Luxury and Leisure through Ireland
Belmond, the leaders of the European luxury train market, are most well known for their Scottish traveling train, the Belmond Royal Scotsman. The train takes passengers through the heart of the Highlands, offering up to 36 guests a world-class experience.
The innovators of luxury travel are introducing a new member to the Belmond family, the Grand Hiberian. This luxurious train, accommodating up to 40 guests, will whisk those on board away through the lush country side of Ireland. The view from the windows will feature the best scenery Ireland has to offer, including rolling green hills, mighty castles, endless lakes and stony coastlines.
It’s not just the natural beauty that draws Belmond to Ireland, but the natives! Worldwide Sales and Marketing Director for Belmond, Yann Guezennec, had this to say about the Irish,
“They’re so open, so warm, they make any trip through the country special.”
The Grand Hiberian, planned to roll out in August 2016, will be made up of ten cars. Belmond got these cars from Iarnrod Eireann, the national rail company of Ireland. James Park Associates will be doing the outfitting. They’ve worked for Belmond before, designing and developing the Northern Belle as well as the Eastern & Oriental Express.
The cabins are plush and airy, a perfect mix of modern luxury and traditional styles. The Grand Hiberian offers 16 twin cabins and four truly indulgent double cabins. Each car on the train is named after an Irish county. Two of the cars are dedicated dining cars, dubbed Sligo and Wexford, offering the finest in Irish, and global, cuisine, fine wines, and cheeses, and, of course, Guinness and other fine Irish spirits. Currently and executive chef hasn’t been named.
Passengers board the Grand Hibernian will experience and travel through the best of Ireland. Some of the stops are Belfast, Cork, Dublin, Galway, and Killarney. Guests can also enjoy a game of golf at the Royal Portrush Golf Club, while stopping in Portrush or check out one of the many famous pubs. Castle excursions and private tours of historical sites are just a few of the many adventures a traveler of the Grand Hiberian may experience.
To keep up to date about progress on the Grand Hiberian, head over to the website. In the mean time, book a tour of the Scottish Highlands with Belmond here. For more on the story, head over to Forbes. For more on luxury train travel, check out the Rocky Mountaineer. Have you ever traveled by train? How about on a luxury train? Share your stories with us in the comments down below. Remember to rate, share, and subscribe to keep yourself in the luxury loop!
Photo Credits: luxurytrainclub.com, belmond.com, telegraph.co.uk, irtsociety.com, independent.ie,
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