No one may have told you life was gonna be this way, but these two one-of-a-kind Cincinnati apartments you can rent may make up for it.
Fans of ‘90s sitcoms Friends and Seinfeld will love these themed rentals. Retro Retreats, formerly The Sitcom Suites, aren’t just full of memorabilia, but instead resemble real-life set replicas, making you feel like you’re a star in the show.
Brenda and Otto Baum are behind the nostalgia-fueled apartments. Brenda told CityBeat via email that being stuck at home during the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic sparked the idea.
“About three years ago, COVID lockdowns had just begun. Sports, which is my husband's passion, had officially been canceled and we found ourselves with a whole lot of time. We started rewatching a lot of old television. Otto is an owner in a property development company and thought, ‘How cool would it be to recreate an actual set?’" said Brenda. “With love of old TV, architecture, eye for design and drive for a new date night spot, the [Retro Retreats] idea was born.”
The apartments are located in the Baums’ neighborhood, Pleasant Ridge. Brenda said the proximity to them would make it easier to manage the listings, and Pleasant Ridge has a lot to offer guests.
“Pleasant Ridge has bars, restaurants, coffee shops, comic book and record stores and is also central to everything else the city has to offer,” Brenda told CityBeat.
Both units are located in a four-family apartment. The Friends-themed one, The Purple Suite, mimics characters Monica’s and Rachel’s New York City apartment, complete with the kitchen’s turquoise cabinetry, purple living room and the large picture window with views of “NYC.” The Seinfeld-themed one, The New York Suite, likewise looks like Jerry’s New York City apartment with a bike on the wall, a toy basketball hoop on the door, a New York state license plate reading “ASSMAN” and a cutout of neighbor Cosmo Kramer.
Brenda said bringing Otto’s idea to reality was the fun part in creating Retro Retreats.
“The current apartment layouts are far from similar to those on the shows, so ‘set’ walls were built to block windows, faux doors were brought in and the light fixtures were chosen to replicate set camera lights. While Otto and his team are building the units, I have been hunting down the exact furniture and fixtures which have taken me all over the country and have some crazy stories. These units are truly unlike anything else,” she said.
Both apartments are one-bedrooms with king-sized beds, pull-out couches in the living rooms and fully equipped kitchens. For parents staying with kids, there is a rec center with a playground, pool and splash pad across the street from the building.
Retro Retreats also now has rooms based on the motel rooms in Schitt's Creek and The Golden Girls' Miami home. All rentals start at $185 a night.
More info: retroretreatscincy.com.
