Golden era of luggage labels : courtesy of the Guardian

Leave a Comment / By / October 28, 2017

From the sun-baked beaches of Sri Lanka to the Saigon watering hole adored by Graham Greene, the world’s greatest hotels had to have the world’s greatest luggage labels – and AbeBooks has now brought together the most beautiful examples

  • Grand Hotel Paris, France

    This famous hotel was opened in 1862 by Empress Eugenie, wife of Napoleon III. A Paris landmark loved by royalty and celebrities, it is one of Europe’s finest hotels and offers views of the Palais Garnier opera house. Over the years, it has hosted kings, queens and countless stars of stage and screen. All labels courtesy of AbeBooks

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    grand-hotel-paris2e Grand Hotel Paris: This famous hotel was inaugurated on 5 April 1862 by Empress Eugenie, wife of Napoleon III. A Paris landmark and loved by royalty and celebs, this is one of Europe’s poshest hotels and offers views of the Palais Garnier opera house. Over the years, it has hosted kings, queens, and numerous stars of stage and screen.

  • Peninsula Hotel, Hong Kong

    Hong Kong’s oldest hotel, built in 1928, today it boasts two helipads. The 1930s design of this label mixes old and new forms of transport.

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    Peninsula Hotel Hong Kong: Built in 1928 and Hong Kong’s oldest hotel, the Peninsula is very much a luxury establishment. This hotel has two helipads and 14 Rolls Royces for use by guests, and was voted Hong Kong’s best hotel by readers of Travel + Leisure magazine. This 1930s design, mixing old and new transport, came from Dan Sweeney as part of his work for the Hong Kong & Shanghai Hotel group.

  • Continental Palace Hotel, Vietnam

    Now called Hôtel Continental, this establishment is in Ho Chi Minh City, formerly Saigon, next to the opera house. It was built in 1880, in French colonial style. It featured in The Quiet American, a novel by long-term guest Graham Greene.

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    Continental Palace Hotel, Saigon: Now called Hôtel Continental, this building is located in Ho Chi Minh City’s business district next to the Saigon Opera House. It was built in 1880 in French colonial style. During the Vietnam War, the media hung out at the hotel, which was featured in The Quiet American novel by Graham Greene, who was a long-term guest. This green-eyed hunter is an Indochinese Tiger, an endangered species since 2008.

  • Milano Touring Hotel, Italy

    The Milano Touring Hotel opened in 1926, next to the Italian city’s historic park and gardens, Giardini Pubblici Indro Montanelli.

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    Milano Touring HotelA 1930s label. The Milano Touring Hotel opened its doors in 1926 after being commissioned by the Touring Club Italiano (an Italian tourist organization). Milan’s historic park and gardens, Giardino Pubblici Indro Montanelli, is yards away.
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  • Hotel Pension Noordzee, Netherlands

    This Netherlands hotel was destroyed during the second world war but reopened in 1953. This eye-catching label may have been inspired by the work of Japanese artist Hokusai.

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    Hotel Pension Noordzee: This hotel started life in 1870. It was destroyed in World War II before being reopened in 1953. Overlooking the chilly North Sea, Hotel Noordzee is a modest establishment but this eye-catching luggage label was perhaps inspired by the famous ‘Great Wave of Kanagawa’ woodblock print by the Japanese artist Katsushika Hokusai.

  • Savoy Hotel, London

    A stately design from Britain’s first luxury hotel, built with profits from Gilbert and Sullivan operas. How many hotels have their own coat of arms?

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    Savoy Hotel London: A stately design from Britain’s first luxury hotel, which was built with the profits from Richard D’Oyly Carte’s Gilbert and Sullivan operas. How many hotels have a coat of arms? The Savoy’s long history includes hosting numerous famous names from Sinatra to Bogart, and has a long association with the arts.

  • Grand Hotel Union, Slovenia

    When it opened in 1905, this was the first modern hotel in Ljubljana. Inspired by Viennese architecture, its art nouveau design included a 100-metre facade and a complex iron roof.

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    Grand Hotel Union: The Grand Hotel Union opened in 1905, and was the first modern hotel in Ljubljana, which is the capital of Slovenia. Inspired by Viennese architecture, this hotel’s Art Nouveau style included a 100-metre long façade and a complex iron roof. Anyone who matters stays at this hotel when visiting this part of Southeast Europe.

  • Galle Face Hotel, Sri Lanka

    A legendary establishment in Colombo, this hotel, in a beautiful seaside location, opened in 1864, in what was then Ceylon. This label was issued in the 1940s.

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    Galle Face Hotel in Colombo: A legendary luxury establishment in Sri Lanka (formerly Ceylon) that began life as a Dutch villa. It opened in 1864 at the height of the British colonial empire and has a beautiful seaside location. This lithograph label was issued in the 1940s.
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  • Hotel Suisse Montreux, Switzerland

    This old-school luxury hotel was built in 1870 in front of the railway station in the heart of Montreux. This 1937 label hardly does justice to its amazing views of Lake Geneva and the snow-capped mountains in the distance.

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    hotel-suisse-montreux2 Hotel Suisse Montreux: Now called the Grand Hotel Suisse-Majestic, this old-school luxury hotel was built in 1870 and is located just in front of the railway station in the heart of Montreux. Amazing views of Lake Geneva with mountains in the distance, which this 1937 label only hints at.

  • Grand Hotel Peking, China

    Now stiuated in Beijing, this hotel was once an imperial palace and borders the Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square. Modern guests range from David Beckham to Tony Blair. This 1930s label focuses on the serenity of this ceremonial part of the city.

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    grand-hotel-wagons-lit-pekin2 Grand Hotel Peking: Now called the Grand Hotel Beijing, this hotel was once an imperial palace and borders the Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square. Modern guests range from David Beckham to Tony Blair. This 1930s label was designed by Dan Sweeney, an American illustrator who provided artwork for books, posters, magazines and luggage labels for the Hong Kong & Shanghai Hotel group. Sweeney focused on the calm serenity of this ceremonial part of the city.

  • Jasper Park Lodge, Canada

    Located in Alberta’s Rocky Mountains, Jasper Park Lodge is a 700-acre luxury resort – easily the most upmarket log cabin you could ever stay in. Visitors have ranged from Bing Crosby to Queen Elizabeth. This label dates from the 1930s.

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    Jasper Park Lodge: Located in Alberta’s Rocky Mountains, the Jasper Park Lodge is a 700 acre year-round luxury mountain resort and the most upmarket log cabin you could ever want. It started life in 1915 as a “tent city” for tourists and was acquired by Canadian National Railways. The luxury tents eventually made way for luxury log cabins. Visitors have ranged from Bing Crosby to Queen Elizabeth. This label was issued in the 1930s.

  • Hotel Bristol Wien, Austria

    Vienna’s Hotel Bristol is still running: it opened in 1892. The Vienna State Opera is next door and the Hofburg Palace, residence of the Habsburg dynasty, is nearby.

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