Establishing the design icon with its rich history, while looking firmly to the future, the Orient Express headed to Miami for International Design Miami to reveal its Presidential Suite via an original immersive experience, complete with virtual reality…
Having had a ‘sneak peek’ into the Orient Express La Dolce Vita before its inaugural voyage, we can now take you a step further into the inner sanctum of the Presidential Suite! A design and restoration project taken on by architect Maxime d’Angeac, the suite combines historical notes with contemporary comfort in a dedicated train carriage.
Orient Express took its virtual immersion concept to the United States for the first time ever at Design Miami and invited visitors into the new space, bathed in midnight blue, the luxury brand’s signature colour, and engraved with its signature star. It created a journey to discover the future Bar-Car and Restaurant-Car, the suites and corridors of the train, and the exclusive revelation of the second chapter of the project: the Presidential Suite.
Image credit: Accor / Maxime Dangeac and Martin Darzacq
“After Paris, the Orient Express legend unveils its secrets at the heart of the major international design fair: Design Miami,” said Sébastien Bazin, Chairman and CEO of Accor. “At the crossroads of creativity and healthy imagination, Orient Express has found the best setting to unveil the exclusive décor of its Presidential Suite that will mark the history of train travel and continue the Orient Express legend with authenticity and unparalleled luxury.”
Image credit: Accor / Maxime Dangeac and Martin Darzacq
Fascinated by the great revolutionary artistic movements and a lover of travel novels, architect Maxime d’Angeac has been carrying out prestigious restoration and decoration projects for major luxury houses such as Daum, Hermès, and Guerlain for the past 20 years. “The Orient Express Presidential Suite captures the essence of the future train,” explained d’Angeac. “It is a work carved out of excess, inspired by the geniuses and pioneers of Art Deco, Jacques-Émile Ruhlmann and Armand-Albert Rateau, and by the importance of refinement and the absolute finesse of detail. It is a suite where travellers can experience history, extreme luxury and ultimate comfort all at once.”
Occupying an entire train car of the former Nostalgie-Istanbul-Orient-Express, the Presidential Suite is a space of unprecedented dimensions: 21 metres long and just under three metres wide. The 55-square-metre space was designed to accommodate a theatrical ‘four column’ room, adorned with the most beautiful Lalique panels and a gas fireplace. The spacious bedroom offers more subtle décor, wrapped in embroidered velvet, decorated with custom-made furniture and is home to an elegant bathroom, a tribute to Albert-Armand Rateau and his work dedicated to Jeanne Lanvin.
Image credit: Accor / Maxime Dangeac and Martin Darzacq
True to its heritage, the Presidential Suite opens onto a unique collector’s item: an ‘LX’ luxury cabin dating from 1929, with two beds, adorned with solid mahogany and Nelson and Prou marquetry, found aboard the Nostalgie-Istanbul-Orient-Express and fully restored. The ultimate surprise is the Cabinet de l’Égoïste, a secret room dedicated to good vibes and epicurean festivities.
Following in the train tracks of the Orient Express La Dolce Vita will be the first Orient Express hotels around the world, with the opening of Orient Express La Minerva in Rome and Orient Express Palazzo Donà Giovannelli in Venice in 2024. In addition, a new project has also been announced in Riyadh, the first city in the Middle East to announce the arrival of an Orient Express hotel.
Main image credit: Accor / Maxime Dangeac and Martin Darzacq
