Orient-Express Hotels Sells Lapa Palace Hotel, Lisbon

Orient-Express Hotels Ltd. (NYSE: OEH, http://www.orient-express.com), owners or part-owners and managers of 51 luxury hotels, restaurants, tourist trains and river cruise properties operating in 25 countries, today confirmed that it has sold its Lisbon hotel, Lapa Palace, to a private Portuguese investor for EUR29.4 million, ($41.8 million).

Orient-Express Hotels' President & Chief Executive Officer, Paul White said, "We have previously stated our intention to dispose of non-core assets. Lapa Palace has become one of Europe's most distinctive hotels but we felt we had developed it and grown our business there as far as we could. While Lisbon is a key European capital city, it is not a prime leisure destination, and as such does not have sufficient appeal for our elite leisure audience. City RevPAR is constantly under pressure from the downward trend in corporate and conference business which is not our primary market. We are very satisfied with this deal which represents 18 times 2007 EBITDA, 22 times 2008 EBITDA and is evidence that values of luxury hotel assets in Europe remain robust."

Contact:

    Martin O'Grady
    Vice President, Chief Financial Officer
    Tel: +44-20-7921-4038
    E: martin.ogrady@orient-express.com

    Pippa Isbell
    Vice President, Corporate Communications
    Tel: +44-20-7921-4065
    E: pippa.isbell@orient-express.com

Contact: Martin O'Grady, Vice President, Chief Financial Officer, Tel:
+44-20-7921-4038, E: martin.ogrady@orient-express.com; Pippa Isbell, Vice
President, Corporate Communications, Tel: +44-20-7921-4065, E:
pippa.isbell@orient-express.com

Related terms: business, ceo, communications, conference, corporate, ebitda, europe, hotel, leisure, market, nyse, president, restaurants