With eight opulent new suites, the legendary cruise train is at once glamorously old school and trailblazing, as a 21-hour journey from Paris to Venice attests.

A Venice Simplon-Orient- Express attendant; the daytime configuration of one of the new suites. — *Left to right:* A Venice Simplon-Orient-Express attendant; the daytime configuration of one of the new suites. (Photos: Helen Cathcart; Ludovic Balay)

As I stood with other suited-and-booted passengers on the platform of Paris’s Gare de l’Est awaiting the call to board, the sight of blue-uniformed attendants hustling back and forth along the length of the painstakingly restored 18-carriage vintage train immediately evoked a bygone era of travel. At the same time, I cannot deny a feeling of excited anticipation, one that only increased as we were finally invited to step inside.

The Venice Simplon-Orient-Express is a spiritual successor to the original Orient Express, a transcontinental service between Paris and Constantinople (Istanbul) created in 1883 by Belgian rail operator Compagnie Internationale des Wagons-Lits. The name has since become synonymous with both intrigue and luxury train travel, a legacy revived almost 100 years later when American businessman James Sherwood—the founder of Orient-Express Hotels Ltd, renamed today as Belmond—purchased 35 of the original carriages and used them to launch the VSOE in 1982.

This evening, I was joining the train’s overnight service to Venice to try out its brand-new Suites, which are spread over two completely rebuilt carriages. Though the corridor to my cabin was quite narrow, aside from prompting an occasional polite exchange between myself and a fellow traveler or a member of the staff, this was hardly a detriment. Once Reni, my personal steward, had escorted me to my Suite, the reason for the cramped corridors became immediately apparent, Belmond having used as much carriage space as possible to optimize the size of the compartments.

Created for Belmond by London-based Wimberly Interiors, the eight new Suites come in four different designs inspired by the various landscapes that the train passes through—countryside, lakes, forests, and mountains—with an additional decorative flair styled after one of the four seasons: spring for La Campagne; summer for Les Lacs; fall for La Forêt; winter for Les Montagnes. What they all share is the influence of the sensibilities and artisanal craftsmanship of 1920s Paris. Plush fabrics and furnishings channel the pioneers of the French art deco movement—designers such as René Lalique, Louis Majorelle, Clement Rousseau, and Maurice Dufrêne.

When the VSOE first launched, its only accommodations were the so-called Historic Cabins, snug quarters that feature simple berth beds. In 2021, three Grand Suites were introduced. They occupy a carriage of their own and come with dedicated lounge areas and free-flow champagne. The new Suites fall somewhere in between—opulent without being entirely over the top. They also benefit from an inboard window that looks through the carriage’s corridor to the scenery beyond, enabling guests to admire the passing landscape on both sides of the train, or else seal themselves off for privacy with shutters.

My own lavishly appointed compartment—one of the two Les Montagnes—was beautifully deco- rated with dark wood wall paneling patterned with angular marquetry and bright, lustrous pearl inlays reminiscent of alpine peaks. This was echoed in repeating chevron patterns embroidered onto the contrasting white silken furniture, suggesting the cool, soft comfort of powdered snow. However, the warm light cast from the handcrafted smoked-glass sconces lent the space a delightful coziness, which was further enhanced by the presence of a small welcome platter of hors d’oeuvres and a chilled bottle of Veuve Clicquot waiting for me on the side table. “And this is the champagne button,” Reni told me with a grin. “If you need anything, just press and I’ll come to you.”

However, following a fabulous three-course dinner in the elegant Étoile du Nord dining car—lobster in a summer vinaigrette, sautéed veal, a devilishly delicious brioche perdue—and a trip to the bar car for a night cap and a chance to swap stories with the other guests, I returned to my cabin to find it completely transformed. Gone were the comfortable two-seater sofa and side table, replaced instead with a generously sized double bed and four freshly plumped pillows.

Meals onboard are suitably lavish; the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express passing through the Swiss Alps en route to Venice. — *Left to right:* Meals onboard are suitably lavish; the *Venice Simplon-Orient-Express* passing through the Swiss Alps en route to Venice. (Photos: Boby Allin; Ron Bambridge)

As I prepared to turn in for the night, I was also pleasantly surprised by the fine quality of my en suite bathroom, which featured not only a heated marble floor, but also a full shower cabinet. Having spent the better part of the day making my way to Paris, I was grateful for the chance to enjoy a hot shower before putting on my pajamas and laying down to sleep, soothed by the rocking of the train and the steady chatter of the wheels beneath me.

Somewhere outside of Basel, I awoke to sunlight peeping in through my windows and the sound of Reni politely knocking on the door to deliver the wake-up call I requested before turning in the night before. She then asked if she could turn down the room for breakfast. This afforded me the opportunity to spy a few of the clever tricks that make the transition between cozy bedroom and personal lounge possible, such as the sofa’s detachable arms (which were stowed in the bottom of my wardrobe) and a collapsible table affixed to the wall. The entire process took only a few minutes. Within moments, I was enjoying a hearty continental breakfast replete with freshly baked bread, fruit, and cheeses, all in the comfort of my own cabin with the Swiss Alps rolling by in the background.

I spent the rest of my morning writing to friends and family on complimentary postcards, which I deposited in the train’s post box on my way to lunch in the Côte d’Azur dining car. Once again, the food proved to be exceptional: bluefin tuna tartare, chicken roulade, and a strawberry tiramisu.

Now nearing Verona, I took the opportunity to sit down with the man supervising our journey, Senior Train Manager Bruno Jansens, and ask him his thoughts on what makes the VSOE so special.

“Do you like to do extraordinary things?” he began, a small, slightly conspiratorial smile curling the corners of his mouth. “Like Agatha Christie said: What better way to come to Venice, but on the Orient Express? And it’s true. There is only one train that does what we do, the way we do it. We don’t settle for anything less than perfect.

“What people don’t realize is that the Orient Express traveled all over Europe, and people would just hop on and hop off; it was just a means of transportation,” Jansens continued. “Now, we’re more like a cruise, with real food and luxury. Paris has the continent’s biggest wholesale food market, so our chefs can get everything pure and fresh.”

Alighting from the train at Venice’s Santa Lucia station at 7 p.m., I couldn’t help but feel I was returning to “real life” after enjoying the fantastical experience aboard the VSOE. Even as the private water taxi provided by Belmond conveyed me to my final destination—the wonderfully contemporary Palazzina Grassi hotel—I found my mind still wandering back to the timeless trappings of that most singular train ride.

The Rail Deal

Per-person rates for overnight journeys on the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express start from US$4,780 for a Historic cabin and US$9,220 for one of the new suites, including all onboard meals.

This article originally appeared in the October/November 2023 print issue of DestinAsian magazine (“Overnight Sensation”).

A Night aboard Belmond’s Venice Simplon-Orient-Express

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