Upon learning that she has contracted a life-threatening illness and only has three weeks to live, a shy sales associate at a New Orleans department store liquidates her assets and embarks on a dream vacation. sumptuous in the Czech Republic as a sort of final hurray. Although the premise doesn’t exactly sound like a lighthearted Christmas movie, 2006’s “Last Holiday” (which is currently available to rent on Amazon) is a feel-good tale with a jovial story, a charming heroine, and a theme. uplifting, all with an idyllic winter landscape as a backdrop. A remake of the 1950 Alec Guinness vehicle of the same name, the aughts version sees the eternally benevolent Georgia Byrd (Queen Latifah) heading to the quaint town of Karlovy Vary to spend his last days at the beautiful Grandhotel Pupp (pronounced “grand hotel poo” – yes, “poo”).
Although the place may seem like a dream to anyone who has seen the film, the Grandhotel Pupp is actually a real accommodation that is located along the picturesque Tepla River about 80 miles west of Prague. The restroom-related name notwithstanding, the property is a virtual dreamland fully deserving of Georgia’s and the public’s adoration. But, full disclosure, some parts have been improved by production designer William Arnold (who was also behind the looks of “The Edge of Seventeen”, “Lovelace” and “Crazy, Stupid, Love.”) to make him appear even more lavish on screen.
As “Last Holiday” director Wayne Wang explained to the Arizona Republic, “I think if people went to the hotel, they would be very disappointed. It’s definitely not like in the movie. We definitely dressed it up and worked a lot on it. The hotel is nice but spartan.” Indeed, several reviews online share this sentiment, noting that the place is not as opulent as depicted on screen. But if the pictures on the Grandhotel Pupp website are to be believed, it is still quite spectacular!
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