Hotel Scarface by Roben Farzad – Reviewed by Guy Portman
This is an account of the rise and fall of Hotel Mutiny; a Coconut Grove, Miami-based hotel and club founded in the 1970s. It became the haunt of rising cocaine drug lords, their entourages and lawyers, as well as undercover cops and celebrities. This exclusive boutique facility boasted sumptuous cuisine, exotic cocktails, beautiful hostesses and individually furnished rooms. Of the many uber wealthy criminals that frequented this hedonistic nightspot, none were richer and more flamboyant than Cuban immigrants Willie and Sal, the heads of Los Muchachos (The Boys), a Medellin Cartel-connected drug trafficking organisation. At the Mutiny, they, along with their fellow criminals, could combine scheming and indulgence.
Named after iconic film Scarface, Hotel Scarface captures the zeitgeist of 1980s Miami; a time characterised by massive importation of cocaine, social upheaval and murders. The rise and fall of Hotel Mutiny and their drug selling guests is a microcosm of Miami as a whole during this period.
This reader was intrigued by Los Muchachos’ links to General Noriega, the CIA and Castro; and he marvelled at the libertine tales of Dom Perignon filled baths, orgies, fast cars, power boat racing and rampant drug abuse. However, the endless anecdotes become relentless. Another criticism is the narrative’s lack of variety, with the vast majority being recounted by the author. More first-hand personal accounts would have been welcomed. A consequence of this near blanket approach is that it is difficult to keep up with the host of mostly Latin names because there is little to differentiate them from one another. Nonetheless this is a mostly entertaining read that will appeal to those with an interest in this anarchic spell in Miami’s history.
