Book review: the Fontainebleau, by Paul Bradley and Robert Edwards
A family leaves recession-hit 1970s Britain to run a half-built hostal in Spain. What can possibly go wrong?
The answer is – a lot! But when you’ve committed yourself to a dream, as London bookmaker Jimmy Edwards (no relation!) has done, there’s no going back.
What’s the book about?
The Fontainebleau, subtitled where the love affair with Nerja, Spain, began, tells the heart-warming and hilarious story of the Edwards family’s proprietorship of a hostal in Nerja, Spain. We’re told that ‘this is a fictional account based on a true story’. My research suggests that most of it, other than changes of name to protect privacy, is indeed true.
Narrated through the eyes of Jimmy’s son Robert, the book came about after a chance meeting with fellow expat Paul Bradley during the Covid pandemic. As an experienced author and publisher, Paul was the ideal person to help Robert bring his cherished memories back to life and record this fondly-remembered piece of Nerja’s history.
I always enjoy reading other people’s stories of moving abroad, having done it myself, so I was excited to read this book. I don’t want to give away too much or spoil the story for anyone who plans to read it, so I’ll just give a flavour of its content and share my impressions.
a little bit of background to the story
Thanks to Jimmy’s business acumen, the Edwards family had enjoyed an affluent lifestyle in the upmarket town of Sunbury-on-Thames, Surrey, not far from London. Robert and his siblings wanted for nothing: a beautiful riverside family home with boat moored nearby; expensive private education and regular holidays in Spain were among their many blessings.
Everything changed when an oil crisis hit the UK in the wake of the Yom Kippur War of 1973. Recession, hardship and industrial strife led to a Labour Party victory in the general election of February 1973 – much to Jimmy’s disgust. Faced with the prospect of rising prices and high taxes, he decided it was time to relocate the family to their beloved Spain.
A series of real estate deals had led Jimmy to purchase the Fontainebleau hostal, which was in the process of being built. (In Spain, a hostal is a budget-friendly small hotel or guest house). Expecting it to be ready, he packed the family into his gleaming, historic Rolls Royce and set off to Nerja. Unfortunately, on arrival, he found the building to be only half-finished, so a few last-minute changes of plan were necessary!
Spain in 1974
At that time, Spain was living under the restrictive dictatorship of General Franco. The irony of Jimmy’s actions are not lost on Robert: “For some completely unfathomable reason, my father preferred the thought of life under a brutal dictator against that of an inept bunch of socialists determined to bankrupt the country.”
Franco, however, was enthusiastically encouraging the development of tourism to boost Spain’s economy. So in principle, it was the perfect time for the Edwards family to set themselves up to run the Fontainebleau.
My own first-ever holiday abroad was to Spain, in 1976. Reading The Fontainebleau brought back memories of what the country was like in those days Рvery laid-back. The prevailing joke was that everything could wait until tomorrow, ma̱ana, except that tomorrow might never come. Long delays were common and nobody seemed too worried about it.
Eccentric guests, patrons – and staff
Much of the book is taken up with stories of grumpy, eccentric or otherwise memorable guests. Robert tells these tales with cheeky humour. They remind me of the British comedy series Fawlty Towers, which must have been in Robert’s mind also, as he names one of his chapters after one of its best-known episodes – Dont mention the war.
The staff employed by the Edwards are also interesting. I loved the character of La Rubia, the chef, horrified at having to cook up ever-popular British dishes like cottage pie. I note with admiration how, despite inevitable disagreements and misunderstandings, everyone working at the Fontainebleau mucks in together – British and Spanish – coping with everything from floods, fires and crazy guests flinging water bombs.
The patrons are a diverse group: families, couples, young 18-30 Club singles and some older widows and widowers. They mainly come from the UK, USA, Canada and Europe. I notice how often they arrive in a tense, troubled or combative frame of mind, but become happier, more relaxed versions of themselves within a day or two, as Nerja and the Fontainbleau begin to charm them.
The narrator: Robert Edwards
On the face of it, 20 year-old Robert is like many young men of his age – mainly interested in music and girls. But he’s also bright, ambitious and full of ideas. He brings useful experience to the table, literally – as he previously worked in top London restaurants.
Moreover, Robert used to run a mobile disco with a friend back in the UK, so he has plenty of ideas for bar entertainment and events to attract visitors. He’s soon creating partnerships with nearby businesses, even teaching the Spanish locals how to play darts and persuading them to join a tournament!
The Fontainebleau’s Rookie hoteliers
Today, it’s not uncommon for Brits to emigrate to Spain and other countries to start businesses. There are even popular TV series about them, such as A new life in the sun and Escape to the Château.
This was not the case in 1974, when immigration bureaucracy was much trickier. Spain was not yet a member of the European Common Market, as the EU equivalent was known at that time. There was no internet, no mobile telephony and no Google Translate.
Jimmy, although an astute businessman, had zero experience of running a hotel and spoke little to no Spanish. This made his occasional dealings with Franco’s secret police and the Guardia Civil even trickier. Their shadowy, threatening presence hangs over the early chapters and threatens to derail the business. No wonder the dictator’s death in 1975 leads to an outpouring of joy, with the prospect of freedom and a better future ahead. I really enjoyed these historical references throughout the story.
Why Nerja?
Robert explains why the family chose Nerja over other, swankier destinations on the Costa del Sol, like Marbella. He describes the limestone cliffs and their stunning caves, beautiful coves and beaches like Calahonda and Burriana; the Balcón de Europa – a promenade lined with palm trees extending over a promontory and giving fabulous views of the Mediterranean and the backdrop of the sierras. We learn that on a clear day, you can even see the distant Rif mountains of Morocco.
I visited the town briefly in the 1990s and was struck by its authentic Spanish feel, particularly the beautiful Old Town with its traditional Andalusian whitewashed buildings. I can totally understand why people would love it.
The Fontainebleau’s place in Nerja
Over the 6 years covered by the book, The Fontainebleau becomes a much-loved Nerja institution for both locals and expats. Keeping the business going is tough, however, as money is always tight. Inevitably this leads to family tension. Robert’s older brother Jim ends up returning to the UK with his family and Jimmy is forced to sell his precious Rolls Royce to make ends meet. By the time things are starting to turn around, thanks to some unexpected TV fame, everyone is ready for change.
This is where the main story ends, though Robert provides a ‘what happened next’ epilogue, taking us from 1980 to 2024. I’m delighted to learn that he and his family still live in the area and that they ended up buying back Jimmy’s Rolls Royce! The car is almost part of the family and central to their story. It’s almost a personification of Jimmy himself.
My overall impressions
I thoroughly enjoyed this nostalgic book. It took me right back to my own teenage years in England and brought back many memories of my early visits to Spain – a country I grew to love and, later in life, to live in and study.
Robert’s narrative is lively, funny and at times, poignant. His love for his family and his adopted country shines through the whole book. Not that he is above pointing out their deficiencies as well as their good points! – which is where much of the book’s humour comes from.
I gather, from a clip I saw on the Fontainebleau’s Facebook page, that another, expanded edition may be under consideration. My one request would be to please clear up some of the typos. Robert, you’re a DJ, a music man. I’m sure you’d agree that the amazing Buffy Sainte-Marie and Tony Tenille (of Captain and Tenille) deserve to have their names spelt correctly! And that Carpenter’s hit you mentioned was We’ve only just begun.
That aside, I highly recommend this book as a fun, engaging and inspirational read. And if you’re thinking of dumping your present life to run a hotel somewhere else, with zero experience, then I’d say it is a must read.
Tempted to visit Nerja?
If you love the sound of Nerja and fancy going there, I say – do it! Here are some suggestions for places to stay. Note: these are sponsored links in association with our affiliate partners, Booking.com. If you book through our links, we receive a small commission. There is no extra cost to you.
If you’d like to experience the neighbourhood of the Fontainebleau, you can stay in the Apartments Toboso Plaza which now occupy the very same site, just off Calle Alejandro Bueno in the centre of town. These are light, modern studio apartments that look perfectly decent.
However, my personal choice would be just around the corner, in Calle Pintada: the Hostal Boutique Plaza Cantarero. It happens to be run by none other than Robert Edwards’ daughter, Tanya – and it looks absolutely fabulous!
If you’d rather be closer to the beach, there are plenty of great options. I would have included the Parador de Nerja, but it is due to close in October 2025 for a 2-year renovation.
Hostal Boutique Plaza Cantarero
Tanya Edwards Jimena’s gorgeous, stylish hostal is located in a traditional Andalusian house previously associated with her grandparents. Unsurprisingly, she has gained plenty of rave reviews from guests.
Toboso Plaza Apartments
Light, bright, studio and one-bedroom apartments located on the very same site where the Fontainebleau once stood. There’s no restaurant, but there are plenty of great eateries in the area.
Hotel Riu Monica
This beachfront, resort-style adults-only hotel is one of Nerja’s most expensive. It has a lovely pool, sun terrace, restaurant and fitness centre. In the book, Robert describes it somewhat dismissively as a ‘holiday factory’! But today’s guests praise the location, views, food and friendly staff.
If you enjoyed this review and would like to read about other great books on Spain, visit our Travel books and authors section.
© Coconut Lands. Our content is written by humans, not AI, and is therefore copyright-protected. Not to be reproduced without permission.
