How Belmond Shapes Experiential Travel
From the legendary Venice Simplon-Orient-Express train to uncovering contemporary art and culture of Mexico, Belmond shapes the world of experiential travel. Arnaud Champenois, SVP, Brand and Marketing at Belmond shares his passion and vision with us.
Appointed as Senior Vice President, Brand and Marketing in September 2016, Arnaud Champenois is leading the brand vision across marketing, PR and digital for the company as it progresses towards its goal of becoming the world’s most desirable luxury travel brand.
Tell us about the world of Belmond
Belmond was born from a passion to connect discerning travellers with the world’s most remarkable properties, locations and journeys. We have been around for over 45 years, and now offer an unmatched collection of hotels, trains, river barges and safaris. You may be unfamiliar with Belmond, but you may hear of the iconic Hotel Cipriani in Venice, the legendary Venice Simplon-Orient-Express train which many say it’s the epitome of luxury rail travel, or Hotel das Cataratas – the only hotel located inside Brazil’s Iguassu Falls. Our properties are one-of-a-kind, steeped in history with incredible stories that help our guests uncover the rich nature and culture of each of these destinations.
With a very distinct identity and origin from the start, we like to think that we are a visionary leader in the world of experiential (and slow) travel – the concept that is now very much used by the industry.
What would you say distinguishes the Belmond brand?
Our unmatched collection of travel experiences that extends four categories – hotels, trains, river barges and safaris. The uniqueness of our properties that deeply connects them to the destination, especially our trains! We offer six unique train journeys in scenic parts of the world – traversing across Europe with Venice Simplon-Orient-Express, admiring the British countryside with the British Pullman, discovering the beauty of Scottish Highlands with The Royals Scotsman, exploring the Peruvian rich culture and nature through our sleeper train Andean Explorer, or Hiram Bingham - a thrilling journey up to the entrance of Machu Picchu, and lastly the Eastern & Oriental Express that takes our guests to uncover the changing landscapes across Southeast Asia.
Looking at our portfolio, we have always been focused on delivering authentic travel experiences and inviting our guests to join us on a journey of discovery. At Belmond, the beauty of travel is the art of taking the time to dial down, slow down the pace of life and make the most of every moment.
That said, we are not just a collection of storied legacy. Our teams around the world have truly passion and expertise in balancing heritage with contemporary culture, and this really comes through to the experiences we offer.
La Samanna on St. Martin is celebrating 50 years. What’s in store for the next 50?
Keeping alive the magic and the soul of La Samanna! As a company, we strive to create a next chapter of the property. We recognise that whatever we do now will be part of tomorrow’s history.
Our aim is to ensure that La Samanna exists for years to come, and for our guests to appreciate the hotel and the culture of West Indies the way that the local community sees it. With a Caribbean paradise like La Samanna, we have a responsibility to look after the natural habitat and wildlife as well as our guests, a range of experiences that not only give our guests an authentic taste of the island, but also make a positive contribution to the marine life, and island life in the vicinity.
In the near-term, we have an exclusive soiree on 24th November hosted by Bruno Dagnee, Head of Wine Innovation at Veuve Clicquot, that will combine exquisite fine wining and dining against the gorgeous backdrop of Baie Longue beach – not to be missed!
We are also publishing a magazine to celebrate the milestone of this legendary property!
What did the redesign of Belmond Maroma in the Riviera Maya include?
We set out a clear vision of embracing Mayan design, traditions, and culture to authentically capture the essence of our surroundings. Together with acclaimed designer Tara Bernerd and her team, we’ve done extensive research into traditional crafts, sourcing of local materials and the history and modern context of Riviera Maya. Every spot, every item and every experience come with a rich storytelling. From the guestroom’s floor that are made up of 700,000 hand-crafted and hand-painted clay tiles to the uniforms for our Maroma colleagues that were hand embroidered by indigenous communities of woman artisans, we are extremely proud of this reimagined icon.
The same vision applies to how we reimagine guest experiences too. The Executive Chef Daniel Camacho is a champion of using the finest locally sourced ingredients, and the partnership with Michelin-starred Chef Curtis Stone for a signature open-fire restaurant Woodend. We also have extraordinary wellness experience in partnership with Guerlain that extends beyond wellness and into community initiatives to further on our existing work to protect the endangered Melipona bee.
What are a few of your favourite bucket list experiences that our members shouldn’t miss?
Go on a safari adventure at Savute Elephant Lodge and Eagle Island Lodge. The thrill and suspense as our experienced rangers take you on game drives to discover the Big Five or listen to the rumbles of wildlife are truly magical. And a stopover in Cape Town at the city’s iconic pink hotel for some amazing food & wine, or even go shark diving/whale watching with our partner Rockhopper Fund.
And of course, the epitome of rail travel – join the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express' annual five-night journey to/from Istanbul. Watch the world go by as you travel across different European cities. A truly once-in-a-lifetime. This journey is so popular that we now added a second Paris-Istanbul.
Which hotels come to mind for an over-the-top suite and villa experience?
We have about 90 Signature Suites & Villas in our portfolio and it’s hard to pick just a couple. They are all very distinctive – no suites and villas are the same.
All the historical suites at Hotel Cipriani are worth trying... In Dogaressa Suite, you have jaw-dropping views of St Mark’s Square. In the Palladio Suite, you are greeted by 180-degree lagoon vistas as you soak in the views from a private plunge pool. And not to mention, the history and heritage threaded through every detail in the guestroom.
For a villa experience, La Samanna’s three- and four-bedroom pool villas or Maroma’s newly renovated Oceanfront or the four-bedroom Villa Maroma. These are perfect for family holidays or gatherings of friends. Many of them come with oceanfront views and private pools.
Staying in one of our Signature Suites & Villas comes with many added benefits. From complementary transfers to personal butler service, private chefs and excursions, each property has tailored the services available to our Suite & Villa guests, making their stay more seamless, and hassle-free so that they can focus on enjoying themselves.
What are some examples of how Belmond interacts with local communities?
Travel is not just an act of consumption but is an act of deep connection and appreciation. We want to lead the way in creating unforgettable travel experiences that make a positive contribution to the socio-economic and environmental well-being of host communities.
Our Think Global, Act Local approach, enables properties to take an individualistic approach to initiatives, focusing on causes that are relevant to the communities in which the properties sit.
An example of this is in Peru, where in 2015, Belmond Trains designed, funded, and implemented ‘Q’omer Wasicha’, an initiative in partnership with PeruRail to support local communities that rely on farming and agriculture for their livelihood in the Urubamba Valley of the Andes Mountain range in Peru, an area also home to the ancient and protected site of Machu Picchu. This initiative works to support and tutor 19 separate local communities to develop agricultural techniques and business skills, in addition to building greenhouses which are used as school-workshops.
What are you most excited about for 2023 and beyond?
We are very excited about what the future holds for us. As a brand, we are on a mission to craft travel legends of the future. For our guests, we continue to help them uncover the pleasures and aura of travel and why they travel in the first place. Our team is passionate about creating unforgettable moments and long-lasting memories for our guests. For our properties, we continue to work on our renovations and refurbishments across our portfolio and come up with new guest experiences and partnerships.
Our exciting news in 2023 would have to be the reopening of Maroma, the unveiling of Phase 1 of the multi-phase renovation of Splendido with new guestrooms, a new pool area and grill restaurant, the launch of a new VSOE suite category and its Winter journey to the Alps. We also launched some very unique wellness partnerships with Dior for the Royal Scotsman train and a pop-up spa at Grand Hotel Timeo. We further our commitment to the arts community, launching several projects from MITICO which is a partnership with Galleria Continua featuring outdoor art installations to photography exhibitions celebrating the contemporary culture of Riviera Maya.
There is a lot in store for the next year. This includes the return of Eastern & Oriental Express after a four-year hiatus. Please keep a lookout on our social media for the latest news.
One of Belmond's particularities is the diversity of their portfolio which includes the legendary Venice Simplon-Orient-Express train. What is so special about that train?
The glamour and appeal of travelling by train. Venice Simplon-Orient-Express is a true legend in motion. The train is made up of 17 restored carriages from various luxury train services, including carriages from the 1920s and 1930s. Stepping onboard the VSOE takes our guests back to the time when the ability to travel across Europe (and by rail) was perceived as something truly extraordinary.
What I would say is since its inaugural service in 1982, the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express continues to balance the heritage of its beautifully restored carriages with contemporary spirit and modern-day comfort. For example, we continue to expand our Suites offerings with Grand Suites and Suites alongside historic cabins, all while maintaining the meticulous restoration of the train carriages.
And I can’t leave out our team! They are so passionate about their job. From our Belmond Travel Curators who ensure that all celebrations / special occasions are noted, and all dietary preferences are well taken care of to our cabin stewards who go above and beyond to make every single journey special. We often have guests leaving the train with happy tears. That to me signifies we imprint a moment of a lifetime for our guests, and that is our success.
Why is Belmond often associated with celebrations?
It comes down to our properties, their timeless heritage, breathtaking beauty and genuine staff, which have provided backdrops to countless iconic celebrations, most recently the annual COPA Ball at Copacabana Palace and the after-party during the Venice Film Festival at Cipriani. Big celebrations call for remarkable venues, and we have no shortage of those in our portfolio.
Belmond belongs to the luxury group LVMH. how does it impact you?
There is great alignment between Belmond and all the world-class brands that belong under the LVMH umbrella. That said, although we are owned by LVMH, we remain autonomous. This means that we will only look to partner with other LVMH maisons if it is the right fit for us as a brand and the purpose. For example, there is a fantastic alignment between Maroma and Guerlain that goes well beyond offering holistic wellness treatments and into the protection of the endangered Melipona Bee – which is something that Maroma has already been working on. So, I would say this has been a match made in heaven.
Contributor — Four Hundred by Design