Beach Babylon

Terrible writing, but the behind-the-scenes look at the world of luxury resorts was interesting enough to allow me to finish it. Hour-long read at most, preferably lying on a gorgeous beach somewhere.

Exactly what I needed - frothy trash that just sort of erases itself from your mind while you read it, full of nonsense and rich people doing terrible things that I can judge them for.

This was an odd one. Imogen Edwards-Jones takes the behind-the-scenes gossip she gleaned from an anonymous source at an island resort and spins it into fiction? faction? some lumbering beast that resembles both fact and fiction but has the positive attributes of neither? (In Cold Blood, this is not. In case you were wondering.)There are some interesting anecdotes about the ~lifestyles of the rich and famous~ in Beach Babylon, but the faux-novel structure really didn't work for me. Better to call [...]

I did enjoy Beach Babylon, although not as much as my favourite (Air) Babylon book. It is very breezy although I certainly would not want to work 24/7 in paradise like the manager - delegation would be the answer although then of course there would be no story. I guessed the plight of Ben (Assistant Manager) in the end and it was really like watching a documentary on the very wealthy, knowing that this life is very much out of reach unless I win the lottery.

What did I think?Well, I actually quite liked it, but I am not willing to commit to saying it is a good book, only that I find it quite humorous and enjoyed reading it.The 'co-author' is pegged as Anonymous, and Anonymous is meant to be the manager of a five? (six?) star island resort. The description of trying to run this resort in the middle of nowhere, with a very exacting guest list and dissatisfied staff was one I found quite funny. The prologue claims all the events and anecdotes truly occ [...]

Talk about how the other half lives! These ultra-rich (& ultra-spoilt) holidaymakers want it all & generally get it!While this is supposed to be based on the experiences of an actual resort manager it's hard not to think that some of it's been exaggerated but I guess folk like these are out there - although I can't imagine I will ever come into contact with someone who can afford to spend $10k a day to have a yacht on standby!Anyhow, exaggerated or not it's an entertaining read about a l [...]

Just the palette cleanser I needed after the last book.

I loved Hotel Babylon and Air Babylon and loved this one too. Hard to put down. Great insight into how a luxury resort is run and what really happens behind the scenes.

Beach Babylon is yet another of the Babylon series that contains Hospital, Hotel, Fashion, Wedding etc. Each book, with the help of several anonymous insiders, provides an insider’s look into the world of hotels, hospitals etc. As I found Hospital Babylon amusing with some truth to it, I decided to try some more Babylon books. Not to mention that they also appear on discount piles and are exceptionally easy reads that can be read during busy working periods.Beach Babylon is somewhat similar to [...]

I am a fan of the Babyon books. This one I did consider a bit less fun then the other that I have been reading. But then I have never been at a beach resort and I have never mingled with the super rich. The thing is that Edward-Jones ones more manages to give you a very good insight of how things work back stage and that not everything is glamour and glitter. You might be after a job like one of them featured in this one but I do believe that after a few months you do long for so many ordinary t [...]

Well, if this isn't the perfect read for a holiday on the beach then I don't know what is. Luckily I read the book really on a day we spent at the beach (instead of at the pool).It's a sometimes a bit embarrasing to read how outrageous some ppl can behave - especially when they are on holiday. Especially the Germans don't get off too well in this book.I don't know if I would like living on this island. I probably would be contended with books, movies and some friends to hang out with (hey, that' [...]

Since I was planning to work in the industry myself Well, now I am much less eager.The life of a luxury hotel manager can seem dreamy, but the reality hurts in a number of previously unimaginable ways. Dealing with people is a hard work, and this book truly illustrates this concept. Regardless, this is a very light, even refreshing read, and I don't think it will be fair to compare this book's language and style to any works of a higher class non-fiction/biography. It is good in it's own manner, [...]

This was a very difficult to rate the book. I read it for a book club, it is not something I would ever usually pick up. Reading about resort hotels, money, alcohol and the rich and famous is not my usual genre. There was no depth or real plot involved. However it did what it said on the tin. It was a very light, quick, simple read that I finished in about 3 days. It made a nice change from what I usually read and it was an eye opener into the industry, although I wasn't surprised by what I read [...]

If you are looking for a trashy fix in a book, this is it. Beach Babylon tells the story of a general manager on a luxurious 6 star island resort and combines years of experience into one week for readers to understand what makes the uber rich an uber pain. Told with wit and frankly unbelievable stories, the book veers from boring to down right comical. However it is a quick read and if any one really wants to understand what they should do the next time they can afford a $6000 room for a night, [...]

Phew!I could feel the stress faced by the hotel manager while reading this. Good read as it gave me new perspective on hotel business.Looking forward to read other Babylon titles.

Not as good as Hotel Babylonuld be that some of the "shock" factor was used up in reading that first and lets face it, it's more of the same on a desert island! Maybe beacause I've stayed in a few luxury resorts I've seen a fair bit of it myself already. What i did find interesting was the sheer dullness of a tropical paradise for those who work there and although it pains me to say iti actually don't envy them!

The only thing that made this book enjoyable for me was the knowledge that it was all true/really happened - this is what kept me reading. It wasn't quite as serious as I thought it might have been and doesn't go into too much detail about the characters, but is still an interesting. Very easy to read, written in quite a humorous/fictional way rather than an autobiographic account.

Intresting, mind you, has made me realise I wouldn't work on a island resort if they paid me the money they could, I'd be inclined to be fired within the first couple of days, for telling guests where to get off.

This formula is becoming a bit of a cliche. While it really worked for Air and Hotel, it falls a bit short here. Not the most interesting in the Babylon series - especially if you couldn't care less what rich people get up to on an island resort.

Another light entertaining read from the Babylon series. It really was just an extension of Hotel Babylon just set on a different venue! I was not really surprised at the lives of the rich and famous and how demanding they could be and it did leave with a craving for a glass of champagne.

Wanneer je zin hebt in een waargebeurd verhaal dat leest als een fictie-bestseller dan is de "Babylon"-reeks een must.Ik heb genoten van dit boek en hoop gauw aan het bij de bib gerserveerde "Air Babylon" te kunnen beginnen.

not bad, but not the best i have read, not my usual read either, but if you like a nice easy read, this is ok

Really funny and eye opening read - great for my holiday

Great bit of escapism in the trials and tribulations of running a millionaire's paradise.

another quick and amusing read in the Babylon series, I enjoyed this one as much as Hotel Babylon

What? I was on a tropical island resort at the time. I believe a trashy novel is mandatory in these circumstances.

The plot is simple : hotel, rich people, money, something goes wrong, manager fixes it. An extremely easy read.

An easy read - fab insight into island life.

An OK read if you fancy something a bit trashy and OTT

Fun, fast, entertaining read. Glad I don't have to deal with the public in my job!