Belmond Ltd. (formerly Orient-Express Hotels Ltd.) is a

hospitality Hospitality is the relationship of a host towards a guest, wherein the host receives the guest with some amount of goodwill and welcome. This includes the reception and entertainment of guests, visitors, or strangers. Louis de Jaucourt, Louis, ...

and leisure company that operates hotels, train services and

river cruise A river cruise is a voyage along inland waterways, often stopping at multiple ports along the way. Since cities and towns often grew up around rivers, river cruise ships frequently dock in the center of cities and towns. Descriptions River d ...

s and safaris worldwide. In 2024, the company has 47 properties in 28 countries and territories, with 32 hotels, six tourist trains, seven river cruise boats and two safaris.

History

The company was founded in 1976 by the American entrepreneur

James Sherwood James Blair Sherwood (August 8, 1933 – May 18, 2020) was an American-born, British-based businessman, and the founder of Belmond Limited and Sea Containers. Early life James Blair Sherwood was born in Newcastle, Pennsylvania, the son of Willia ...

with the acquisition of the

Hotel Cipriani The Hotel Cipriani is a deluxe hotel on the island of Giudecca in Venice, northern Italy. It is reached by hotel launch from Piazza San Marco, St Mark's Square, a five-minute journey across the lagoon. Long considered one of the leading luxury ho ...

in Venice, Italy, from the

Guinness family The Guinness family is an extensive Irish family known for its achievements in brewing, banking, politics, and religious ministry. The brewing branch is particularly well known among the general public for producing the dry stout beer Guinnes ...

for £900,000. Sherwood then bought a number of carriages from the original

Orient Express The ''Orient Express'' was a long-distance passenger luxury train service created in 1883 by the Belgian company ''Compagnie Internationale des Wagons-Lits'' (CIWL) that operated until 2009. The train traveled the length of continental Europe, w ...

train, which he restored and used to offer rides from Paris and London to his hotel in Venice, thus the former name of the company. Much of the history of the company is documented in Sherwood's memoir ''Orient Express: A Personal Journey''. On 10 March 2014, Orient-Express Hotels Ltd was renamed Belmond, and on 1 July 2014, Belmond's holding company was also renamed Belmond Ltd. In April 2015, Belmond partnered with

Irish Rail Irish commonly refers to: * Someone or something of, from, or related to: ** Ireland, an island situated off the north-western coast of continental Europe ***Éire, Irish language name for the island and the sovereign state *** Erse (disambiguati ...

to launch the train Belmond Grand Hibernian in Ireland. In July 2016,

Indian Hotels Company Limited The Indian Hotels Company Limited (IHCL) is an Indian hospitality company that manages a portfolio of hotels, resorts, jungle safaris, palaces, spas and in-flight catering services. The company is part of India's Tata Group. IHCL was founded in ...

sold most of its 5.1% stake in Belmond, retaining only 0.44% after the sale. In December 2018, the company agreed to be acquired by

LVMH LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton SE (), commonly known as LVMH, is a French multinational holding company and conglomerate that specializes in luxury goods and has its headquarters in Paris, France. The company was formed in 1987 through the ...

in a $3.2 billion transaction which would delist the company from the

New York Stock Exchange The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE, nicknamed "The Big Board") is an American stock exchange in the Financial District, Manhattan, Financial District of Lower Manhattan in New York City. It is the List of stock exchanges, largest stock excha ...

and make it 100% privately owned. The announcement of the sale led Belmond's share price to increase by 40% in a day. The deal closed in April 2019. Belmond has continued to grow its portfolio in Italy. In September 2021, it acquired Villa Beatrice in

Portofino Portofino (; ) is a ''comune'' located in the Metropolitan City of Genoa on the Italian Riviera. The town is clustered around its small harbour, and is known for the colourfully painted buildings that line the shore. Since the late 19th centur ...

. In February 2023, the company announced an agreement with Sardegna Resorts S.r.l to manage Romazzino in Sardinia. It has also added a cluster of new properties in Mexico. In August 2023, Belmond re-opened Maroma following a redesign, in which ten beachfront suites were added. In June 2023 it entered into an agreement with Cora Pacific Development to open Milaroca, a hotel on the Pacific Coast of Mexico, in 2025. In December 2023, the company announced that it had acquired Hacienda Katanchel in Mexico, with a planned opening in 2027. In December 2022, Belmond announced a ten-year plan to upgrade its properties, which it had already begun with the renovation of Splendido Mare in 2021. Upgrades have included renovations and refurbishments to its trains. In October 2021, Belmond launched a train carriage designed by film director Wes Anderson on the British Pullman train. In 2023, the company also launched a Dior Spa on The Royal Scotsman. In 2024, the company returned the Eastern & Oriental Express to service, after the train service was paused during the pandemic. The company also launched a Dior Spa aboard, and unveiled a sleeper carriage for the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express, designed by French street artist JR. The carriage was presented at the 2024 Venice Biennale.

Properties

Hotels

Transportation

Other formerly operated trains

Great South Pacific Express The Great South Pacific Express was a luxury Australian train service, run in by Queensland Rail and Belmond Limited, Belmond, the operator of the Venice-Simplon Orient Express. History In December 1996, Queensland Rail announced it would ente ...

(1999-2003) in Australia between

Kuranda, Queensland Kuranda is a rural town and Suburbs and localities (Australia), locality on the Atherton Tableland in the Shire of Mareeba, Queensland, Australia. It is from Cairns, Queensland, Cairns, via the Kuranda Range road. It is surrounded by tropical ...

and

Sydney Sydney is the capital city of the States and territories of Australia, state of New South Wales and the List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city in Australia. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Syd ...

. Its carriages were transferred to the

Belmond Andean Explorer The ''Belmond Andean Explorer'', launched in May 2017, is South America's first luxury sleeper train. It replaces the eponymous Pullman day train, between Cusco and Puno, at Lake Titicaca. By the new train this trip is converted to a one-night j ...

after its demise. * Belmond Northern Belle (2000-2017) in the Central and Northern regions of Great Britain. Sold to

West Coast Railways West Coast Railways (WCR) is a railway spot-hire company and charter train operator based at Carnforth MPD in Lancashire. Using buildings and other facilities previously owned by the Carnforth MPD#Steamtown Carnforth, Steamtown Carnforth visito ...

as a new operator. *

Belmond Grand Hibernian The ''Belmond Grand Hibernian'' was a luxury train service in Ireland. The service was operated by Belmond, the operator of several other luxury trains including the ''Venice Simplon Orient Express''. It was officially launched on 30 August 20 ...

(2016-2021) in Ireland. Its carriages were transferred to the Britannic Explorer.

Restaurants

Notes and references

Notes

References

External links

* {{LVMH Hotel and leisure companies based in London Companies of Bermuda Cruise lines Railway companies of Italy Railway companies of the United Kingdom Hotel chains in the United Kingdom Hospitality companies established in 1976 Railway companies established in 1976 1976 establishments in Italy 2019 mergers and acquisitions LVMH brands