30th November 2010 – La Residence Phou Vao, an Orient-Express retreat hotel in Luang Prabang, was one of only seven hotels hand-picked by Tatler as one of their top hotels in the world for 2011, winning the prestigious award for ‘Enduring Excellence’. As a further cause for celebration, La Residence Phou Vao, Hôtel de la Cité in Carcassonne and Grand Hotel Timeo in Taormina, all featured within the annual travel guide which includes only 101 hotels.

Of La Residence Phou Vao, Tatler said “This hotel, is still the colonial eyrie with all the charm: low-key, smooth, understated and timelessly in tune. The food is earthy and delicious. This place is a classic that doesn’t need to embellish.” On hand to accept the acclaimed award was General Manager, Philippe Bissig, who has worked with Orient-Express for five years.

Hôtel de la Cité, home to La Barbacane, the only Michelin-starred restaurant in the ancient citadel, was featured in the ‘Weekend Wonderland’ category of the annual travel guide. “It’s a kind of fantasy place; you find stuff here that you simply wouldn’t find anywhere else (bonkers frescoes, waiters swing through secret library bookcases). The gardens are glorious and the private pool underneath the walls of a church properly delightful.”

One of Orient-Express’ most recent acquisitions, Grand Hotel Timeo, was also present in the category for Weekend Wonderland. The hotel’s “position in the retro-chic town of Taormina is priceless” say Tatler, and it boasts panoramic views of Mount Etna.

The Tatler Travel Awards take place every year, and are one of the most revered awards in the industry with hoteliers, travel industry professionals, and high profile personalities all attending the event.

ENDS/…

Orient-Express, (NYSE: OEH, www.orient-express.com) the name behind an elite collection of travel experiences, first came into being in 1883 as one of the world’s most exciting and indulgent train journeys. Today that evocative name also embraces hotels, cruises and other luxury rail adventures in 24 countries, across five continents. The Company has offered exceptional luxury travel experiences since 1976, when it first purchased Hotel Cipriani in Venice and then shortly afterwards, recreated the celebrated Venice Simplon-Orient-Express, linking London, Paris and Venice, along with other European cities. Today, the company owns or part-owns and manages 50 businesses, 40 of which are highly acclaimed hotels, 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 six luxury tourist trains, two river cruise operations and ‘21’, one of New York’s most iconic restaurants.

For further information, please contact Vicky Legg or Sara Mirza at Orient-Express on 020 7921 4069 or vicky.legg@orient-express.com or sara.mirza@orient-express.com