Category: Travel

Categories / Travel

Retro Retreats: King’s Parc Hotel Switzerland

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Kings_parc
As we’re deep into the winter sports season, it’s a good time to highlight a Retro Retreat in the Alps – the King’s Parc Hotel in Verbier, Switzerland.

The King’s Parc Hotel, Verbier has 17 suites, all with alpine views and balconies and handy for skiing and nightlife. However, what sets it apart is the interior. Full of 60s/70s charm, with fake fur covers on the beds, a lounge with vintage sofas and stylish modern-day artwork, a bar with authentic 60s décor and a restaurant that goes back even further, with Italian wood panelling from the 1920s.

If all that sounds like your thing, be warned – it’s not cheap. Prices vary dependent on the time of the year, with prices starting from around £151 for bed and breakfast.

Visit the King’s Parc Hotel website

Categories / Art and Photography, Travel

Vintage travel art on canvas

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Vintage_travel

We’ve flagged up vintage travel poster auctions in the past – they’re affordable art, but still not that cheap – prices are hundreds. So how about this vintage travel art on canvas?

They’re reproductions rather than originals – prints on stretched canvas, finished off and slightly accentuated by an artist and ready to hang. Three are available – Air France, Holland – America Line and the Zeppelin.

Each is priced at £36.95.

Find out more at the Mirage Interiors website

Categories / Design and Interiors, Travel

Orla Kiely retro luggage range

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Orla_luggage
We’ve featured Orla Kiely on numerous occasions,  but with one eye on a weekend break in the New Year, we’re very taken by the Orla Kiely retro luggage.

Orla_case
You’ll certainly see this coming on the airport carousel. Available in a selection of colours (all in the vinyl car print), there are several items in the range. These include the shoulder bag and travel case (both pictured), along with a travel handbag and washbag. All items also have a cotton car print lining.

The suitcase retails for £200, the shoulder bag is £140, the travel handbag is £120 and the washbag is £45.

For full details of all the items and to view the full range of colours, check out the Orla Kiely website.

Categories / Architecture, Travel

Retro Retreat: Midland Hotel in Morecambe

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Midland
Today’s Retro Retreat is a little different – because you can’t actually stay there right now – though all that might change in the next couple of years.

The Midland Hotel was built in Morecambe in 1933, the first Art Deco hotel in Britain. It’s got outer walls electrically polished (creating a marble effect), a huge spiral staircase, curved balconies and hallways (for sea views), carved stone seahorses by Eric Gill on the facade and a covered terrace pavilion with views of Morecambe Bay.

It received Grade II listed status in 1976, but declined in line with Morecambe’s decline as a resort, finally closing and falling into disrepair in 1998. But here’s the good news – developers Urban Splash are currently re-developing the hotel to return in to its former glory as a 46-room hotel. It’s in conjunction with the various development agencies, tied in with investment in Morecambe itself.

When completed, it should be the coolest place to stay in the north of England.

Keep up with the development of the hotel at the Midland Hotel website

Categories / Travel

Smythson Classic Travel Wallet

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Classic_travel
If you want to travel with a touch of class, you need to produce your documents from the Smythson Classic Travel Wallet.

With echoes of the Orient Express, this Travel Wallet has everything you’ll need to hand as you travel the world, with concertina pockets for tickets, passport, documents, currency (zipped) and your boarding pass, all labelled in gold lettering. In a choice of leather, lined in soft suede calf leather, you can also have it personalised with gold or silver initials.

Not cheap – prices ranging from £145.

Find out more at the Smythson website

Categories / Bags, Men's Fashion, Travel, Women's Fashion

Cathay Pacific vintage travel bags

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Cathay Vintage travel bags – you can get them cheap just about everywhere these days, but chances are they’re cheap copies knocked up in some backstreet sweatshop. These Cathay Pacific vintage travel bags are different – they’re officially licensed reissues to mark the airline’s 60th anniversary.

Three styles are available – one each from the 50s, 60s and 70s and each has been recreated by the airline in exact detail.

And best of all they’re cheap to buy. They retail for between 190 and 200 Hong Kong dollars – which is only around £15 each, though worldwide shipping will be extra.

Find out more at the Cathay Pacific online shop