Renowned luxury train company, Orient Express has opened its first hotel in a 17th-century palazzo on Piazza della Minerva, steps from the Pantheon.
Orient Express La Minerva has 93 rooms and 36 suites, all paying homage to the golden age of travel with bespoke bedside trunks, wooden detailing, and bedding by Rivolta Carmignani – the same linens once gracing Orient Express sleeper cars.
There are three dining venues promising “unforgettable gastronomy journeys”, including La Minerva Bar in the heart of the hotel’s lobby, which sits under a glass roof with original marble columns and a preserved statue of Minerva.
On the rooftop, you’ll find Gigi Rigolatto (opening in May) with 360-degree views of the city, including the Pantheon, the Vittoriano and the dome of St. Peter’s Basilica.
And later this year, will see the opening of Mimi Kakushi, a Japanese restaurant transporting guests to 1920s Osaka.
Suites have been redesigned as “soulful escapes by Rome’s eternal allure”, while paying respect to guests of the original hotel, including Stendhal Suite – named after the French realist writer, one of the more notable former guests.
Orient Express CEO Gilda Perez says, “Opening the doors marks a powerful moment in our journey”.
“A city of layered beauty and bold character, Rome offers the perfect canvas to reimagine the legacy of Orient Express through new purpose and experience – where Romans gather, and international aesthetes unite.”
“In partnership with Arsenale Group and through the visionary work of artist-architect Hugo Toro, we have the privilege to breathe new life into a heritage property deeply rooted in the fabric of this timeless city.”
Arsenale Group CEO Paolo Barletta says, “With Orient Express La Minerva, we are inaugurating the very first Orient Express hotel in the world, giving shape to a new concept of ultra-luxury hospitality”.
“This project combines the identity of a legendary brand with the entrepreneurial vision of Arsenale: transforming iconic places into world-class destinations.
“We chose Rome because it represents the crossroads between history, culture, and Italian hospitality.”
Later this year, the brand will also open Orient Express Palazzo Donà Giovanelli in Venice.
Located ten minutes from Venice’s Santa Lucia train station, next to the Cannaregio shopping district, the hotel sits in a palace built in 1400 by architect Filippo Calendario.
A bar will be located in the former piano nobile ballroom on the main floor of the building, while terraces hidden on the hotel’s rooftops will offer views of Serenissima.
As soon as the hotel opens, passengers on La Dolce Vita train will be able to disembark at the Venice Santa Lucia Station and walk (or catch a boat) to the hotel.
For more information, visit Orient Express La Minerva.
