Offering holiday experiences that
really are hard to match, Orient-
Express Ho tels is loo king forward
to a number of exciting new
openings during 2012 and beyond,
whilst continuously refreshing
its existing portfolio. RLI talks
to Chief Operating Officer, Filip
Boyen, to find out more…
A luxury hotel company and sophisticated
adventure travel operator, Orient-Express
Hotels seeks to deliver memorable experiences
that are the ultimate expression of each
destination’s authentic culture. The company has
offered exceptional luxury travel experiences since
1976, when it purchased Hotel Cipriani in Venice and,
shortly thereafter, recreated the celebrated Venice
Simplon-Orient-Express, linking London, Paris and
Venice, along with other European cities.
Today, the brand embraces 46 hotel, cruise and luxury
rail businesses in 23 countries, including distinctive
properties such as Hotel Cipriani in Venice, Grand Hotel
Europe in St Petersburg, Hotel Ritz Madrid, Mount Nelson
Hotel in Cape Town, Copacabana Palace in Rio de Janeiro
and Maroma Resort and Spa on Mexico’s Riviera Maya.
It also operates six luxury tourist trains, two river cruise
operations and the ‘21’ Club, one of New York’s most iconic
restaurants and watering holes.
“Over the past 12 months we have seen cautious growth
and our business outlook is looking positive,” says Chief
Operating Officer Filip Boyen. “It is important for luxury hotel
brands to continue to invest in their properties and we are
in the process of completing, or have already completed, a
number of refurbishments.”
These include The Inn At Perry Cabin in St Michaels,
USA, where in April of this year Orient-Express finished a
four-month renovation programme that saw 38
rooms fully refurbished, along with the redesign of
the Library and Morning Room.
La Samanna, on St Martin in the Caribbean,
is currently undergoing a two-phase $8M
refurbishment that will be completed at the end of
this year, and Copacabana Palace in Rio de Janeiro,
Brazil, is also undergoing extensive refurbishments
in 2012. The hotels’ Cipriani Restaurant was
renovated in 2011 and this will be followed by the
lobby, entrance and accommodation.
“We are also currently working on five new
suites on the top floor of the Hotel Splendido in
Italy, which benefit from amazing views over the
Bay of Portofino and Tigullio Gulf,” adds Boyen. “I
feel that we have achieved an awful lot and through
commitment and dedication to our properties, we
are continuing to develop a brand that is a leader
in the luxury travel industry.”
The company’s most recent openings were
the Grand Hotel Timeo and Villa Sant’Andrea in
Taormina, Sicily in 2010, where it immediately
set about a three-year renovation of both
properties (completed in April this year) to
ensure that all rooms, suites and facilities are of
the highest standard.
The company’s most recent openings were
the Grand Hotel Timeo and Villa Sant’Andrea in
Taormina, Sicily in 2010, where it immediately
set about a three-year renovation of both
properties (completed in April this year) to
ensure that all rooms, suites and facilities are of
the highest standard.
For the full article, please see the June 2012 issue.
|
