I spent a night on one of the world's most luxurious trains for $9,000. Here's a look inside my cabin.
The Venice-Simplon Orient Express is one of the world's most luxurious overnight trains.
For $9,000, I spent one night in the train's least expensive accommodation, a cabin with two beds.
The space had a sink with a vanity, a plush couch, and a pull-out table.
I've spent 120 hours on six sleeper trains, and my cabin on the Venice-Simplon Orient Express was unlike any overnight train accommodation I've ever booked.
The Venice-Simplon Orient Express is a luxury train made up of cars from the historic Orient Express train fleet of the 1920s and 30s, according to a fact sheet shared with Business Insider.
I recently boarded the historic train for a one-night trip from Paris, France, to Venice, Italy. My cabin's classic interior with luxury details blew me away.
In November 2023, I spent one night on the Venice-Simplon Orient Express — one of the world's most luxurious sleeper trains.
Step on board the Venice-Simplon Orient Express, a luxury Belmond train made up of original Orient Express carriages from the 1920s and 1930s.
During my one-night stay on the luxury train from Paris to Venice, I felt like a VIP the whole time. I strolled through lavishly decorated train cars, ate like a queen, and retired to the most unique train cabin I've ever slept in.
I booked the cheapest accommodation onboard for $9,000 a night — a historic cabin.
Including taxes and fees, tickets on my route started at $9,000 a night, and I booked the cheapest accommodation type onboard — a historic cabin.
The cabin sleeps two and is a step below a suite accommodation, which includes a full bathroom.
My ride was about 30 hours long, and my ticket included two lunches, one dinner, and one breakfast.
Lunch and dinner were three-course meals served in extravagant dining cars, and breakfast was an assortment of pastries and beverages served in the cabins.
Once on the train, I walked down a narrow corridor to my private cabin.
I was amazed by the interiors as soon as I stepped onboard the Venice-Simplon Orient Express. The glossy wood finishings and classic, regal carpeting transported me to the 1920s.
When I got to my cabin, I felt as if I was walking into an old movie.
Inside I found a plush couch, a side table, and a sink with a vanity.
The couch felt as comfortable as one you'd find in a living room. I appreciated the decorative details, from the glossy wood designs to the couch cushions and pillows that made me feel like royalty.
A pull-out table in front of the couch cleverly saved space in the small room.
Throughout the day, I used the pull-out table to work, eat, and have tea. But it was nice to be able to move it out of the way at night.
Across from the couch, there was a sink with a vanity hidden behind double doors.
Two doors in the cabin opened to reveal a wash basin with two mirrors on the inner doors and a swivel mirror above the sink.
There was a shared bathroom with a toilet at the end of each sleeping car, but it was nice to be able to wash up from the comfort of my own cabin.
Only the suites and grand suites have showers, I learned during a tour of the accommodations.
Inside the vanity, I found toiletries that made my stay feel even more luxurious.
My stay included some luxuries I didn't expect, like a set of toiletries from Temple Spa with night cream and balms for skin, hands, and lips.
Before bed, I used every balm and cream in the bag. I could tell by how soft my skin was that they were much nicer than the lotions I had at home. And now that I'm home, I'll be savoring every last drop.
The cabin also included a robe to wear for the night and a pair of slippers to take home.
Above the vanity, there was a hanging rack and a large storage shelf.
Although the cabin was a tight space, there was plenty of storage. A large, metal shelf lined the wall across from the couch.
I only had a backpack, but even if I'd brought checked luggage, I'm confident it would have fit in the space.
The cabin also provided velvet hangers and metal racks so I could keep my night clothes from getting wrinkled during the day.
Around the room, I spotted other amenities, from refreshments and temperature controls to vertical book storage.
Controls for speaker volume, temperature, and lighting lined the door frame inside the cabin.
On the other side of the door frame, there was canned sparkling and still water, as well as glasses in cup holders that kept them from rattling when the train was in motion.
To the right of the refreshments, a leather storage pocket held two travel books — one of which was about Venice. There was an empty sleeve at the top, which I used to store my own book before going to bed.
In the morning, my cabin provided stellar views of the environment surrounding us.
When I first entered my cabin, I found a key inside a welcome packet. My steward told me that the doors lock from the inside for safety.
Essentially, I didn't have to lock the door myself when leaving the room, but I had to unlock it each time I returned to my cabin.
At night, stewards transformed the couches into bunks.
During dinner, stewards turned the couches in each cabin into beds. The couches can be transformed into one bed or into bunk beds.
Since I was traveling solo, I went with the single.
When it was time to sleep, I was surprised by how comfortable the bed was. Typically, train bunks feel like thin cots to me, but this one felt thick and cushy, like one you'd find in a home.
In the morning, my cabin provided stellar views of our trip.
I woke up to pastries and mountain views on the Venice-Simplon Orient Express.
The scenery was so phenomenal from my cabin that I stayed in there for hours just watching the passing landscape.
The top of the window slid open halfway, so I was able to see clearer and catch the passing breeze.
By the end of the trip, I was sad to say goodbye to my cabin. It is the most unique and luxurious train accommodation I've ever experienced.
After 30 hours on a train, I'm usually happy to disembark. But that wasn't the case on the Venice-Simplon Orient Express. As we pulled up to my stop, I took one last look at my cabin and treasured my experience inside of it.
4,000 miles from home, this unique and cozy cabin was the ideal space to keep me comfortable and had luxury details that made me miss home a little less.
Read the original article on Business Insider