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List Price: $39.98 | | Label: BBC Warner
Salesrank: 14417
Released: February 26, 2008 |
| Our Price: $27.98 |
| Used Price: $18.17 |
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MPAA Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Media: DVD |
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Editorial Review:
Hotel Babylon introduces the tantalizing and seductive world of the luxury 5-star hotel a place where money not only talks but can buy you just about anything you desire... Tarnzin Outhwaite and Max Beesley star with guests Joan Collins and Anthony Stewart Head.System Requirements:Running Time: 471 minsFormat: DVD MOVIE Genre: TELEVISION/BBC UPC: 883929001668 Manufacturer No: 1000035805
Description of Hotel Babylon - Season 1:
Hotel Babylon is a delicious nighttime soap, full of froth, intrigue, and, of course, kinky sex (what hotel isn't?). This British series revolves around a high-end hotel whose customers are accustomed to getting whatever they want, discreetly. Catering to those whims is the sly, ambitious, slightly dissolute Charlie (played with rakish charm by Max Beesley), around whom most of the action swirls. Just a few of the requests Charlie accommodates: a blow-up sex doll, paparazzi to be tipped, and a live goat to be slaughtered in a room. Nothing appears to be off-limits at the Hotel Babylon, including booking a troublesome American rock band, the Junk Dogs. In one episode, the hotel staff is seen calculating the pounds rolling in from the bar tab alone--until it's revealed that the band members have given up drinking. Charlie's task is to figure out other ways to milk the guests, and he jumps in with creativity. The production values are high-end, and the characters drawn with nuance and precision, including the hotel's minxy manager, Rebecca (Tamzin Outhwraite), who seems to have an agenda of her own. The topnotch ensemble cast includes Dexter Fletcher (of Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels) as the concierge, and Emma Pierson as the ambitious young Anna. The show walks a fine line between slapstick and serious--just enough for the perfect night's stay. --A.T. Hurley
Hotel Babylon - Season 1 Reviews:
The best show you're NOT watching! 
2009-09-22 - I happened upon this show by accident and what a wonderful surprise. Smart, Funny, and it doesn't take itself too seriously. I'm watching the 3rd season now and I'm totally addicted. Give it a shot and I'm sure you will be too.
It's the best show you're not watching!
Grand Hotel it ain't 
2009-09-06 - And I thought only Hollywood could produce such self-conscious, unfunny, witless television.
Handsome Max Beesley was delightful in Tom Jones, but his career, aside from the big money, has taken a real nose-dive with this series. Likewise, Dexter Fletcher saw much better days with Guy Ritchie. Except for the 'hard-nosed business woman', the women are self-serving bimbos that Las Vegas would be proud of, but all the characters are monochromatic and shameless stereotypes: unctuous Italian, gay black, trampy receptionist. The latter is also a consummate, if failed (due to stupidity), gold-digger who regularly sleeps with any good-looking guest who's rich enough. In fact, the whole place is run like a high-class brothel.
These people supposedly work is a 5-star hotel in London, but their every action belies the 'invisible service' that one might expect in such an establishment. Week after week they bully, preach to, invade the privacy of, and otherwise interfere with the lives of high-toned clients. No one ever gets fired, no matter how egregious and selfish their behavior. It can be said that the characters and scripts display all the emotional maturity, and depth, of a ten year old. The episode in which the cliched straight Italian barman affects being gay (taught by the token gay black desk clerk) in order to get a big tip from a gay guest, is both embarrassing and offensive.
Other reviewers find this series addictive. I, too, must admit that I watched the whole first series on a popular streaming service, but mostly in order to see if they could maintain such high standards of superficiality and questionable moral tone throughout. They did.
At least I didn't suffer the humiliation of paying for it.
Love this show !
2009-04-01 - I recently discovered this show 2 years ago on BBC America and its so addictive !
I wish I could find the soundtrack to this great show !
I highly suggest everyone to watch this show , Im not kidding I havent seen anything like this , its slick , glossy , glamorous , funny , serious , suggestive !
Love it, love it, love it some more
2008-10-31 - I am currently researching the hotel industry when I stumbled upon this series. I immediately took a chance and was more than satisfied to know that my gut instinct was right. The coolest thing about this series is that it is something that my fiance and I are heavily addicted to. The drama is quite intense and very entertaining. The one thing that kind of irked me was that Charlie was not as tough or outspoken as I would have liked. He was great with the guests but in regards to the staff and his boss he was a bit too reserved for me. I highly recommend this series and can't wait to see what happens in Season 2
Hotel Babyon - 5 Stars
2008-08-29 - I discovered BBC programming after watching the excellent comedy series "Coupling" late one night on PBS. And I must say, the British have some outstanding shows.
"Hotel Babylon" is easily one of hippest, sexiest shows in recent memory -- miles ahead of NBC's "Las Vegas". Of course much of that can be contributed to the sharp writing and attractive cast, as well as the sleek sets and gorgeous shots of London.
Still, there's a lot more to this series than meets the eye. Newly appointed deputy manager Charlie Edwards (Max Beesley) serves as the series' narrator, navigating the trials and tribulations that the staff of the five-star property meet each day.
Above Max is Rebecca Mitchell (Tamzin Outhwaite), the Hotel's general manager. She's a gorgeous, confident woman who handles everything from "ordinary guests" to rock stars and even foreign delegates. Though highly poised on the outside, she's hiding a number of secrets that are revealed as the series progresses -- among them the fact that she's left her husband and is currently living inside the hotel itself.
The supporting cast is as diverse as it is amusing. Guest concierge Tony Casemore (Dexter Fletcher) does everything from getting theater tickets and restaurant tables, to high-class prostitutes for the rock stars who inevitably arrive from time to time. Joining him at the front desk area is receptionist Anna Thorton-Wilton (Emma Pierson), an old flame of Charle's and a rather superficial social climber.
"Hotel Babylon" alternates between the day-to-day grind of the hotel business to the persona lives of the characters. All of them seem to have secrets of some kind -- ones that eventually rear their ugly heads on the job. Of course, there's also a good dose of sex, glamor and money, all of which make the series a pleasure to watch!
