2005 saw three new hotels in the Orient-Express Hotels, Trains & Cruises portfolio: the magnificent 301 room Grand Hotel Europe in St Petersburg, Hotel Caruso in Ravello, its fourth hotel in Italy, and Pansea Orient-Express Hotels’ Ubud Hanging Gardens in Bali, Indonesia.
2006 promises to be equally exciting, with new developments such as:
- A three month closure and refurbishment programme at Reid’s Palace in Madeira from 16 January, including the renovation of 69 rooms and creation of a new spa
- The opening of the first spa in Laos at La Résidence Phou Vao, Luang Prabang
- Russia’s first Ice Bar and the renovation of 120 rooms at the Grand Hotel Europe in St Petersburg
- Eight new ultra luxurious beachfront spa villas at Maroma Resort & Spa in Mexico when it reopens in February
- The introduction of private poolside cabanas at the Hotel Cipriani in Venice
- Eight new suites at La Residencia in Mallorca
- Seven new rooms at Hotel Caruso in Ravello
- Honeymoon tents at Khwai River Lodge in Botswana
- A new suite at Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons: Lemongrass
Europe
Visitors to the Grand Hotel Europe in St Petersburg can experience the city’s first open air Ice Bar, located on the pavement terrace of Sadko’s restaurant on Nevsky Prospekt, where waiters dressed in traditional fur hats, jackets and gloves will serve authentic Russian specialities such as caviar, vodka and champagne. Subject to weather conditions, the bar will be open until April 2006. The landmark hotel has begun refurbishment of 120 rooms due for completion in May 2006. French designer Michel Jouannet has focused on making the rooms intimate, whilst making the long hallways warmer with richer coloured décor and lighting that reflects the atmosphere of a private aristocratic residence. Other enhancements in the rooms include new hypoallergenic beds, pop-up flat screen television sets, large comfortable armchairs with Russian style upholstery and curtains with original framed etchings of views of St Petersburg.
In Ravello, Hotel Caruso which overlooks the spectacular Gulf of Salerno on the Amalfi coast, opened last year on 21 June. The property perches on a hilltop, 350m above sea level and encompasses the ‘Belvedere’ garden and a splendid 13th Century Colonnade with 360 degree views. After a successful opening last summer, the hotel is closed for the winter and will re-open on 25 March 2006. Several new rooms, including some exclusive suites each with a private terrace and garden, will be added in the Spring.
During its annual winter season closure, the legendary Hotel Cipriani in Venice is also being enhanced. The formal Fortuny Bar has been painstakingly restored, revealing authentic vaults under the ceiling that complement the décor of the nearby Fortuny Restaurant and connecting Cigar Room. In the gardens next to the Olympic sized swimming pool, there will be private cabanas available to rent for guests wishing more shade or privacy. Each will contain arm chairs, mini bars and massage tables on request for treatments from the Casanova Beauty and Wellness Centre. The Observatory suite which has remarkable views of St Mark’s basin and the Lido, will have a new open air plunge pool on its wooden terrace. The Granaries of the Republic banqueting rooms have been enhanced with an illumination facility created by Venetian decorator Matteo Corvino to transform the scenic effects and choice of themes for event organisers. The Hotel Cipriani Cooking School will also host guest chefs Raymond Blanc and Ezio and Renata Santin from Antica Osteria del Ponte, Italy from 15 to 20 October, 2006. Hotel Cipriani opens for the 2006 season from 10 March 2006.
At the Hotel Splendido in Portofino, which reopens on 24 March, the Beauty and Wellness Centre has developed four new packages inspired by oriental holistic philosophies and designed to restore the individual’s emotional, physical and spiritual harmony. Programmes include four nights accommodation, lessons with qualified experts on meditation techniques, massages, walks and tuition on the concepts of healthy eating. Price per person is from €1,350 (£925*) in a double room with a sea view.
The Villa San Michele in Florence, a 15th century former Franciscan monastery, is closed until 24 March 2006 when it will reopen with a new suite located in the tranquil Italianate gardens next to the Limonaia suite. For shopping lovers, a new three night ‘Scent of Florence’ package will be offered that includes exclusive use of a personal shopper, private car and chauffeur. The itinerary includes a special visit to Lorenzo Villoresi perfume laboratory in the historic centre of Florence, where guests can have their own personal perfume created. Price per couple is from €3,716 (£2,546*) for three nights in a junior suite with daily breakfast and lunch in a typical Florentine trattoria and invigorating aromatic body massage.
Hôtel de la Cité, set in the ramparts of the medieval citadel of Carcassonne, is closed from 29 January to 3 March 2006 and will re-open with a new executive chef, Jérôme Ryon, who worked alongside former executive chef Franck Putelat for eight years at the hotel’s Michelin starred restaurant, La Barbacane. Ryon was recently awarded first prize at the Grand Finale of Taittinger International Culinary Awards in Paris. With new flights now available direct into Carcassonne from London Stansted, Dublin, Liverpool and the East Midlands, Hôtel de la Cité is the perfect short break to enjoy some of the finest French cuisine, wine and first class service.
In Europe’s best kept secret, Lisbon, visitors to the Lapa Palace can enjoy the delights of the Portuguese capital combined with the relaxed atmosphere of this elegant 19th century stately home overlooking the Tagus River. The ‘Great Chefs of the World’ gourmet programme run by leading French, Brazilian and Italian chefs has been a resounding success and continues to be available for food and wine lovers until May 2006. The two Lapa ballrooms have undergone a complete refurbishment during summer 2005. The new project has included the redecoration of the rooms with hand-painted Portuguese ‘azulejos’ tiles, forged iron chandeliers with gold leaf decoration and new banqueting fixtures, as well as state-of-the-art audiovisual equipment.
The space can be divided into two rooms, Lapa Garden and Lapa Terrace, one with direct access to the garden, and the other one with access to a terrace.
The historic Reid’s Palace in Madeira will be closed from 16 January to 13 April 2006 to carry out some exciting new additions. A spa will be built in a separate building, located close to the pool area and will open in July 2006. The refurbishment works will be carried out by interior designer Graham Viney. His work will also include the renovation of 69 hotel rooms including the garden wing which will have a fresh look and improved bathrooms, whilst rooms in the main building will reflect a more classic style. The two existing swimming pools will be reshaped with an infinity edge and the small pool will become freshwater, allowing guests the choice and meeting consumer demand. Groups and corporate events at Reid’s Palace will benefit from a beautiful new conference room with a capacity of up to 150 people theatre style. Located adjacent to the main dining room, it will be ideal for private dining or special events and will also have a new separate foyer and entrance.
During 2006, La Residencia, the idyllic hideaway in Deià, north west Mallorca, is planning to create eight new suites that will be available by the autumn. Located in a separate building near the pool area, each of the secluded suites has a private garden and dramatic views of the Tramuntana mountains. A new lift will provide access to the suites and the gym will be relocated closer to the spa. With a delightful year round climate, La Residencia offers guests a wonderful array of packages, such as the five or seven night ‘Easter Break’ available from 10 April 2006. The five night package is from €1,420 (£973*) per person and €1,800 (£1,233.38*) per person for the seven nights. Highlights of the package include; a guided walking tour through the village of Deià, a visit to a colourful Easter procession in Palma, a Good Friday dinner in the renowned El Olivo restaurant, a Taste of Spain dinner on Easter Saturday with live music, a Easter Sunday brunch and dinner in the Son Fony restaurant. Sport lovers can sharpen their game with lessons from the resident tennis coach Shayne Tabb.
The elegant 167 room Hotel Ritz Madrid is perfectly located for business and leisure guests with easy access to all parts of the city including the Prado, Thyssen-Bornemisza and Reina Sofia Museums, Castellana business district, the beautiful Retiro Park and major institutions such as the Madrid Stock exchange and Spanish Parliament. The ornate lobby and hall have been restored and redesigned. Internet services have been improved with wireless access in the business centre, guest rooms and public areas.
Chef Proprietor Raymond Blanc of Le Manoir aux Quat’ Saisons, in the heart of Oxfordshire, has announced the refurbishment of four of its individually designed rooms, one of which will be completely restyled and renamed the Lemongrass suite and is due to be completed this spring. The renowned two Michelin starred restaurant will also receive some elegant enhancements, with the redesign of the Grand Salle.
The 2006 season for Scotland’s luxury train The Royal Scotsman will run from 2 May to 28 October offering fully inclusive stylish short breaks into the great Scottish wilderness. Accommodating just 36 guests it provides traditional Scottish hospitality and fine dining combined with sumptuous surroundings and attentive service.
Itineraries range from the one night ‘Wee Dram’ to the seven night ‘Grand North Western’ which showcases all that Scotland has to offer. Prices start from £840 per person.
Orient-Express offers exceptional train journeys throughout the whole of the UK with its two day trains, the London based British Pullman and the Manchester based Northern Belle. The 2006 ‘Journeys in the UK’ brochure features new Pullman day trips to Waddesdon Manor near Oxford with a tour of the house and its extensive wine cellar and the American Museum in Bath. The success of ‘The Dinner’ sees this fine dining extravaganza increase from five to seven trips next year. Prices start from £145 per person.
New destinations to be visited by the Northern Belle include a scenic ride through beautiful Snowdonia to Conway Castle and Bodnant Gardens, special days out to Farnborough Air Show and Dartmouth Regatta as well as a return to Ascot for Ladies Day. The lead in price for Northern Belle journeys is £160 per person.
A new six night signature package ‘Venetian Celebration’ offers the ultimate way to experience the legendary Venice Simplon-Orient-Express. The itinerary offers a night at The Dorchester, London with private check-in and taxi transfer the next morning to Victoria station, an overnight on board the VSOE followed by four nights at Hotel Cipriani in a stunning lagoon view room, before flying back to the UK. It also includes a morning walking tour and afternoon motor boat tour of Venice with a private guide as well as a final dinner at Cip’s Club, at Hotel Cipriani, overlooking St Mark’s square. It costs from £4,385 per person.
A new ‘taster’ itinerary is being offered by Afloat in France Orient-Express’ fleet of five luxury péniche-hotels that cruise the beautiful inland waterways of France. The three night package aboard Alouette will cruise the tranquil Canal du Midi in the Languedoc-Roussillion region and give guests with no previous barge holiday experience an insight into its pleasures. Private charter prices start from £4,340 based on four sharing. This shorter package can be combined with a stay at Hôtel de la Cité in Carcassonne. The fleet of barges is fully staffed, can accommodate 6 to 12 guests and all are available for private hire with a number also bookable on a per cabin basis. All itineraries are fully inclusive and tailor-made to reach into the heart of rural France with Burgundy, Provence and the Rhone Valley also featured in the 2006 schedule. The 2006 season runs from 2 April to 22 October.
North America
The Windsor Court Hotel in New Orleans was very fortunate to suffer damage to only 20% of its rooms following the devastation of Hurricane Katrina which struck the city on 29 August. The hotel re-opened on 1 November, 2005. As part of its on-going commitment to the revival of tourism to the city, the Windsor Court Hotel is encouraging visitors to return by offering a “Bed and Beads” package to celebrate this year’s Mardi Gras, one of the most important of its 150 year history as New Orleaneans show the world that this city is determined to fight back. Although there will be fewer parade nights, there’s still no stopping the true spirit and traditions of Mardi Gras, which will run over eight days and nights of bead catching to the sounds of marching bands and elaborate multi-coloured floats.
The “Bed and Beads” package, which includes two nights in suite accommodation, breakfast, a unique Windsor Court Hotel tote bag filled with parade munchies, bottles of water, Mardi Gras beads and special doubloon coins redeemable for “cocktails to go” from the Polo Club Lounge. Package price is US $969 (from £560*) inclusive of taxes and is valid from Thursday 17 February until Mardi Gras Tuesday 28 February.
In October 2004, Orient-Express Hotels announced the acquisition of El Encanto Hoteland Garden Villas. Perched above the red tile roofs of Santa Barbara overlooking the Pacific Ocean, it has been an integral part of Santa Barbara's social, cultural and architectural heritage for 90 years. Following a 10 month closure from June 2006 during which Orient-Express plans to invest US$10 million in renovation and enhancement, El Encanto will re-launch as an Orient-Express property in the spring of 2007.
Charleston Place in Charleston, South Carolina is offering guests the chance to explore the antebellum architecture and century old gardens of this historic city with a package designed around the Historic Foundation’s 58th Annual Spring Tour of Homes and Gardens. The tour, arranged each evening through April 2006 offers the unique opportunity to tour some of the most breathtaking private homes and gardens in Charleston’s historic district. Proceeds from the festival support preservation and restoration projects throughout the Lowcountry. Guests of Charleston Place enjoy a central location that is within walking distance of the homes on tour, complimentary continental breakfast and a special gift of James R. Cothran’s, Gardens of Historic Charleston. Deluxe rooms are priced from US $319 (£180*) per room per night.
Built in 1912, Keswick Hall at Monticello is a prime example of Italianate architecture positioned amidst an Eden-like setting of both formal and informal gardens overlooking a 6,507 yard par 71 mountain terrain Arnold Palmer Signature Course, which dates back to 1939. The course was redesigned in the early 90's by Arnold Palmer and additional lengthening of the course took place in the winter of 2002/2003 under Mr Palmer’s direction. The hotel offers a two night Golfing Greats package which offers unlimited golf daily, advanced reserved tee times, unlimited use of the driving range, golf bag storage, club cleaning, personalised bag tags and a one hour golf lesson with the Keswick golf pro, focussing on technique. Package is priced from US$852(£480*) for signature room accommodation.
The recent movie, The Wedding Crashers, starring Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson, which was released on DVD in the UK on 28th December, was filmed on location at The Inn at Perry Cabin, a luxurious hotel on the Eastern Shore of the Chesapeake Bay in St Michaels, Maryland. The location inspires romance year-round, with the snowy winter months giving couples the perfect excuse to snuggle up beside a roaring fire in their own suite with a decanter of port and a cashmere throw. The hotel has introduced a two night cashmere winter escape package which includes accommodation in a luxury suite with breakfast, port and decanter, a cashmere throw for each guest and dinner for two in Sherwood's Landing restaurant.
The cashmere package is priced from US$1,800 (from £1,018*) for weekend visits (Friday and Saturday) and weekdays from US$1,440 (from £815*).
New York’s celebrated ‘21’ Club has appointed Stephen Trojahn as Executive Chef. Trojahn has spent most of his culinary career with Ritz-Carlton Hotels. He comes to New York from Colorado, where he was Executive Chef at the illustrious Remington’s at the Ritz-Carlton Bachelor Gulch for 2½ years. Here he created gourmet mountain cuisine with a creative, indigenous menu reflecting the flavours of Colorado. His “Chef’s Table” was a hotspot for local celebrities including Michael J. Fox and Kelsey Grammer.
The Caribbean
Maroma Resort and Spa on Mexico’s Riviera Maya was fortunately closed for scheduled renovations when Hurricane Wilma started tracking towards the Yucatan in October 2005 and therefore had only a limited number of staff to evacuate. Although damage was sustained to the landscape, beach palapas, the outdoor dining terrace and three beachside villas, only 14 of the 64 rooms were affected. Orient-Express Hotels intends to reopen the property in February with an expanded restaurant terrace and eight new Sian Nah (House of Heaven) ocean front suites, which have their own private pool, massage/spa area, and wellness room plus outdoor dining areas.
La Samanna on the island of St. Martin saw many enhancements in the 2005 season including new wooden beach cabanas, each equipped with two iPod minis with a selection of music, champagne, L’Occitane Provence toiletries and the services of a cabana attendant to ensure cold drinks, fresh towels and lunch are served at exactly the right moment. When the sun starts to set, the Midnight Cabana option provides guests the opportunity for beachfront dining, stargazing through telescopes and the indulgent privacy that comes with the cover of darkness and the plush offerings of a private cabana. The hotel has also recently renovated its wine cellar and can accommodate private dinners and wine tasting for up to 10 people.
Australia / South Pacific
The Day Spa at The Observatory Hotel in Sydney has recently undergone some pampering of its own. One of the first five star hotels in Sydney to house a Day Spa when the hotel first opened in 1993, The Observatory’s Day Spa is a highly sought after haven of relaxation, renowned for its subterranean pool with sparkling night sky, a continuation of the star gazing theme that runs throughout the hotel. Four new state of the art treatment rooms have now been opened, taking the total number of rooms from six to ten, including a treatment room for couples. Each of the new rooms have individual showers and mood lighting. Alongside indigenous Li’Tya products and therapies, the spa now also offers a full La Prairie range.
Lilianfels Blue Mountains Resort & Spa in Katoomba won a number of prestigious awards in 2005. The clean eucalyptus scented air and abundant wildlife of the Blue Mountains are a world away from the city and this mountain spa offers the ideal combination for a weekend break – a taste of Australia’s true wilderness; great food from fresh local produce, cooking classes, exhilarating activities, blissful spa treatments and rooms so luxurious you’ll never want to leave. Following a three year, AU$7million refurbishment, Lilianfels began 2005 with a fresh face - and a stunning outdoor heated pool complete with magnificent mountain views. Lilianfels Spa has introduced a number of new treatments to encourage guests to take advantage of the wilderness on Lilianfels’ doorstep. A new item on the spa menu is the 'Wilderness Therapy Bushwalk', integrating wellness with nature, to give guests the chance to learn stress relief techniques in the bush.
The Bora Bora Lagoon Resort & Spa in French Polynesia has Tahiti’s first beach front tree house spa, Marū (meaning soft of sound and soft of touch). The spa features five treatment rooms, three set on the waterfront and two with outdoor showers 12 feet above ground in the branches of two, 40-foot Caoutchouc (Ficus altissima) trees. Tahitian inspired treatments have been incorporated into the spa services, as well as ingredients such as Monoï oil, a blend of Tiaré flowers and coconut oil which gives Polynesian women their beautiful skin and hair, aloe vera, vanilla, hibiscus and the Noni plant. In spring 2006, a redesign of the Hiro Bar and Otemanu Restaurant are planned, as well as the conversion of land bungalows into suites with private plunge pools.
Bora Bora Cruises operates two purpose-built luxury super yachts from its base in Bora Bora, the only yachts of their kind in Tahiti and the South Pacific. Each offers a refined and intimate private yacht-style cruising experience with just 30 guest rooms per vessel and their unique ‘flat-water” design provides guests with a true inter-lagoon cruise. Guests can book seven-day yachting experiences to the islands of Bora Bora, Taha’a, Raiatea, and Huahine and a 10 or 14-day Motu Miti package (island and sea), which combines a stay at Bora Bora Lagoon Resort & Spa with a voyage on Bora Bora Cruises.
South America
14 September 2005 marked the second anniversary of the recreation of one of Buenos Aires’ most famous steakhouses, La Cabaña, and the 70th anniversary of the opening of the original restaurant in 1935. La Cabaña is now the only restaurant in Buenos Aires to serve individually certified traceable meat from British herds and has recently introduced a half-day Argentine Barbecue Master course, as well as wine appreciation classes and a new 35.2oz steak, the King’s Beef. The cooking classes are for a maximum of two people and during the three hour course, students will receive tuition on the different cuts of meat and barbecue techniques. After a short break to try some typical "Choripan" bread toasted over the grill, stuffed with a grilled sausage and accompanied by a glass of Malbec, they will move onto practical work on the grill working with a huge tenderloin. The classes cost from US$150 (approx. £85*) per person and price includes tuition, a book with tips on how to prepare an "Argentinean Asado" (an open fire of glowing coals), a diploma of “Gran Parrillero Argentino” (Argentine Barbecue Master), a bottle of Malbec wine and a barbecue apron.
A seven month reconstruction and refurbishment project has begun on the famed “casino” rooms of the Copacabana Palace in Rio de Janeiro. The US$4 million project will add over 11,000 sq ft of function space in the form of two grand ballrooms sympathetically designed to echo their individuality and heritage. The columned Palm Room will have a tropical atmosphere, and in the Crystal Room, light will be reflected in cascading crystal chandeliers. The Copacabana Casino had its heyday from the mid-1930s until a law was passed outlawing gambling in April 1946. Millions were won and lost while a cast of Rio’s most exuberant, elegant and glamorous characters played the tables to a backdrop of two orchestras and 12 chorus girls. It was here in 1939 that American impresario Lee Schubert first watched a show starring an as yet undiscovered Carmen Miranda and the hotel played host to Hollywood luminaries such as Errol Flynn, Bing Crosby and Douglas Fairbanks Jr. The new function rooms will increase the conference and banqueting space at the hotel by over 60%.
The Hiram Bingham has now been in operation for over two years, offering a luxury train journey between Cuzco and Machu Picchu echoing the opulence of the 1920s Pullman era of rail travel. The Hiram Bingham departs Cuzco at 09h00, brunch is served on board and the arrival in Machu Picchu at 12h30 gives Hiram Bingham passengers the advantage of entering the Sanctuary at an hour when the majority of the visitors are already beginning to leave for their journey back to Cuzco. Thus, Hiram Bingham passengers not only have the opportunity to experience the Ruins at Machu Picchu in relative solitude, but have a longer period of time there, returning to the train only as the sun goes down. Once back on board, pre-dinner cocktails are served in the bar accompanied by live entertainment and a 3-course, a la carte dinner is presented in the dining cars. The train pulls into Poroy station in Cuzco at 22h00 with passengers relaxed and ready for bed. Included in the price of the ticket (US$416.50 (£235* plus tax) are onboard meals, beverages and entertainment, as well as bus transfers to and from the Citadel of Machu Picchu, entrance to the Ruins themselves and afternoon tea at the Machu Picchu Sanctuary Lodge; Orient-Express’ charming, ecologically-friendly property located only steps from the entrance to the Ruins. The service operates six times a week from Monday to Saturday.
As well as the PeruRail operation, Orient-Express Hotels owns and operates four hotels in Peru; award winnig Hotel Monasterio in Cuzco, the Miraflores Park Hotel in Lima, the Machu Picchu Sanctuary Lodge and the very simple lodge El Paradordel Colca in the Colca Canyon. The Miraflores Park Hotel reopened in March 2005 following an extensive refurbishment during which all the guest rooms were renovated, a spa and restaurant created on the 11th floor with stunning views of the coastline, a new signature suite added to the 10th floor and a new gourmet seafood restaurant and al fresco terrace named Poissonerie on the ground floor.
Plans are in place for a project to convert the Nazarenas building next to the Hotel Monasterio into a 32 suite annex opening in 2007. The aim of the project is to create a relaxing haven within the city of Cuzco where guests can have spa treatments and relax by the new 20m pool.
Southern Africa
The Mount Nelson Hotel, Cape Town’s landmark which sits resplendent in lush gardens at the foot of Table Mountain, continues to blossom. The Planet champagne bar is now lauded as one of the city’s hip hangouts, and the introduction of the Chef’s Table in-kitchen dining experience is also very popular. All rooms in the Oasis wing have just been refurbished, along with the Oasis restaurant and eight garden cottages. Additionally in July 2005, the Balmoral suite was reopened following a £85,000 renovation. Soft hues of white, cream and grey highlight the hand painted panels of framed scenic wallpaper and the 1930’s light fittings have baccarat crystal drops. The desk is an original antique desk which was in the hotel’s lounge when it first opened in 1899.
The bed has a Japanned finish – the application of oriental style lacquer decorated with Chinese patterns and/or figures - and hung with heavy and luxurious silk curtains. Noah Wiley of E.R fame has already stayed in the suite, which is priced from ZAR11,000 (£935*) per night on a bed and breakfast basis.
According to Oscar winner Charlize Theron, “there is simply no finer city resort in the whole of South Africa than The Westcliff”, and stars such as Brad Pitt, Evangeline Lily and Will Smith have agreed with her this year. The Westcliff has introduced a package called In the Footsteps of Freedom which takes in all the exciting developments which have taken place in recent years – a walk across the new Nelson Mandela bridge, a tour of Soweto and the refurbished Hector Pieterson Museum and a visit to the new Constitutional Court. The two night In the Footsteps of Freedom package is priced from R5,580 (£476*) per room.
Located in and around Botswana’s mighty Okavango Delta, Orient-Express Safaris offers three of the most perfectly located safari camps in the world – Savute Elephant Camp, Khwai River Lodge and Eagle Island Camp. A refurbishment of all tents and public areas at Savute Elephant Camp is planned in the spring following which all tents will have outdoor showers and enough four wheel drives will be available to offer every party of guests their own private vehicle. Orient-Express Safaris has recently introduced private aircraft transfers direct from Johannesburg, saving time and money by avoiding the long check-in at the airport and traditional transfer time between Maun and the camps. During the annual flood between June and September, Eagle Island Camp will also be operating 45 minute “In Search of the Wild” helicopter safaris over the Okavango Delta. Limited to a maximum of four passengers, the flights are priced from US$200 (£113*) per person.
Asia
From January 2006 the Eastern & Oriental Express will offer a new extended three night southbound itinerary featuring a number of enhancements which include passing over the famous wooden trestle viaduct at Tham Kasae, one of Thailand’s most scenic stretches of railway. The new itinerary will now depart Bangkok on Sunday evening and arrive in Singapore on Wednesday morning. The altered timings mean that the train crosses the magnificent Bukit Merah Lake in northern Malaysia during daylight hours and offers guests a more convenient evening arrival/departure into Kuala Lumpur. This new itinerary costs £990 per person. The northbound route from Singapore to Bangkok will continue as a two night journey and will follow the existing itinerary.
The Thai Explorer a two night round trip between Bangkok and Chiang Mai, will increase from 7 to 11 departures for 2006 due to the popularity of this recent addition to the E&OE schedule.
For those wanting to further extend their tour of South East Asia, a journey on board the Eastern & Oriental Express can be combined with a new Mekong River cruise extension package in 2006. This new tour allows guests to enjoy the famous Golden Triangle with a stay at the Anantara Resort at Chiang Rai followed by two days cruising to Luang Prabang in Laos with an overnight stop en-route at the Luang Say Lodge at Pakbeng, located right on the banks of the Mekong River. It costs from £350 per person.
A longer South East Asia cruise experience is offered with Orient-Express’ own river cruise ship in Burma (Myanmar), the Road To Mandalay. Carrying a maximum of 100 passengers the ship plies the Ayeyarwady River between Bagan and Mandalay offering 3, 4 and 7 night cruises from September to April each year.
An enhanced nine night cruise and stay package combines a seven night cruise along the Ayeyarwady River on board Road To Mandalay with two nights at The Governor’s Residence, Yangon. Guests who choose to discover for themselves this beautiful and intriguing country will now be able to visit the monasteries of Mount Popa, the ancient capital of Ava and the colonial hill station of Maymyo, set high in the Shan Mountains. This package costs from £1,650 per person.
Pansea Orient-Express Hotels now operates six properties throughout South East Asia. July 2005 saw the opening of its latest 38 villa resort property, Ubud Hanging Gardens, on the Indonesian island of Bali and sister to the beachfront property, Jimbaran Puri Bali. La Résidence Phou Vao in Luang Prabang, opened Laos’ first purpose built spa providing guests with relaxation and Ytsara beauty treatments. The other properties are located in Yangon, Burma in a former Governor’s palace; Siem Reap, Cambodia close to the famous temples of Angkor Wat and Koh Samui on the Gulf of Siam in Thailand.
ENDS./
Note to editors:
Orient-Express Hotels, Trains and Cruises (http://www.orient-express.com/) is a hotel and leisure company providing luxury travel experiences for discerning travellers in areas of outstanding cultural, historic or recreational interest. Founded in 1976 when the company acquired Hotel Cipriani in Venice, Orient-Express owns or has investments in 49 businesses: 38 highly individual hotels, three restaurants, six tourist trains and two river cruise operations, operating in 25 countries worldwide. The company believes that discerning travellers will choose a famous individual property in preference to a chain brand, so none of its businesses is called Orient-Express except the fabled Venice Simplon-Orient-Express luxury train which operates through Europe, linking London, Paris and Venice. Orient-Express chooses to own or part-own its businesses, believing equity returns are greater than management fee income alone and continues to seek out unique properties with expansion potential and introduce new experiences, restoring romance, glamour and style to international travel.
*The sterling price guide quoted in the text 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.
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