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LVMH's New Luxury Travel Push With Belmond

Sean O'Neill photo
Sean O'Neill
December 16th, 2024 at 11:32 AM EST
A guest room on The Britannic Explore a Belmond sleeper train in the UK

Skift Take

In 2025, Belmond is rolling out offerings with old-school opulance that feels ripped from the pages of an Agatha Christie novel — if Christie's characters had wellness spas and farm-to-table dining. Think of Belmond as an anti-Aman: less minimalist zen, more maximalist glamour.

Luxury travel brand Belmond is betting big on experiential elements in its most significant expansion since LVMH bought it in 2019. Next year, the brand will add high-end sleeper trains and exclusive property developments as wealthy travelers seek more immersive experiences.

"Our properties' identity is rooted in 'slow luxury,'" said Belmond's CEO Dan Ruff.

Ruff is launching a slate of ambitious projects for 2025 centered around a philosophy emphasizing local culture, artisanal craftsmanship, and memorable experiences. Think private Italian villas, Michelin-starred chefs on trains, and the kind of unhurried travel that went out of fashion sometime around the invention of the jet engine.

Classic Trains

Central to Ruff's strategy is Belmond's expansion of its rail division. The company will debut the Britannic Explorer in July 2025 as the first luxury sleeper train in England and Wales, offering three- and six-night journeys between London and Cornwall, the Lake District, or Wales.

The train will fe

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