To celebrate the 92nd anniversary of the founding of Pan American World Airways in Key West, Fla., the Ibis Bay Beach Resort constructed a retro-themed, three-bedroom PanAm Suite, located in a secluded beach area on the east side of the resort.
Designed to pay tribute to the glory days of Pan Am Airways, flight in general and 1950s Key West, the new PanAm Suite has completed its "test flight" period and is now fully open.
In a statement, Ibis Bay co-owner Chris Holland said that construction was timed to coincide with the anniversary of Pan Am's founding.
Designed to look like the early Pan Am Clipper Ships, the suite measures nearly 1,800 square feet. There are three "cabins" (the suite's term for bedrooms), two living areas, a bar, three bathrooms and a large outside deck with lounge chairs.
The interior design is meant to evoke the "sleek" look and feel of a first-class Pan Am airplane cabin and includes a fusion of wing-shaped aluminum counters; 1950s period modern furniture; red, white and blue color schemes; and 21st-century touches like 4K television displays.
The suite also has a large exhibit of many historical artifacts, aviation equipment and poster art from Pan Am's early days. The towel rails in the bathrooms are inspired by the steel cable wing structures of Pan Am's early seaplanes. The red nylon pull tags on cupboard doors and drawers are from vintage aviation equipment. The bar/kitchen counter is made from an early aluminum plane's wing tip.
There are two other riveted aluminum wing console tables in the suite. The white leather Barcelona chairs in the lounge were designed by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe in 1929.
In a nod to modern times, the suite has a Clipper Suite Selfie stage with a 1940s Clipper Ship pilot's chair in front of a large color mural of pilots boarding a Pan Am Clipper Ship.
Photo credit: Ibis Bay Beach Resort