Belmond has announced plans for two new suites aboard its Royal Scotsman train, which will launch in May 2024.
With the trend of ‘slow travel’ on the rise, there is growing interest for rail experiences. The Royal Scotsman is a luxury rail service which offers trips lasting two to seven nights, with all journeys departing from and returning to Edinburgh Waverley station.
The trains include on-board dining in the two wood-panelled dining cars, along with live entertainment and a spa.
The new Grand Suites will bring the train’s accommodation categories to four, joining its existing Double, Twin and Single cabins.
Interiors will draw inspiration from Scottish culture and landscapes with hues of green, grey, beige and blue used for the wall-covering, upholstery and furniture. Local materials such as stone and wood will feature in the en-suite bathrooms, while decorative patterns by Tristan Auer will include Pictish stone motifs and Celtic symbols.
The suites will include a double bed with an embossed headboard, a dressing table with stool, Scottish larch dining table, plus a sofa and armchair upholstered with tartan textiles from Scottish brand Araminta Campbell.
Araminta Birse-Stewart commented:
“It was a pleasure to work with Royal Scotsman, a brand that – very much like Araminta Campbell – is committed to keeping Scottish ancient crafts and traditions alive for generations to come. The bespoke tweeds and tartans that we created for Royal Scotsman are all woven in rural mills in Scotland and reflect the country’s untouched beauty as well as the astonishing history of the train. Every detail is painstakingly curated to inspire travellers to embrace the magic of the Highlands.”
Rates will start from £6,000 for a two-night Highland Journey in a Grand Suite on an all-inclusive basis, including a spa treatment, private butler service and private transfers to and from a hotel or the airport.
Belmond also operates the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express trains, and has been part of the LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton group since 2019.
