HUMBLE BEGINNINGS
On Boxing Day, 2004, the tsunami that took more than 100,000 lives in Southeast Asia struck the beaches of Phuket. It was the height of tourist season, and hotels large and small scrambled not only to take care of their customers but to help the many thousands of residents who'd lost homes, possessions, family, and friends to the wall of water.
Although the 20-room inn had opened its doors only the month before, C.C. Bloom's took on a role in the effort. Since the boutique hotel is nestled into the mountainside above Kata, it was not directly affected by the tsunami and owner and managing director Robert "Skip" Burns knew it would not be long before the surrounding area made a full recovery. But he became what he calls an "overnight philanthropist" when he saw the devastation further north. Since then, Burns has worked day and night, not only to return his hotel to its target 90-percent occupancy, but to help the displaced children in the camps in Khao Lak who lost their parents in the tragedy.
Today, batiks created by these children hang on the walls of every guest room, and Burns and his colleagues host regular fundraisers to benefit the children. All the money generated from the project goes directly back to the camps and the children who made the art.
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Art therapy programs for children |
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MEET THE OWNER
American hotelier Robert "Skip" Burns is a transplant from Hawaii , where he's been working in real estate for over 20 years. Before that, he was involved in the restaurant business, hotel management, adventure outfitting, and government in Alaska and Colorado . Like many, he first came into contact with the beautiful atmosphere and welcoming people of Thailand on vacation, and almost immediately began devising plans to stay. As soon as he saw the half-finished hotel overlooking Kata Beach , he knew he'd found his reason.
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Batik project will take back to help all children |
A HOME, NOT JUST A HOTEL ROOM
Named after a feisty character played by Bette Midler in the American movie "Beaches," Phuket's newest hotel bears little resemblance to the structure Burns fell in love with just last summer. The business-savvy Burns has decorated every room in traditional Thai decor with all the Western comforts. He built the Sunset Bar overlooking the sunsets on Kata Beach and turned the reception and poolside areas into a wonderful space to be in. He calls it all "our livng-room".
When asked how a small hotel goes about keeping up with the competition, Burns says,
"We have a unique role to play in Phuket's tourist market: Our job is to give travelers a home, not just a hotel room." What does he mean by that? "C.C.'s strength is the intimacy and custom service we can offer our customers. That's an area where the big hotels can't touch us. We offer complimentary drinks at check-in and check-out; wireless high-speed Internet so customers can stay connected to their families and colleagues at home anywhere in the hotel, satellite TV so they can relax at the end of a day at the beach; a gorgeous blue-tiled pool at the heart of the hotel and a poolside cafe and bar so they don't have to leave C.C.'s for food, drink, or recreation, and very personalized service. Need a babysitter or a helicopter, we can arrange it."
His long-term plan? "For the hotel, close to 100 percent occupancy and the status of a well-loved Phuket institution, with customers from Europe , Australia , New Zealand , America , Scandinavia , Thailand , Singapore , Hong Kong , and a full-service restaurant on the premises," says Burns. "And for the children of Khao Lak and the other areas devastated by the tsunami, a return to the old way of life." He smiles, a warm grin that makes you feel as though it could just happen. "That's all."
