Category: Travel

As regular readers will know, Globe Trotter are a British company that have quite a heritage as they’ve been making their suitcases since 1897. Whilst their new and reissued suitcases are good, you may want to buy a suitcase that reflects the product’s history. Luckily Pedlars now have a stock of Vintage Globe Trotter Suitcases.

Not only are these cases in a beautifully weathered condition, but Pedlars has customised them with a collection of genuine vintage travel stickers. With this luggage, you will immediately achieve the aura of being well-travelled even if you’ve not been further than Blackpool.

The cases cost between £110 and £450 which is cheaper than a brand new Globe Trotter.

Not to be confused with the infamous Chelsea Hotel, the Chelsea Star Hotel has an entirely different history – it was home to Madonna in the days before she was famous. But that is not our reason for featuring this budget New York hotel – the reason is its wonderful themed rooms.

The best of the double rooms are the Pop Art (bright coloured graphic filled walls) or Coney Island (painted with retro boardwalk scenes). If you want an even cheaper break and don’t mind sharing, there are quad rooms, decorated with cartoon pin-up Betty Boop or Dali style paintings. The latter may not provide the best environment for a good night’s sleep.

Further details of the rooms and rates can be found on the Star Hotel’s website.

Forget a Vegas getaway, if you want a real rat pack retreat, you can check into Frank Sinatra’s Palm Springs home.

Sinatra commissioned Twin Palms in 1947, living there for 10 years. It was built by architect E. Stewart Williams, setting a marker for modern living at the time. In fact, it was even featured in a film – The Damned Don’t Cry in 1950.

And you too can spend time in the house, restored to its mid-century glory with every period fitting and decoration you can imagine. But it isn’t cheap – the house sleeps eight, with a minimum stay of three nights. That will set you back $7,800 (£473pp). But you do get a concierge thrown in. And you can hire it for weddings.

Take a tour of the house at the Twin Palms website

I’ll be honest and say my knowledge of US geography doesn’t extend beyond the major cities. But if I was over and feeling adventurous, I might make a point of visiting The Roxbury in the Catskills.

This particular retreat has a whole wing packed with themed rooms, based loosely around TV shows of the 60s and 70s. So enjoy a stay in the likes of The Shagadellic, George’s Spacepad, Genie’s Bottle, Upstairs Downstairs, Fred’s Lair, The Mod Pod, Golightly a Go-Go, The Partridge Nest, and Samantha’s Cloud. You can see an image of the Mod Pod here, but there’s slideshow images of all the theme rooms on the website.

Throw in a cool cocktail bar and some great scenery and it looks like a winner. Prices vary according to room, time of the week and season, but start at $90, rising to over $200 per night.

Find out more at the Roxbury Motel website