Latest news with #BritannicExplorer
Sydney Morning Herald
5 days ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
Michelin meals on trains, in-flight sleeping pod rentals: Fancy travel's next stops
This story is part of the June 28 edition of Good Weekend. See all 21 stories. Let the good times roll Love the thought of rolling through Great Britain's bucolic beauty without the petrol stops? Belmond's Britannic Explorer will take luxury on British tracks to the next level when it launches in July with 18 sleeper suites. The train will offer three-night itineraries across three destinations – Cornwall, the Lake District and Wales. Expect lots of tea, and modern British cuisine overseen by Michelin-starred chef Simon Rogan. Three nights all-inclusive starts from £11,000 ($22,900) per person, based on twin-share accommodation. If you want the Rolls-Royce of trains, go for the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express – another one from Belmond. Its new Paris-to-Tuscany route launched in May, departing Paris Gare d'Austerlitz to arrive in Castello di Casole three nights later. It's priced from £9350 per person. This train also recently unveiled the L'Observatoire – a luxury sleeper carriage with interiors by artist JR – priced from, wait for it, £80,000 ($167,000) a night for double occupancy. Closer to home, in April next year, Journey Beyond will release its 'next-level platinum' cabin class on select trains. The Aurora and Australis suites (which you can find on The Ghan and the Indian Pacific) will be the Adelaide-based brand's most luxurious offering yet. The Aurora Suite is priced from $7990 per person ($11,890 per person for the slightly larger Australis Suite) on the two-night, three-day Adelaide-to-Darwin trip aboard The Ghan in November 2026. Take me to the river Along with expeditions, river cruising is the fastest-growing sector in the cruising category. Australian Pacific Touring started out doing local bus tours before branching out into overseas cruises. In April this year, APT launched Solara, followed by Ostara in June. The near-identical ships have 77 suites across three cabin categories, and hold 154 passengers and 60 crew. The sweet spot is the Balcony Suites, offering full-length, electric slide-down windows opening onto a French-style deck. Choosing APT means you'll never have to explain a flat white, or ask for the Vegemite while sailing on the Rhine, the Main or the Danube. An eight-day cruise from Munich to Amsterdam starts from $7645 per person in a Balcony Suite. Viking River Cruises began in 1997 with just four river ships; today, it's a juggernaut with about 80, mainly in Europe but also on the Mississippi and the Mekong. But the most immediate growth is scheduled for Portugal – with ships planned for the Douro River – and Egypt, where Viking plans to have 10 ships on the Nile by the close of 2026. These include Thoth, from October this year, hot on the heels of Amun, which is set to debut in September. Both cater for 82 guests and 48 crew. Our value pick is the 22-square-metre Veranda Stateroom, where, for $14,795 per person, you can book the 12-day 'Pharaohs & Pyramids' cruise. Loading Talking of next-generation river ships, Tauck is preparing to debut MS Serene in early 2026. The ship holds 124 guests and 41 crew, and will focus on the River Seine. A sibling, the slightly longer MS Lumière (for 130 guests and 44 crew), will be released at the same time. Both ships feature a large sundeck with a pool and bar area, plus The Retreat – a fitness centre, massage room and lounge area encased by floor-to-ceiling windows. An 11-day Bordeaux, Paris and The Seine cruise sailing in 2026 is priced from $10,990 per person on MS Serene. The pointy end Cathay Pacific became one of the few airlines to offer the privacy of a sliding door on its airline's business-class seats from late last year. While it's more of a sliding screen (you can see over the top), it still creates a 'cocoon in the sky' vibe. Each of Cathay's refurbished B777-300ERs has 45 business- class Aria Suites in a 1-2-1 configuration, with all-aisle access. The seat is 53.3 centimetres wide, with a bed length of 190.5 centimetres when it reclines to fully flat. But it's the ultra-high-definition screen that has the biggest 'wow' factor. At a whopping 60.9 centimetres, it's perfect for film buffs. The Aria Suites are only on Cathay's refitted 777s and to date, only a handful have been refreshed. Cathay flies daily between Hong Kong and Sydney, London and Beijing. Business class is always expensive, but Webjet data for 2024 shows the airline was one of the most competitively priced options. Emirates has refitted 19 of its 120 B777-300ERs from nose to tail. Earlier this year, it began flying its refurbished four-class 777s between Dubai and Melbourne, putting its new 'Game Changer' first-class suites, with fully enclosed floor-to-ceiling sliding doors, on an Australian route. There are three flights daily between Melbourne and Dubai: two on refurbished A380s, and one on the refurbished 777 (flight number EK405). The 42 business-class seats are set out as 1-2-1, and are 52.6 centimetres wide, stretching to 199.6 centimetres when flat, and there's a 58.4-centimetre entertainment screen. Air New Zealand unveiled its first refurbished 787-9 Dreamliner last month and it flies between Auckland and Brisbane, Rarotonga, Vancouver and San Francisco. The airline has gone from having among the worst business-class seats to an acclaimed product across two pointy-end options – Business Premier (22 seats) and Business Premier Luxe (four seats) that come with sliding privacy doors. Seats in both areas are 54 centimetres wide, reclining to 203 centimetres when flat. An option to look out for 2026 is Air NZ's innovative SkyNest, which will only be available for economy passengers. SkyNest is the airline's bunk-bed-style sleeping pod, where you can book a four-hour session to lie down for considerably less than you'd pay for a business-class seat.
The Age
5 days ago
- The Age
Michelin meals on trains, in-flight sleeping pod rentals: Fancy travel's next stops
This story is part of the June 28 edition of Good Weekend. See all 21 stories. Let the good times roll Love the thought of rolling through Great Britain's bucolic beauty without the petrol stops? Belmond's Britannic Explorer will take luxury on British tracks to the next level when it launches in July with 18 sleeper suites. The train will offer three-night itineraries across three destinations – Cornwall, the Lake District and Wales. Expect lots of tea, and modern British cuisine overseen by Michelin-starred chef Simon Rogan. Three nights all-inclusive starts from £11,000 ($22,900) per person, based on twin-share accommodation. If you want the Rolls-Royce of trains, go for the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express – another one from Belmond. Its new Paris-to-Tuscany route launched in May, departing Paris Gare d'Austerlitz to arrive in Castello di Casole three nights later. It's priced from £9350 per person. This train also recently unveiled the L'Observatoire – a luxury sleeper carriage with interiors by artist JR – priced from, wait for it, £80,000 ($167,000) a night for double occupancy. Closer to home, in April next year, Journey Beyond will release its 'next-level platinum' cabin class on select trains. The Aurora and Australis suites (which you can find on The Ghan and the Indian Pacific) will be the Adelaide-based brand's most luxurious offering yet. The Aurora Suite is priced from $7990 per person ($11,890 per person for the slightly larger Australis Suite) on the two-night, three-day Adelaide-to-Darwin trip aboard The Ghan in November 2026. Take me to the river Along with expeditions, river cruising is the fastest-growing sector in the cruising category. Australian Pacific Touring started out doing local bus tours before branching out into overseas cruises. In April this year, APT launched Solara, followed by Ostara in June. The near-identical ships have 77 suites across three cabin categories, and hold 154 passengers and 60 crew. The sweet spot is the Balcony Suites, offering full-length, electric slide-down windows opening onto a French-style deck. Choosing APT means you'll never have to explain a flat white, or ask for the Vegemite while sailing on the Rhine, the Main or the Danube. An eight-day cruise from Munich to Amsterdam starts from $7645 per person in a Balcony Suite. Viking River Cruises began in 1997 with just four river ships; today, it's a juggernaut with about 80, mainly in Europe but also on the Mississippi and the Mekong. But the most immediate growth is scheduled for Portugal – with ships planned for the Douro River – and Egypt, where Viking plans to have 10 ships on the Nile by the close of 2026. These include Thoth, from October this year, hot on the heels of Amun, which is set to debut in September. Both cater for 82 guests and 48 crew. Our value pick is the 22-square-metre Veranda Stateroom, where, for $14,795 per person, you can book the 12-day 'Pharaohs & Pyramids' cruise. Loading Talking of next-generation river ships, Tauck is preparing to debut MS Serene in early 2026. The ship holds 124 guests and 41 crew, and will focus on the River Seine. A sibling, the slightly longer MS Lumière (for 130 guests and 44 crew), will be released at the same time. Both ships feature a large sundeck with a pool and bar area, plus The Retreat – a fitness centre, massage room and lounge area encased by floor-to-ceiling windows. An 11-day Bordeaux, Paris and The Seine cruise sailing in 2026 is priced from $10,990 per person on MS Serene. The pointy end Cathay Pacific became one of the few airlines to offer the privacy of a sliding door on its airline's business-class seats from late last year. While it's more of a sliding screen (you can see over the top), it still creates a 'cocoon in the sky' vibe. Each of Cathay's refurbished B777-300ERs has 45 business- class Aria Suites in a 1-2-1 configuration, with all-aisle access. The seat is 53.3 centimetres wide, with a bed length of 190.5 centimetres when it reclines to fully flat. But it's the ultra-high-definition screen that has the biggest 'wow' factor. At a whopping 60.9 centimetres, it's perfect for film buffs. The Aria Suites are only on Cathay's refitted 777s and to date, only a handful have been refreshed. Cathay flies daily between Hong Kong and Sydney, London and Beijing. Business class is always expensive, but Webjet data for 2024 shows the airline was one of the most competitively priced options. Emirates has refitted 19 of its 120 B777-300ERs from nose to tail. Earlier this year, it began flying its refurbished four-class 777s between Dubai and Melbourne, putting its new 'Game Changer' first-class suites, with fully enclosed floor-to-ceiling sliding doors, on an Australian route. There are three flights daily between Melbourne and Dubai: two on refurbished A380s, and one on the refurbished 777 (flight number EK405). The 42 business-class seats are set out as 1-2-1, and are 52.6 centimetres wide, stretching to 199.6 centimetres when flat, and there's a 58.4-centimetre entertainment screen. Air New Zealand unveiled its first refurbished 787-9 Dreamliner last month and it flies between Auckland and Brisbane, Rarotonga, Vancouver and San Francisco. The airline has gone from having among the worst business-class seats to an acclaimed product across two pointy-end options – Business Premier (22 seats) and Business Premier Luxe (four seats) that come with sliding privacy doors. Seats in both areas are 54 centimetres wide, reclining to 203 centimetres when flat. An option to look out for 2026 is Air NZ's innovative SkyNest, which will only be available for economy passengers. SkyNest is the airline's bunk-bed-style sleeping pod, where you can book a four-hour session to lie down for considerably less than you'd pay for a business-class seat.
Times
13-06-2025
- Times
9 of the best sleeper trains in Europe
There's something special about a sleeper train — it can actually make the prospect of getting from A to B an appealing part of the trip. It comes with a romance that you won't find attached to overnight flights or coach journeys, rocking you to the rhythm of wheels on steel while you watch the sun drop outside the window. You'll avoid a stiff neck from trying to sleep upright — a sleeper train offers a bed that's properly, 180-degree flat — and there's ample chance to go for a wander without worrying about seatbelt signs or narrow aisles. What's more, the boarding experience is more relaxed than the cattle-herding so familiar to those using airports, and often you'll alight at your desired final destination rather than at an airport an hour away. As you head to the dining car, or have a picnic in your cabin, read in your bunk or chat with a fellow passenger, you'll know too that you've chosen a greener way to go. Whether you're travelling on a budget or with the purse strings fully undone, sleeper services across Europe offer a range of options, from the pampering to the functional. Most services include compartments with cabins for two to four people and dormitory-style couchettes (seats that convert into sleeping berths) for six, as well as economy seat carriages. Here are the continent's best sleeper trains. This article contains affiliate links, which may earn us revenue Newest to the tracks — and sprinkling some serious stardust along the way — is the Britannic Explorer, run by luxury heritage rail operator Belmond. The train, which has two dining cars, a wellness suite and an observation car with art deco-styled bar, offers comfort of the highest order. There are five journeys to choose between, each departing from London Victoria: three-night trips to Cornwall, the Lake District or Wales, or six-night trips featuring Wales and either Cornwall or the Lake District. As well as enjoying some of the country's choicest inland and coastal scenery, you'll make stops for several off-train excursions along the way, from art galleries in Cornwall and hikes in Wales to a meal in the two-Michelin-star Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons in the Cotswolds. There are 18 classy suites, top-quality food and impeccable service. And, as you'd expect, whichever trip you choose, it will cost you a pretty penny. • Best places to visit in the Lake District• Best things to do in Wales The Venice Simplon-Orient-Express is the grand dame of sleeper trains. After being featured in Agatha Christie's best-known novel, it's become the byword for yesteryear elegance and is one of the few surviving chariots of the golden age of travel. The interior has wood panelling and lush drapes, antique lamps and art deco mirrors, and a pianist in Bar Car 3764. Twin sleeper cabins have banquettes that are converted to beds after dark, while cabin suites have a pair of loungers. Splash out on one of the six grand suites for marble en suites, butler service and as much champagne as you can glug. The Eurostar will take you from London St Pancras to Paris where you'll join the Orient Express for the overnight leg to Venice. The following day, enjoy a lavish three-course lunch created by chef Jean Imbert, as well as afternoon tea, all served by liveried stewards. • Best affordable hotels in Venice• Best things to do in Venice The Caledonian Sleeper is not only a civilised way to travel between London Euston and Scotland but — if the moon is high — one that promises sweeping views of stately castles and remote Highland wilderness as night falls. There are several routes: the Lowland Sleeper service travels to Edinburgh and Glasgow, the Highland Sleeper to Aberdeen, Inverness and Fort William. Accommodation options include the en suite Caledonian Double (with double bed; breakfast included), the en suite Club room (twin bunks; breakfast included), the Classic room (twin bunks and shared bathroom) and a seated coach. There are accessible double and twin rooms. Classic and contemporary dishes with a focus on Scottish fare are served in the Club Car, and when morning comes the menu features everything from porridge to a cooked full Scottish breakfast. Room service is available, cabins come with complimentary sleep kits and there's wi-fi throughout — these are new trains that provide proper 21st-century comforts. • Most luxurious hotels in London• Best hotels in the Scottish Highlands This option presents the chance to ride a train and a boat at the same time. The night train to Sicily departs Milan in northern Italy in the evening, heading south through the hours of darkness. Eat a small breakfast of coffee and a sweet and savoury snack in your cabin while admiring the coastal views around the toe of Italy's boot, before the train is divided into sections of four carriages and shunted on to a special ferry that takes you across the Straits of Messina to Sicily; you'll reach Palermo late that afternoon. Choose from four-berth compartments with couchettes (which can be converted to seats during the day) or one, two or three-bed compartments (with basins) in the sleeping car. The journey takes the best part of 20 hours; there's a trolley service with snacks and drinks, but no bar or restaurant car, so take provisions and fill up at the ferry café if you're running low. • Best hotels in Milan• Best hotels in Sicily Linking London Paddington and the West Country, the Night Riviera Sleeper runs back and forth between the bright lights of the capital and the beaches, fishing villages and wild corners of Cornwall. Services leave London shortly before midnight, taking a little over eight hours to reach the end stop at Penzance, where you can stroll across to the tidal island of St Michael's Mount. Trains the other way leave earlier in the evening and get into Paddington at around 5am, but cabin guests can remain on board until 6.45am, so you needn't rise with the lark. The train has a slick lounge area complete with art deco-style bar where you can stock up on snacks and drinks. Cabins have washbasins and are available in singles and twins; bookings include breakfast and access to first-class lounges (with showers) at Paddington, Truro and Penzance. Pets are welcome on board. • Best places to visit in Cornwall• Best hotels in Cornwall This route links two of Europe's grandest, most romantic cities. Taking just under 15 hours, the train leaves Vienna in the early evening and reaches Rome at the civilised hour of 10.05am, giving you the whole day to explore the sights. Book a sleeper compartment (single, double or triple) — either standard or Comfortline (the former with basin and the latter fully en suite); or there are four and six-berth couchettes (shared bathroom), including a female-only option, and seating carriages. You'll be served either a Viennese breakfast of a roll with ham, or choices from a more substantial à la carte menu if you're travelling in a sleeping car. There's a bistro too, where you can buy snacks. • Best affordable hotels in Vienna• Best Airbnbs in Rome Although built just 40 years ago, the Royal Scotsman is already a legendary train, with lacquered wood and plush fabrics that evoke an earlier, golden age of travel. Today, it whisks you from Edinburgh into the romantic wildness of the Scottish Highlands, with a series of experience-led itineraries ranging across two-night trips focused on food, four-night journeys into the world of malt whisky, and week-long extravaganzas taking you on a looping tour right around the Highlands. Choose an ensuite twin cabin, or properly splash out on a Grand Suite, complete with personal butler service and a complimentary treatment at the onboard spa. The two mahogany-panelled dining cars offer haute cuisine that focuses on fresh Scottish produce, together with a selection of more than 50 whiskies. Prepare yourself for ancient castles, rugged landscapes and a dram or two of Scotland's finest. • Best affordable hotels in Edinburgh• Best restaurants in Edinburgh This is a double-decker train that charts a 12-hour northward course from the capital of Finland up to the heart of Finnish Lapland. The night journey takes you above the Arctic Circle, offering a chance to see the midnight sun or the northern lights (depending on when you travel) as well as meet Father Christmas at his village in Rovaniemi, where most passengers alight. There are cabins that sleep up to two and three passengers, and pairs of '2+2' connected cabins downstairs for groups of four. All cabins have bunk beds; those on the upper deck have en suite bathrooms. Cabins on the lower deck share facilities, but can be a better bet for families due to the adjoining rooms. Accessible and pet-frieldy cabins are available. The cheapest ticket is simply a seat only and there's a restaurant carriage that sells snacks and drinks. • Best northern lights igloos• Best northern lights tours Take an 11-day journey gliding through nine countries to tick off some of the world's most historic cities, including Ljubljana, Sarajevo, Belgrade, Skopje and Sofia. Most nights are spent aboard your hotel on wheels: the Golden Eagle Danube Express, which is firmly in the five-star category. Choose between deluxe (twin beds) and superior deluxe sleeper cabins (king-size doubles), each with wood-panelled rooms for relaxing during the day that are converted to bedrooms come night time. The restaurant serves up fine dining and you can enjoy a digestif in the bar lounge car, where a pianist plays in the evening. This is an inspiring, high-end trip with a price-tag to match. • Best affordable hotels in Istanbul• Read our full guide to Istanbul
Elle
06-06-2025
- Business
- Elle
Inside the Reopening of Italy's Stunning Splendido Hotel
Every item on this page was chosen by an ELLE editor. We may earn commission on some of the items you choose to buy. Villa Beatrice sits perched atop a cliff, with a 180-degree view of one of the most stunning, secluded settings imaginable. Turn to the right, and you see the Bay of Portofino. Look left, and it's the Bay of Paraggi. The restored former palazzo, which is set within a national park and has private access to the sea, will be available to rent beginning this July for the first time in its 112-year history. It's the only accommodation of its kind for the hospitality group Belmond, which specializes in resorts, trains, river cruises, and safari lodges that recapture the glamour of an earlier era of travel. Belmond, which was acquired by LVMH in 2019, got its start in 1976, when James Sherwood, the company's original owner, purchased the Hotel Cipriani in Venice. Soon after, he bought two original Orient Express sleeping cars at auction. Air travel had cut into the popularity of luxury trains, and Sherwood was able to get the pair for $113,000, according to The New York Times. He soon collected additional cars, and his revamped Orient Express took to the rails in 1982. Since then, the Belmond group has expanded to include train lines in Europe, Asia, and South America; hotels like Maroma on the Riviera Maya and Rio de Janeiro's Copacabana Palace; and seven river cruises. What connects them all is an emphasis on slow travel, amazing experiences, and classic design. Up the road from the Villa Beatrice is Splendido, a 16th-century Benedictine monastery-turned-52-room hotel, which opens for the summer season this month with a new Dior spa—the first in Italy—and a redesigned main building and cocktail bar. 'We haven't done anything crazy. We applied the modernity, but with respect for the past,' says Alfonso Pacifico, the hotel's general manager and Belmond's area managing director of Portofino. Belmond's properties are routinely restored and revitalized; in July, the group will unveil the Britannic Explorer, the first luxury sleeper train to tour England and Wales. Next on the list is Florence's Villa San Michele, which will reopen in 2026 after a renovation that helped conserve historical elements of the former monastery and redesigned the hotel's suites. Hotel Cipriani is set for an ambitious renovation led by famed architect and designer Peter Marino. 'The first approach is to understand the location and the existing history behind [the property],' says Ons Gherib, senior vice president of design and construction at Belmond, of the company's process for restoring hotels. The architecture and design teams examine the records of who lived and stayed at the property, and study the history, architecture, and types of craftsmanship used in its original construction. For train design, the bar is set even higher: Only pre-1945 technology is used. 'Trains push the know-how and the craftsmanship to a level that is absolutely unknown,' Gherib explains. 'There's real craftsmanship, to the smallest detail. Every detail is drawn, designed, and thought of in a very small scale, which is absolutely stunning.' The restorations can lead to delightful surprises. During the renovation of Villa Beatrice, the ceiling was removed to reveal the original, which was beautifully hand-painted. 'We really try to understand what was there and try to enhance it—bring it back to life and keep it alive.' A version of this story appears in the May 2025 issue of ELLE. GET THE LATEST ISSUE OF ELLE
Daily Mirror
31-05-2025
- Daily Mirror
Luxury train with spa, Michelin-star chef and £11k tickets that tours the UK
The Britannic Explorer is set to be the first luxury sleeper train to operate in England and Wales - and will be taking passengers on a three night journey through Wales For a train fare of £11,000 per couple, one would anticipate an experience out of this world, and a luxury travel company promises to deliver just that. Luxury brand Belmond is set to launch The Britannic Explorer, offering a three-night journey through Wales this year. Passengers boarding the Britannic Explorer are advised to pack not only walking shoes but also a dinner jacket or cocktail dress. This is the first luxury sleeper train to operate in England and Wales, complete with an onboard spa. Guests will slumber in stunning suites, indulge in world-class dining curated by a Michelin-star chef, and partake in excursions such as hikes in the Welsh countryside, visits to a luxury pub, and clay pigeon shooting. Prices start at £11,000, based on a double cabin for three nights, inclusive of excursions, meals, wine, and alcoholic beverages on board. A three-night route through Wales departs from London Victoria, stopping at Llandrindod Wells and Machynlleth, via Haverfordwest, Porthmadog and Barmouth, before returning to London via the Cotswolds. The itinerary reveals that on the first day, guests will check-in and enjoy an afternoon tea crafted by Michelin-starred chef Simon Rogan, featuring Welsh teacakes and Bara Brith, reports Wales Online. On the second day, visitors will disembark in Pembrokeshire, alighting at Llandrindod Wells for a guided hike that includes lavender fields, a pond dip or sauna. They'll then reboard the train to traverse the Heart of Wales line, journeying through Carmarthenshire and Powys into Eryri National Park. Other routes across England and Wales include to the Lake District and Cornwall with longer six-night trips also on offer taking in either both the Lakes and Wales or Cornwall and Wales. "Highlights on the Wales route include a picnic-style lunch featuring delights like rarebit and leek tart," the company reveals. "Each dining experience onboard will reflect the landscape outside the train's windows, using the freshest local ingredients to create an immersive culinary journey that celebrates the diverse flavours and stories of England and Wales." Dinner promises to be a "celebration of seasonal British fine dining, perfectly paired with an enchanting entertainment line up", with guests spending the night near Barmouth. On the third day, guests can opt for a visit to the wellness suite, or enjoy a lie-in followed by brunch. The train will make a stop in Machynlleth. "Machynlleth is a hub of creativity, sustainability, and exceptional cuisine. Our Concierge's curated black book of excursions offers a range of active pursuits such as clay pigeon shooting," the itinerary details. Lunch will be served while travelling through Montgomeryshire, passing Welshpool before crossing the border into Shropshire. The journey continues through the Midlands, concluding at Moreton-in-Marsh. The luxurious Britannic Explorer will then make its way to England, where it will stop for an "exclusive party" at The Fox in Oddington, a venue owned by Daylesford farm shop. Here, guests will indulge in traditional British fare such as Scotch eggs and sausage rolls, accompanied by local ales and artisan liqueurs. They'll even get to learn the art of pouring the perfect pint. The final day of the journey begins with breakfast as the train travels through picturesque Oxfordshire, ultimately returning to London in the early morning. The three-night Welsh excursions are scheduled to take place on select dates. Following a winter hiatus, the routes will resume in March 2026. The Britannic Explorer is set to launch in July 2025, offering luxury accommodations starting from £11,000 for a double cabin. This price includes a 3-night itinerary, excursions, meals, wine, and other beverages onboard.
