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ORIENT-EXPRESS HOTELS BRINGS YOU CLOSER TO THE STARS DURING THE INTERNATIONAL YEAR OF ASTRONOMY |
| 20 February 2009 Celebrations and exhibitions are planned throughout what has been officially designated the International Year of Astronomy. Orient-Express Hotels has created a number of stellar experiences and heavenly offers in celebration of the constellations, including exclusive use of the pool at the Villa San Michele for a midnight swim beneath the stars. Florence will honour the great physicist with an exhibition at the Palazzo Strozzi between 14th March and 30th August, 2009, highlighting the history of Galileo’s use of the telescope and his fascinating discoveries. The Villa San Michele, which occupies an unrivalled position with views across Florence, has created a ‘Closer to the Stars’ package, giving their guests a unique insight into the wonderful world of the night sky. Guests will have the opportunity to swim under the stars and dine in the hotel’s romantic Loggia Restaurant while bathed in starlight. The two night ‘Closer to the Stars’ package includes daily breakfast, a candlelit dinner, tickets to the Galileo Galilei exhibition at Palazzo Strozzi, and exclusive access to the swimming pool for a midnight swim with a bottle of champagne. Prices start from Euro 1,855 (from £1,638*) per person per package, valid for stays between 8th April and 30th August, 2009, and are for a minimum stay of two nights. Galileo is also celebrated at The Observatory Hotel in Sydney, where the hotel’s restaurant is named after the astronomer in honour of its position next to the Sydney Observatory. The hotel offers a ‘Wish upon a Star’ package, which combines one luxurious overnight stay with an eight course degustation dinner, followed by a visit to the Sydney Observatory, where stargazers and romantics can name their very own star.
Madeira is one of the ten best places in the world to observe the night sky and Reid’s Palace has just introduced a Moonlight Dinner experience for 2009. The hotel has a 10 acre sub-tropical garden full of fragrant and secluded venues for a romantic dinner. Guests choose the location of their dinner in advance and, after champagne and canapés on the terrace of their room, are escorted by butler to the table, which will be beautifully laid with candles whilst a guitarist plays discreetly in the background. They will dine from a three course menu of dishes such as Lobster salad with a 20 year Madeira sauce, Roasted fillet of Turbot with Scampi or Roasted rack of Lamb with artichoke hearts, black truffles and duck fois gras. Dessert is a spectacular flambé. Back in their room, guests will discover a bottle of decanted Madeira wine and chocolates laid out for them to enjoy the rest of the evening. The Reid’s Palace Moonlight Dinner is priced from Euro 365 (from £320*) per person and is inclusive of all beverages including aperitif, selected wines and champagne, as well as an after dinner digestif. The solar system and Southern hemisphere night sky are also celebrated at the Mount Nelson Hotel in Cape Town, where ‘Stardust’ and ‘Shoot to the Moon’ cocktails are drunk each night in Planet bar. The centre-piece of Planet is a huge orrery - a clockwork mobile demonstrating the relative positions and motions of bodies in the solar system. The ceiling of Planet also features an impressive fibre-optic light system representing the Milky Way and stars of the Southern Hemisphere. Planet opens out onto one of the Mount Nelson's magnificent garden terraces, allowing guests to take full advantage of the beautiful African night sky. Stars of a different kind are often spotted at Planet, which has recently played host to Kate Moss, Robbie Williams, Leonardo di Caprio and Daniel Craig. Ends/… Orient-Express Hotels (www.orient-express.com) has offered exceptional luxury travel experiences since 1976, when the company first purchased Hotel Cipriani in Venice and then shortly afterwards, recreated the celebrated Venice Simplon-Orient-Express, which weekly, links London, Paris and Venice as well as other destinations. Today, the company owns or part-owns and manages 51 businesses, 41 of which are highly acclaimed hotels that are each unique in style, from the Mount Nelson in Cape Town and Rio’s Copacabana Palace, to the Grand Hotel Europe in St. Petersburg and Maroma Resort & Spa on Mexico’s Riviera Maya. There are two restaurants, including ‘21’ in New York, two river cruise operations and six tourist trains. Orient-Express prides itself on providing the ultimate in luxury and service for its guests, in some of the world’s most magical locations. *The sterling price guide is based on the exchange rate at the time of going to press, but the final price, payable in local currency, will depend on the exchange rate at the time of booking. For further information or to make a booking, contact Orient-Express Hotels on 0845 077 2222 or go to www.orient-express.com. For more information on the International Year of Astronomy, go to www.astronomy2009.co.uk High resolution images of all Orient-Express Hotels can be accessed by registering at www.orient-expressimages.com For further press information please contact:
Louise Toye
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