsenale S.p.A acquired The Grand Hotel de la Minerva [it] in Rome, Italy.[16] In July, the opening of an Orient Express hotel in the space was announced.[16][17] Also in 2022 the opening of an Orient Express at the Palazzo Dona Giovannelli in Venice was announced.[18] The hotel will open in 2025.

Properties
Name No. of Rooms City Country Opening Ref.
Orient Express La Minerva 93 (34 suites) Rome  Italy April 2025 [19][6]
Orient Express Palazzo Donà Giovannelli 45 Venice  Italy 2025 [20][6]
Orient Express Diriyah Gate 80 Riyadh  Saudi Arabia [21][6]
Aqaba Gulf Hotel Unknown Aqaba  Jordan Unknown [6]
Under negotiation
Unknown Unknown London  United Kingdom Unknown [21]
Unknown Unknown Paris  France Unknown [21]
Unknown Unknown Istanbul  Turkey Unknown [21]
Legend Old Cataract Unknown Aswan  Egypt Unknown [22]
Winter Palace Unknown Luxor Unknown [22]

Other

Cruises

A superyacht cruise line will also be launched under the Orient Express name.[23] The Orient Express Silenseas will be the largest sailing yacht in the world and services will start in 2028.[24][25][22] A second yacht has also been commissioned and both will be built by Chantiers de l’Atlantique.[26]

Products

In 2021 a collection of travel objects called "Steam Dream" launched with pop ups at La Samartaine (a Parisian department store) and the IFC mall in Hong Kong and online. The collection includes items made by Au Départ, Smythson, Cire Trudon, Bernardaud, Duvelleroy and more.[27][28]

In 2023 in a collaboration with Montblanc they launched a limited edition collection of seven Orient Express themed pens for Montblanc's High Artistry Collection.[29][30][31]

Racing Team

Main article: Orient Express Racing Team

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Dobrina Zhekova (29 June 2022). "The Original Orient Express Is Returning to Europe in 2024 — With 17 Beautifully Refurbished Carriages". Travel + Leisure.
  2. ^ a b Yevhenii Podolskyi (26 October 2022). "The revived Orient Express will leave Paris for Istanbul in 2025". DIP.
  3. ^ a b "Orient Express La Dolce Vita". The Luxury Train Club. Retrieved 19 April 2024.
  4. ^ Christina Jelski (12 January 2023). "Orient Express will venture into luxury cruising". Travel Weekly.
  5. ^ Sarah Kuta (1 December 2022). "You Could Soon Ride in Historic Carriages From the Orient Express". Smithsonian.
  6. ^ a b c d e "Orient Express brand pitch 2024" (PDF). Accor. 3 July 2024. Retrieved 28 July 2024.
  7. ^ Lucy Alexander (23 April 2023). "How Luxury Trains Are Transporting Travelers to a Bygone Era of Old-World Opulence". Robb Report.
  8. ^ "Wealthy travelers are reserving seats onboard Italy's new Orient Express train before construction is even complete — see why". Business Insider. 4 September 2023.
  9. ^ "A First Look at Italy's Gorgeous La Dolce Vita Orient Express Train—And How to Book It". AFAR. 19 March 2024.
  10. ^ "Orient Express returns to Italy with Dolce Vita redesign". New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 2023-01-12.
  11. ^ "Select your itinerary - La Dolce Vita". Accor. Archived from the original on 24 April 2024.
  12. ^ "Events - Privatize La Dolce Vita Orient Express train". Accor. Retrieved 20 April 2024.
  13. ^ Rosenthal, Victoria (2017-10-04). "AccorHotels buys 50-percent stake in Orient Express brand". Hotel Management. Retrieved 2023-01-12.
  14. ^ a b "Miss the original? The Orient Express is returning..." Lonely Planet. Retrieved 2024-06-14.
  15. ^ Hamdi, Raini; admin (2022-04-20). "How The Standard Ends up Managing What was to be the World's First Orient Express Hotel in Bangkok". Hotels-Asia. Retrieved 2023-01-12.
  16. ^ a b "Rediscover The Glory Of Venice With Orient Express". 2022-05-12. Retrieved 2023-01-12.
  17. ^ "Brochure Orient Express" (PDF).
  18. ^ caitlan (2022-05-10). "Orient Express to Open Second Hotel in Italy at Palazzo Donà Giovannelli in Venice". Hotel Magazine. Retrieved 2023-01-12.
  19. ^ Fontaine, Emma (2023-10-17). "Giampaolo Ottazzi appointed as General Manager for the first Orient Express Hotels in Rome & Venice". Accor – Newsroom. Retrieved 2023-10-20.
  20. ^ "Rediscover The Glory Of Venice With Orient Express". 2022-05-12. Retrieved 2023-06-28.
  21. ^ a b c d "Orient Express Hotels - Factsheet" (PDF).
  22. ^ a b c "Orient Express Hotels Brand Presentation" (PDF).
  23. ^ "Orient Express Cruises to Set Sail on World's Largest Superyacht". Bloomberg.com. 2023-01-11. Retrieved 2023-01-12.
  24. ^ Sturges, Connor (2023-01-11). "This is the future of luxury cruising – an exclusive look at the Orient Express ship". CN Traveller. Retrieved 2024-06-14.
  25. ^ "Orient Express will venture into luxury cruising". www.travelweekly.com. Retrieved 2024-06-14.
  26. ^ "Accor to build super-yachts for Orient Express at Chantiers de l'Atlantique". seatrade-cruise.com. 2023-01-12. Retrieved 2023-01-12.
  27. ^ Diderich, Joelle (2021-09-18). "Orient Express Launches Collection of Travel Objects". WWD. Retrieved 2023-06-28.
  28. ^ "Orient Express is coming to town at IFC Mall | Things to do in Hong Kong". Time Out Hong Kong. 2021-11-13. Retrieved 2023-06-28.
  29. ^ Olson, Nancy. "Montblanc's Voyage Of Discovery: High Artistry Pen Collection 2023". Forbes. Retrieved 2023-06-28.
  30. ^ "inkstable.com | Montblanc High Artistry A Journey On The Orient Express". inkstable.com. 2023-05-25. Retrieved 2023-06-28.
  31. ^ Letonja, Timotej (2023-05-04). "Montblanc High Artistry A Journey On The Orient Express". Numéro Netherlands. Retrieved 2023-06-28.