September 4, 2026, 1:10 pm | Read time: 5 minutes
When vacationing at an all-inclusive hotel, guests can enjoy a few days of not having to worry about anything. However, this sense of relaxation seems to lead some guests to neglect respectful interactions. A former entertainer shares with TRAVELBOOK her experiences working at a well-known resort, where she often had to endure sexual innuendos and insulting comments from vacationers who seemed to forget that there are real people behind the hotel facade.
For many, the luxury of an all-inclusive vacation includes being served and cared for. However, this can lead some guests to treat the people who make their vacation possible as less than equals.
Paula experienced this during her time as an entertainer at a popular resort in the Mediterranean. She tells TRAVELBOOK about personal attacks, sexual innuendos, and situations where guests clearly crossed boundaries. She rarely felt supported by her superiors, she says. The rule was to smile, stay friendly, and avoid upsetting any guests.
Body Shaming and Hurtful Comments
As an entertainer, you interact with dozens of vacationers daily. Conversations usually revolve around courses, excursion tips, or the evening program. Sometimes, however, these “conversations” unexpectedly become personal.
Paula recalls a guest who found her Swabian accent “unacceptable” for a trainer and asked why she had never seen a speech therapist. “I couldn’t just get up and leave,” says Paula, who was openly embarrassed by the man at the table in front of other guests. Instead, she had to smile, listen, and even thank him for the advice.
It was not uncommon for vacationers to comment on the appearance of employees without being asked. A colleague from the fitness team regularly experienced body shaming: guests openly asked her, “how can you be so fat as a fitness trainer?” Paula herself was often reduced to her appearance. Guests mocked her for sweating during sports classes while she tried to keep the mood upbeat.
Officially, employees were allowed to leave uncomfortable situations at any time. However, it was always conveyed that guests should not be made to feel bad. “There wasn’t a proper protocol,” Paula recalls. “You ultimately had to deal with it yourself.”
Sexualization Instead of Appreciation
Things became particularly uncomfortable for Paula when some guests apparently confused her role as an entertainer with something else. During the day, she led sports classes, and in the evening, she performed with her colleagues in dance shows. It was noticeable that some men watched the young entertainers intensely. They often stood in the front row, filmed the performances with their phones, and then sought out conversations.
After one show, a guest approached her with a comment she hasn’t forgotten. “He said to me, ‘Everything here is all-inclusive, so you are too.'” For Paula, this was more than a tasteless joke. Such remarks made her feel like she wasn’t seen as an employee but as part of the hotel offering.
The extent of this mindset among some guests became apparent in an even more uncomfortable situation: Through a manager, a much older vacationer conveyed that he would pay Paula to sleep with him. For the then early 20-something, this was, of course, out of the question. Nevertheless, she later encountered the man at the hotel bar. “Because he was a respected guest, I was instructed to speak politely with him about the offer,” she recalls. Only in hindsight did she realize how absurd the situation had been.
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Blackmail with Bad Reviews
Not all unpleasant encounters were about appearance or sexual innuendos. Some guests were simply convinced they knew better how Paula should do her job.
Once, there was a confrontation with a regular guest from another resort in the same hotel chain. He repeatedly explained to her that certain sports classes were conducted differently there, and she should adjust her class accordingly. He refused to accept that trainers had some freedom in designing their classes. Instead, he made it clear that he expected the next class to follow the routine he was used to. “He told me he would write a bad review and specifically mention my name if I didn’t change the class,” Paula tells us. He also threatened to complain about her to the HR manager. For the experienced sports trainer, the ease with which the guest tried to impose his personal preferences was particularly unsettling. This attitude put pressure on the entertainer, and he eventually followed through on his threat.
Such complaints were feared among the staff. “For the club director, reviews were extremely important,” says Paula. If a negative context mentioned their name, entertainers had to find a way to extricate themselves. Praise for good reviews was rare. Many constantly worried that any small issue could lead to a negative review, even fearing for their jobs.
The More Difficult the Guests, the Closer the Team
Despite the many unpleasant experiences, Paula doesn’t look back negatively on her time at the resort. On the contrary, dealing with difficult guests often brought the staff closer together. “We supported each other,” she says. When guests were rude or behaved inappropriately toward a colleague, other team members often stepped in to handle the situation. After work, they would talk about difficult encounters, vent their frustrations, and encourage each other.
This camaraderie is something Paula remembers fondly. Close friendships formed during that time, some of which still exist today. “We were all in the same boat,” she says. Perhaps it was this sense of unity that made the challenging moments more bearable.