The Orient Express’s First Hotel Just Opened in the Heart of Rome
The Orient Express is entering the hotel game.
The iconic luxury train company, owned by French hospitality brand Accor, has just opened its first hotel ever. Housed in a 17-century palazzo in the heart of Rome, the Orient Express La Minerva offers up 93 rooms and 36 suites—each of which are entirely unique in layout and size.
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The hotel’s address at Piazza della Minerva 69—a gathering place of many a creative and traveler over the decades—puts it mere steps away from the Pantheon, as well as other landmarks in the Eternal City. To bring the palazzo to life, Orient Express tapped artist-architect Hugo Toro to add some contemporary flare to the locale while still preserving its Roman roots. The combination can be seen as you enter the tower lobby, full of stoic columns, earthy hues, pops of greenery, and vibrant, patterned flooring. Overlooking it all is a 1854 marble statue (by Italian sculptor Rinaldo Rinaldi) of the property’s namesake, the Roman goddess of wisdom, Minerva.
Toro brought that same attention to detail to the rooms and suites. Each accommodation pays tribute (fittingly) to the golden age of train travel, with details such as bespoke bedside trunks and wood details mirroring those found in Orient Express carriages dotting each space. Even the bedding, luxe linens from the masters at Rivolta Carmignani, is the same as those found in the train’s sleeper cars. And, of course, each space, filled with to the brim with different textures, has soft reminders that you’re in the Eternal City, lest you forget: A hand-painted motif of the Roman sky hangs above each bed. As for the suites, one is named for Stendhal, a French writer who often frequented the property’s past iteration.
There are not one but three restaurants to enjoy during your stay. In the lobby, La Minerva Bar can be found under a glass roof, with original marble columns as decor. The watchful eye of that Minerva marble statue nearby might just keep you from overindulging. Head to the rooftop to enjoy the 360-degree views at Gigi Rigolatto (opening in May), inspired by the Rivera; Rikas Hospitality Group and the Paris Society brand have helped launch the vibrant eatery. Later this year, you can expect Mimi Kakushi, a Japanese spot that brings guests back to 1920s Osaka with a hint of Western influences.
That’s not all Orient Express has on the docket. The brand is opening yet another hotel; called the Orient Express Palazzo Donà Giovannelli, the property will make its debut in Venice later this year. Orient Express also just launched its La Dolce Vita trip, which will take passengers into Tuscany aboard one of its locomotives. Seems like the company is in for quite a ride, then.
Click here to learn more about the Orient Express’s first hotel.
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