# Belmond Limited

Belmond Ltd. (formerly Orient-Express Hotels Ltd.) is a hospitality and leisure company that operates hotels, train services and river cruises 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 with the acquisition of the Hotel Cipriani in Venice, Italy, from the Guinness family for £900,000. Sherwood then bought a number of carriages from the original Orient Express 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 to launch the train Belmond Grand Hibernian in Ireland. In July 2016, Indian Hotels Company Limited 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 in a $3.2 billion transaction which would delist the company from the New York Stock Exchange 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. 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

| Continent | Country | City | Name |
| Europe | Italy | Portofino | Splendido Splendido Mare Villa Beatrice |
| Europe | Italy | Florence, Tuscany | Belmond Villa San Michele |
| Europe | Italy | Casole d’Elsa, Tuscany | Castello di Casole |
| Europe | Italy | Amalfi Coast | Caruso |
| Europe | Italy | Sicily | Belmond Villa Sant'Andrea |
| Europe | Italy | Sicily | Belmond Grand Hotel Timeo |
| Europe | Italy | Sardinia | Romazzino |
| Europe | Spain | Deia, Mallorca | Belmond La Residencia |
| Europe | Portugal | Madeira | Belmond Reid's Palace |
| Europe | United Kingdom | London | The Cadogan |
| Europe | United Kingdom | Oxfordshire | Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons |
| North America | United States | Santa Barbara, California | Belmond El Encanto |
| North America | French West Indies | St. Martin | Belmond La Samanna |
| North America | British West Indies | Anguilla | Belmond Cap Juluca |
| North America | Mexico | Riviera Maya | Belmond Maroma Resort & Spa |
| North America | Mexico | San Miguel de Allende | Casa de Sierra Nevada |
| South America | Brazil | Rio de Janeiro | Copacabana Palace |
| South America | Brazil | Iguaçu Falls | Belmond Hotel das Cataratas |
| South America | Peru | Lima | Belmond Miraflores Park |
| South America | Peru | Cusco | Belmond Palacio Nazarenas |
| South America | Peru | Cusco | Belmond Hotel Monasterio |
| South America | Peru | Machu Picchu | Belmond Sanctuary Lodge |
| South America | Peru | Sacred Valley | Belmond Hotel Rio Sagrado |
| South America | Peru | Colca Canyon | Belmond Las Casitas |
| Asia | Indonesia | Bali | Belmond Jimbaran Puri |
| Africa | South Africa | Cape Town | Belmond Mount Nelson Hotel |
| Africa | Botswana | Chobe National Park | Belmond Savute Elephant Lodge |
| Africa | Botswana | Okavango Delta | Eagle Island Lodge |

### Transportation

| Type | Route | Name |
| Sleeper trains | London-Venice | Venice Simplon-Orient-Express |
| Sleeper trains | Scotland | Belmond Royal Scotsman |
| Sleeper trains | England - Wales | Britannic Explorer |
| Sleeper trains | Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand & Laos | Eastern and Oriental Express |
| Sleeper trains | Peru | Belmond Andean Explorer |
| Day trains | Great Britain | Belmond British Pullman |
| Day trains | Peru | Belmond Hiram Bingham |
| River Boats | France | Les Bateaux Belmond (seven canal and river barges) |

#### Other formerly operated trains

* Great South Pacific Express (1999-2003) in Australia between Kuranda, Queensland and Sydney. Its carriages were transferred to the Belmond Andean Explorer after its demise.
* Belmond Northern Belle (2000-2017) in the Central and Northern regions of Great Britain. Sold to West Coast Railways as a new operator.
* Belmond Grand Hibernian (2016-2021) in Ireland. Its carriages were transferred to the Britannic Explorer.

### Restaurants

| Country | City | Name |
| United States | New York City | 21 Club |
| United Kingdom | Oxfordshire | The Restaurant at Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons |
| United Kingdom | London | The Lalee |
| Portugal | Madeira | William Restaurant |
| Italy | Venice | Oro Restaurant |
| Italy | Taormina | Otto Geleng Restaurant |
| Italy | Florence | La Loggia |
| Spain | Deia | El Olivo |
| Brazil | Rio de Janeiro | Mee |
| Brazil | Rio de Janeiro | Ristorante Hotel Cipriani |