London (TAN): United Kingdom-based hotel and leisure company Belmond Limited will add three new Grand Suites to the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express (VSOE), set to debut for the 2020 season. VSOE is a private luxury train service from London to Venice, Italy and other European cities.
The new suites, named Vienna, Prague and Budapest in honour of the European cities the train visits every year, will join the existing suites Venice, Istanbul and Paris, bringing the total number of suites on board to six.
“As with everything on board the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express, the design and careful restoration that goes into each suite, whilst respecting the original 1920s art-deco design, is extraordinary,” Vice President – Trains and Cruises, Belmond, Gary Franklin, said.
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New York-based luxury interior design firm Wimberly Interiors will design the suites, in tune with the train’s iconic history, featuring double beds that can transform into twin beds, a private living area, en-suite bathrooms, underfloor heating, mosaics, inlay work, hand-embroidered cushions and silk patterns.
Rachel Johnson, Senior Vice President and Studio Director, Wimberly Interiors London, said: “We are thrilled and honoured to work with Belmond again on this important design project. It is imperative that the design reflects the train’s history and supports the ultimate experience of glamour and prestige that any experience on the train delivers. We have worked closely with the Belmond team to ensure that the train’s iconic cities are reflected in the suite design.”
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The golds and maroons of the Prague Grand Suite will reflect the city’s Baroque and Gothic architecture along with its theatrical feel. Vienna, a city of grand palaces, will be represented by a palette of golds and emerald green, and a headboard designed with silk fabric panels and dark wood. The design for the Budapest Grand Suite is inspired by Gothic and Ottoman architecture found on both sides of the Danube river.
“Each meticulous suite will draw inspiration from the romance, adventure and style of each great European city we travel to. The suites evoke the individual city experience whether it is walking along the Charles Bridge in Prague or exploring the contrasting Gothic and Ottoman architecture of Budapest. They are a real tribute to the romance and glamour of Europe and the golden era of rail travel,” Franklin added.
The suites offer champagne, round-the-clock cabin steward, private in-cabin dining, and private transfers to and from the train, among other amenities.
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VSOE runs throughout Europe from March to November and visits Istanbul once a year.
Fares for a classic one-night journey in a Grand Suite starts from GBP 6,200 per person. While a trip from Venice to Vienna, Prague or Budapest in a twin cabin starts from GBP 2,200 per person, a trip from Vienna, Prague or Budapest to Paris or London in a twin cabin starts from GBP 2,573 per person.
