Hotels Where Orient Express Train Passengers Stay
In the late 1800s, the Orient Express, the first luxury train in European history, set off from Paris to reach Istanbul. With its velvet curtains, crystal glasses and royal rooms, the Orient Express was a traveling palace used by writers, bureaucrats and upper-class people. Luxury hotels were established on the route of the Orient Express, which passed through Paris, Munich, Vienna, Budapest and Bucharest before reaching Istanbul. Some of these hotels have become history today, while others continue to provide service despite the years. We have researched these historical hotels just for you and prepared a list of the most prominent ones.
Hotel Ritz, Paris
Hotel Ritz was flooded with prominent figures from the art and business worlds and members of the royal family when it was grandly opened in 1898. The rooms were equipped with luxurious amenities and each room had a telephone and a bathtub, which were not amenities seen in hotels up until that day. A large group of artists, including Ernest Hemingway, who also stayed at the Pera Palace Hotel, used Hotel Ritz as their home. The hotel, which has been closed and restored several times, especially since the 1970s, continues to provide service today with its 142 suites.
Hotel Imperial, Venice
Built-in the Neo-Renaissance style between 1862 and 1865, Hotel Imperial became one of the rare hotels on the Orient Express route with its marble columns, limestone stairs and enchanting interior decoration. Famous names, including Alfred Hitchcock and Walt Disney, preferred Hotel Imperial during their visits to Venice. During the monarchy, important names such as King Milan I of Serbia and Ferdinand I of Bulgaria also stayed at this hotel. The hotel, which still reflects the elegance of 19th century Vienna, today offers its guests a unique accommodation experience with its 79 rooms and 59 suites.
Grand Hotel Royal, Budapest
The Grand Hotel Royal was opened in 1896 to provide accommodation for guests attending the Millennium exhibition to celebrate the 1000th anniversary of the coronation of the first Hungarian king. The hotel also hosted a significant portion of the Orient Express passengers who arrived in Budapest that same year. At the time, the hotel was described as “Europe’s Largest Hotel”. Featuring French Renaissance-style architecture, the hotel was frequently visited by local intellectuals and world-famous artists. The Grand Hotel Royal, which closed in 1991, reopened in 2003 as The Corinthia Grand Hotel Royal. The hotel continues to provide service with 350 rooms today.
Pera Palace Hotel, Istanbul
For the Orient Express passengers who arrived in Istanbul after passing through the historical capitals of Europe, there was a need for accommodation in Istanbul. After all the passengers traveling in the luxury and comfort of the Orient Express, the hotel they would stay in Istanbul had to meet this luxury and comfort. At this point, Pera Palace Hotel, which defies history and continues to provide service today, was born. The most important guest of Pera Palace Hotel in history was undoubtedly Mustafa Kemal Atatürk. Room 101, where Atatürk, who visited the hotel frequently, always stayed, has been transformed into a museum today and the memory of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk has been preserved. Many famous names, including İsmet İnönü, Agatha Christie, Alfred Hitchcock, Ernest Hemingway and Greta Garbo, have been guests of Pera Palace Hotel.
Designed in classical, art nouveau and orientalist styles, the rare Pera Palace Hotel continues to host its guests in one of the most beautiful corners of Istanbul as the first hotel in Turkey to European standards. In addition, Pera Palace Hotel has been the hotel that has signed many firsts among hotels in Istanbul, such as organizing the exhibition of Şeker Ahmet Paşa’s works or the New Year’s ball. The long journeys of the Orient Express continued until 1977, despite frequent interruptions during and after the war. Although there are no trips with the Orient Express today, you can feel the spirit of the Orient Express by staying in these hotels.
