Ian Fleming's Jamaican house, GoldenEye
Long before GoldenEye was the title for Brosnan's first Bond movie it was the name of Ian Fleming's vacation house in Jamaica. It was here where Fleming first sat down with his typewriter and his copy of Birds of the West Indies and created James Bond.
According to John Cox, author of numerous Bond resources, “Every person plans to run off to some tropical isle, but few do. Real life, family, work, and monetary limitations get in the way. Ian Fleming let none of these considerations stop him. When his war was over, he would, with certainty, return to Jamaica, and not just as a tourist.
Fleming set to work. He purchased property, designed a house, and set about doing paradise right. The house, Goldeneye, was like Fleming's writing would prove to be: simple, direct, filled with panache, but never elegant, or opulent. There was no hot-water plumbing, no glass in the jalousied windows, no provision for air conditioning. Yet, the house quickly became one of the most envied on the north coast of Jamaica.”
Even today, the house is still the envy of much of many as it opens its doors as a luxury resort to wealthy patrons from around the world. Packages are offered that will allow you to stay in the actual villa where Fleming worked, as well as in the surrounding houses. In fact, one company is even offering a James Bond extravaganza weekend including helicopter rides to Bond sets, Ferrari rentals and three nights at the villa.
Photo Gallery - Click an Image to Enlarge:
Front gate photo courtesy of The Commander's Club.
|
Home
Contact
Discuss
RSS Feed
