Train review: What it’s like to ride the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express

I'm lasting successful 1 of the "most costly edifice rooms" successful the world.

Per quadrate meter, that is.

That's according to Matthieu Ollier, manager of the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express, who said the train's Grand Suites outgo 24,000 euros ($25,850) for a one-night travel from Venice to London.

That's $2,000 per metre — if you tin unafraid a spot. Bookings successful the Grand Suites often commencement a twelvemonth successful advance.

Thanks to a last-minute cancellation, I won the freelance journalist's equivalent of Willy Wonka's aureate summons — a telephone from Belmond, the luxury institution that owns the train.

Could I join? Unsurprisingly, I squeezed it into my schedule.

But astatine a clip erstwhile the 31-hour travel for a mates costs much than low-wage workers successful the United States make successful a year, could the 1 nighttime acquisition perchance beryllium worthy it?

Each carriage has a story. I'm successful 3309, the train's oldest sleeper car. Built successful 1926, it operated on assorted Orient Express bid routes successful the 1920s and 1930s, including routes connecting Paris to Bucharest and Munich to Istanbul.

Indeed, successful February 1929 the carriage was marooned successful a snowfall drift extracurricular of Istanbul for 5 days, an incidental that inspired Agatha Christie's celebrated caller "Murder connected the Orient Express."

It has 3 suites, 1 of which Christie herself stayed successful — present called the Budapest Suite.

Surprisingly, astir guests connected the bid person a washbasin successful their cabins but indispensable stock a bath — albeit an impeccably kept 1 — but the Budapest Suite has an ensuite bath featuring onyx, marble and Murano glass.

Space connected the bid is astatine a premium, adjacent successful the Budapest Suite, truthful guests are advised to battalion a tiny bag. Closet country is besides limited, but there's capable country for a steward to bent the tuxedos and dresses that guests bring connected committee for dinner.

Grand Suite guests are welcomed with a chilled vessel of Veuve Clicquot Saint Petersbourg Champagne — served arsenic and erstwhile you similar for the full travel — on with a tin of Steluga Tsar Imperial caviar to spoon implicit blinis.

One iron-clad warrant connected committee the train: You volition ne'er spell hungry.

The Venice Simplon-Orient-Express' partnership with Chef Jean Imbert from the one-Michelin-starred Jean Imbert au Plaza Athénée successful Paris has ensured that the cuisine is genuinely stellar, astatine each service.

From the Champagne meal — served in-suite — to the day teas and four-course dinner, this is simply a travel to hide astir calories.

It's puzzling however plates of specified artistry and finesse are produced successful specified a tiny kitchen. A speedy look shows it's six meters agelong and 1 metre wide — with 5 chefs inside.

Guests don tuxedos and glamorous evening dresses for dinner, which starts with cocktails successful the Bar Car. Aa a pianist serenaded us, the feeling was 1 of being transported backmost successful time.

If you person the means, this is simply a precise peculiar mode to travel.

But determination were a fewer bumps successful the road. For starters, getting online wasn't easy. The on-board Wi-Fi work ne'er worked for me, but I was capable to link to different networks astatine assorted points on the way.

The Budapest Suite's furniture is big, comfy and luxurious, but evidently bid question involves a batch of question — and a just spot of noise. Ear plugs are provided, and you'll request them to get a afloat nighttime of saccharine dreams.

The ensuite bath is described arsenic "spacious," but that's a generous definition. But if moaning astir the size of a marble bath connected committee an astir century-old bid carriage isn't the explanation of archetypal satellite problems, I don't cognize what is.

Paying astir $28,000 for a one-night bid travel from Venice to London is astir beyond belief. You could prosecute a backstage pitchy for less.

But it's the historical quality of the travel that makes the acquisition unique. In a fast-paced, always-on world, there's thing to beryllium said for slow, elegant travel.

It's besides worthy remembering that bid question is much sustainable than astir modes of transport, particularly backstage aviation. 

Data shows galore travelers aren't cutting backmost connected travel, contempt the planetary cost-of-living crisis, but this travel is retired of scope for beauteous overmuch anyone barroom the 0.1%.

If you're fortunate capable to person pockets this deep, determination are fewer question experiences to lucifer it.