Travelling in Style

     Dreaming of taking a luxurious vacation?  Well, this week’s “Find of the Week on the Used Book Floor” will most likely top any thoughts you may have about how to travel in style.

     First, we have to tell you that the book our find was discovered in represents the absolute opposite of what a dream vacation consists of.  Entitled, “Insect Pests,” this colorful reference book serves as a guide to “more than 350 pests of home, garden, field and forest.”  Published by Golden Press in 1966, (the same publisher responsible for the beloved Little Golden Books) this handy-dandy pocket-sized book leaves no stone unturned (literally) when it comes to insects of any kind. 

  

   But, let’s not get bogged (or bugged) down in the creepy and crawly, we say.  Hidden away in the pages was our find - an official envelope from The Peninsula in Hong Kong, China, or “The Grande Dame of the Far East.”  What is The Peninsula, you may be asking?  Only one of THE most luxurious hotels in the world and the flagship of the hotel series!  Let us tell you why.

     Before you even arrive at The Peninsula in Hong Kong, the pampering begins.  Don’t want to take a taxi from the airport?  No problem!  The staff at the hotel will send one of their fleet of famous Rolls Royce vehicles for you, or you can fly in on one of their helicopters, as they have two helicopter pads on their roof!  Coming by boat?  Also not a problem.  The Peninsula is happy to give you a ride in their giant yacht.  Oh, and by the way, if you didn’t get to try all three modes of transportation on your way in, they are happy to give you tours of the area on any of them during your stay.

     Once checked in, you can settle into your room, adjust the lights, temperature, curtains and order room service all with their hi-tech iPad-like device that comes with every room.  While doing so, be sure, of course, to order their very own champagne, the Cuvee Peninsula.  Want to get out to eat, instead?  You can dine at one of the hotel’s seven restaurants, all specializing in cuisine from different cultures (French, Cantonese, Swiss, Japanese, etc.).  Yes, the hotel contains SEVEN separate restaurants within its giant structure!

     After dinner, stroll through one of The Peninsula’s many fashion arcades, as through the years, the famous hotel has housed international brands such as Gucci, Prada, Chanel, Cartier and Tiffany.  You could also take part in their Peninsula Academy by learning about Hong Kong’s lifestyle and culture through classes that teach everything from historic lantern-making to gourmet cooking.

     We could go on and on, here, but we think you get the picture.  Can’t afford to stay in The Peninsula in Hong Kong?  Fear not - the insect guide and official hotel envelope, while not quite the same, can be yours for $4.99.  You can catch up with our previous finds of the week from the used book floor at bayswaterbooks.com and on facebook.  Better yet, stop by the store in Center Harbor and check out the used book floor for yourself!