favourite place, was sued by Orient Express, which owns the Cipriani hotel, because he used the name Cipriani for his London restaurant. I was a witness for Arrigo. I made the judge laugh three times. Arrigo lost; it cost about £10m,

known him for years on the Orient Express - came over and said, "Mr Winner, we've changed our mind. There's to be a buffet this year." What a magnificent event it was, massively enjoyed by everybody except, possibly, Mr Langlade. The food on

I said icily. This is an Orient Express hotel. If I'd asked Fausto Allegri at the group's Splendido in Portofino, I'd have been deluged with maps in half an hour. If I'd asked Patrick Debuire, reception manager of La Reserve de Beaulieu, maps

I will not let a jibe at the Orient Express people go unchallenged. They are my favourite hotel group. It is not American, Mr Irondelle should know that, and if it was, so what? It's a Bermuda-based company operated from London. They have a small

the grand PR lady for the Orient Express group of hotels and restaurants. She's quite something, Nadia: regal, witty, warm, wrote a book on her friend Maria Callas, been around, brilliant at dealing with Winner. She's as classy as the Orient

jewel in the crown of the Orient Express group since 1985. The staff are beyond belief efficient, pleasant and welcoming. As near perfect as you’ll find. They’re all great characters. The general manager, Ermes De Megni, is ever-smiling and

at it. It's a sort of Scots Orient Express which takes tourists around the Highlands. Two chefs from it walked by our window left to right and waved at me. I noticed other station signs saying Drochaid an Aonachain, which I was told means Spean

the wrong ones, This is not Orient Express-style management, but then it isn't an Orient Express hotel. On the plus side, the chief concierge, Romano Scotti, is superb. The grounds and views are spectacular, the hotel has an attractive old

greeted with civility? The Orient Express Hotels are normally of impeccable excellence, so I was surprised on arriving at their Splendido Hotel in Portofino to be greeted by a ghastly young man at reception, who stared when I gave my name and

owned by James Sherwood of Orient Express fame and maintains an admirably high standard. The room service holds the Winner World Record, breakfast for two arriving 4 minutes and 23 seconds after the phone was put down from giving the order. This