A new luxury sleeper train by Belmond is headed to England next summer, the first for the country where rail travel originated. Called the Britannic Explorer, it will depart from London on a trio of picturesque routes — though passengers may find that their interior surroundings rival the beauty outside their windows.
Three of the train’s 18 cabins are grand suites and carry a price tag of around $17,700 a person. They’re designed to reflect the beauty of “an English country garden,” per the website, and include private butler service, in-room dining, and marble furnishings. Lower-cost accommodations, at about $7,300, have been decorated to embody Britain’s azure coastline and rolling green hills.
The botanically themed restaurant cars are inspired by potting sheds and wildflower meadows, and will feature farm-to-table fine dining, with menus curated by renowned chef Simon Rogan. Altogether, the train has the effect of a “moving painting,” Ottavia Palomba, global head of brand communications at Belmond, told CNN.
Also on board is a wellness suite, where passengers can enjoy spa treatments during their three-night journeys, and an expert-led yoga class that early risers can attend. Off-train excursions include private wine tastings, wild swimming, and art exhibitions.
For libations, a full bar inspired by Victorian apothecaries offers guests artisan gins and craft beers from independent U.K. distilleries and breweries, and of course, botanically themed bespoke cocktails. The bar itself is as inviting as the rest of the train’s interior, a glamorous throwback with its amber glassware and ochre banquettes.
And of course, no luxury train in England would be complete without a traditional afternoon tea. Menus are tailored to the three routes — which wind through Cornwall, The Lake District, and Wales — “with regional ingredients taking center stage,” per the website.
In the evening, guests can make their way to the lavishly adorned observation cars, where entertainment, themed parties, seasonal celebrations, and live performances are held.
Belmond turned to famed interior design studio Albion Nord to create the Britannic Explorer’s elegant, sumptuous look. The overall vibe is luxurious and theatrical — that latter element being key to a sleeper car’s romantic appeal, Palomba told CNN.
Excuse us while we start saving for a trip to London.
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