Dear Shaded Viewers,
Because I realize that not everyone can afford to stay at Amanpuri Resort while in Phuket, I did the high-low thing and checked into an affordable (cheap) hotel in Karon Beach called CC Bloom’s for the last two nights of my stay. Perched high on a hill with a view of the sea, CC Bloom’s manages to have both a cozy, campy, upbeat bungalow vibe and a deliciously tawdry “Night of the Iguana” ambience. (One of my favorite films, “Night of the Iguana” features Ava Gardner as the boozy proprietor of a Puerta Vallarta hotel, also perched high on a hill, where an also boozy Richard Burton washes up with a busload of surly tourists.)
And while I didn’t spot any iguanas, the place is crawling with (harmless) salamanders–welcome to the jungle, dolls!–which will find their way into your room….especially if you leave any sticky cocktail glasses lying around. CC Bloom’s is a (very) gay-friendly hotel, which is handy to know if one is expecting some local friends to drop by for a rum coco or three and witty banter in your cabana.
View of the bar area and the sea beyond.
My arrival at CC Bloom’s was almost like this clip from “Night of the Iguana” except the sexy Costa Rican bellhop (regrettably) kept his shirt on and ferried me to my room sans mariachis. He was still a delight, though.
My friend Camille Paglia always tells me that she regrets that “Night of the Iguana” wasn’t shot in color. At CC Bloom’s, guests are treated to techinicolor concorde-grape walkways–my favorite detail of the property.
The coconut-shell planters were a nice touch….
Merry Christmas from Phuket….
As I was rushing to leave for my flight back to New York, this lovely snail bid me adieu.
More on Glenn Belverio in Southeast Asia:
My stay at Amanpuri Resort in Phuket
My report on Putrajaya, Malaysia’s planned city
Hindu psychedelia & manic monkeys at the Batu Caves
Love,
Glenn Belverio
