HOTEL DAS CATARATAS JOINS ORIENT-EXPRESS

 Orient-Express Adds One of Brazil’s Most Distinctive Hotels to their Portfolio Following a Two-Year Restoration

Iguaçu Falls, Brazil -- August 19, 2009  – On October 1, 2009 Orient-Express will proudly re-launch Hotel das Cataratas following renovations which have raised the hotel to international standards of style, design and service.  The eagerly awaited hotel will offer an unbeatable retreat next to Iguaçu Falls, lying on the border of Brazil and Argentina.

First opened as a hotel in 1958, Hotel das Cataratas is an elegant two storey Portuguese colonial building with one of the most impressive and enviable locations in South America.  The world famous Iguaçu Falls is just a two minute stroll from the hotel and the property is surrounded by almost 700 square miles of national park. As the only hotel within the national park, Hotel das Cataratas has an unbeatable location, allowing guests to enjoy exclusive access to the falls each morning, before the park opens at 9am.

The décor of the 193 guest rooms, including 15 suites, was inspired by the traditional Portuguese style and feature paintings of the local flora and fauna by well known Brazilian artist, Ludmilla de Montes.  Traditional Azulejos painted tiles, specially designed for Hotel das Cataratas, have also been used throughout the property, further enhancing the Portuguese history of the hotel.  Many of the 16 Cataratas Deluxe Rooms boast lovely views of the falls, as do the Tower and Cataratas Suites.  Additionally, on the hotel’s grounds is the Belvedere Look-out Point offering unparalleled views of the falls and a perfect photo opportunity. 

A new spa opening at the end of October will offer an array of treatments from the Brazilian brand, Natura, using tropical fruits from the area, as well as ingredients sourced from the Amazon.  There will be five treatment rooms as well as a relaxation room and a sauna.

Hotel das Cataratas houses two gourmet restaurants.  The Restaurante Itaipu will serve a blend of Brazilian and international cuisine at breakfast, lunch and dinner, located on the ground floor of the main building, with a veranda for al fresco dining.  The Ipê Bar & Grill by the main pool is named after a local wood and serves light snacks throughout the day and a churrascaria (South American style meat barbecue) with live music for dinner. The terraces surrounding the hotel have been extended, allowing guests to dine al fresco.

In 1986, UNESCO listed Iguaçu National Park as a 'Natural Heritage of Humanity' area.  The park encompasses 700 square miles of forest reserve and is preserved to maintain the area for future generations.  The Iguaçu Falls are a spectacular collection of 275 waterfalls extending over a length of almost three miles in an enormous canyon on the Iguaçu River.    There are 19 major waterfalls, the largest of which is the 'Devil's Throat,' with the drop of over 290 feet.  Only three of the falls -- Floriano, Deodoro and Benjamin Constant -- are located on the Brazilian side with the majority located on the Argentinean side facing Brazil.

Local activities which can be organized through the hotel include helicopter tours over the falls, boat rides through the rapids, four-wheel drive jungle adventures, and nature walks within the national park.

Rates for a double room at Hotel das Cataratas start at US$375* per room per night, including breakfast.

Orient-Express acquired Hotel das Cataratas in September 2007 and is the company’s second business in Brazil where it has also owned and managed the Copacabana Palace Hotel in Rio de Janeiro since 1989.

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Orient-Express, (NYSE: OEH, www.orient-express.com) the name behind an elite collection of travel experiences, first came into being in 1883 as one of the world’s most exciting and indulgent train journeys.  Today those same two evocative words also embrace hotels, cruises and other luxury rail adventures in 25 countries, across five continents.  The Company has offered exceptional luxury trav
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