AccorHotels will open the first Orient Express hotel next year, in Bangkok’s tallest building.
The French hotel group acquired a 50% stake in the Orient Express brand in 2017 from SNCF Group, with plans to develop properties under the Orient Express banner.
The first will open in the 78-storey King Power Mahanakhon Building in the last quarter of 2019.
Orient Express Mahanakhon Bangkok will feature 154 rooms including nine suites and two penthouses, plus an entire floor devoted to wellness including an outdoor pool.
Guests will have access to the building’s rooftop observation deck and rooftop bar, and all rooms will provide views over the Thai capital.
Michael Issenberg, AccorHotels Asia Pacific chief executive, said: “We are proud to bring the multicultural heritage, mystery and exoticism of the legendary Orient Express brand to Bangkok.
“Orient Express redefined rail travel in the 1900s, introducing the first sleeper cars linking west to east and delivering unprecedented levels of comfort and dining. We look forward to bringing this same luxury and refinement to the new incarnation of Orient Express hotels.”
Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha, chief executive of King Power Group, added: “The launch of the world’s first Orient Express Hotel at King Power Mahanakhon truly completes our vision of creating an extraordinary landmark that celebrates the city and adds a new milestone to Thailand and the world’s hospitality industry, while further elevating Thailand to a truly world-class destination.
“We look forward to welcoming visitors from all over the world, and placing Thailand’s tourism scene on the global stage.”
King Power Mahanakhon Building is known for its dramatic exterior, which is encased in a glass curtain with cuboid spiral cut-outs, giving it a pixelated appearance.