A woman says her Cancun, Mexico, vacation was rocked by a hotel guest falling off of their sixth-floor balcony. She claims the guest passed away and doesn’t like the hotel’s handling of the matter.
In a video with over 547,000 views, TikTok user Ambra (@ambraalert) shares her shock over the events.
“Can someone tell me the procedure when a tragedy like a death happens at a resort?” she asks. “Because that literally just happened yesterday. And there is not any crime scene tape. You’ve still got people overlooking the area. I haven’t heard any news released. … I haven’t heard any updates. So, now I’m just like, ‘What the heck?’”
“The body was seen. … Some people are traumatized,” she adds. She notes that police did come and investigate the scene.
Commenters quickly debated whether something strange was afoot or whether this was typical procedure for when someone dies at a resort. So, is this the normal routine for a resort in which a death has occurred?
How Do Resorts Handle Someone Dying?
Ambra may be shocked by this quick turnaround time. But most sources agree that it’s standard industry practice. And that’s regardless of the country in which the incident took place.
In general, if someone passes away at a hotel, regardless of the reason, the hotel staff will reach out to local police. From there, they will work with the police to provide any additional information that is relevant to the incident. That may include guest details or statements from anyone who observed the incident.
While this is happening, hotels and resorts make an effort to minimize guest and staff exposure to the crime scene. This can include covering it as well as redirecting guests and staff away from it. And, when police deem it appropriate, this may also include sanitizing and deeply cleaning the crime scene before returning the area to normal use.
‘The Show Must Go On’
As summarized by hospitality worker Mike Holovacs in Slate, “In the end, the room goes back on the rack as if nothing ever happened. The show must go on.”
Ambra may be startled by the fact that she and other guests were not informed of what happened. But this is also fairly typical. Privacy is stressed in these situations. And, in general, the only people who are informed about the incident are those who are directly involved in its resolution.
Dr. William D. Frye, an associate professor of Hotel Management at the College of Hospitality and Tourism Management at Niagara University, explains that “details should only be shared with those who have a legitimate need to know, not with everyone who just wants to know what happened.”
Finally, Ambra may be shocked to see that there are no news reports of the incident. This, too, is relatively normal. Hotels often refrain from speaking with local media for both PR and privacy reasons. Even legitimate accidents can negatively affect the hotel’s perception in the public eye.
“Employees at every level are generally forbidden from dealing with the media via employment handbook language, and in the case of a death on the property, the embargo may extend up to the general manager,” details Holovacs. “Large flags may refer inquiries to corporate brand PR or management.”
Still, it should be noted that incidents like these are incredibly rare. In 2018, 56 million Americans flew abroad. That same year, only 724 Americans passed away from unnatural causes while outside of the country.
@ambraalert *Update* on incident at my resort in Cancun.
Commenters Are Shocked
In the comments section, many users expressed their surprise that such an incident appeared to be resolved so quickly. Others reiterated that this was fairly common practice for resorts.
“I was there and no information was given besides other guest providing information they had. It was very traumatic,” wrote a user. “We sent email to our travel agent.”
“Omg I am so glad I stumbled on this video!! My friend and I were wondering what the heck happened but … we definitely assumed the worst. I tried googling it and nothing! We saw the cops, we saw the ‘bundle’ but we had no idea,” added another.
“Worked a resort for years, Nothing happens, after the police leave, we sell the room that night if possible. We can replace bed, carpet, paint and anything else in a few hours,” countered a third.
“What did u eant them to do? it wasn’t a murder. they clean up and people keep enjoying their vacation. as cruel as that may sound. thats life,” declared a further TikToker.
BroBible reached out to Ambra via TikTok direct message and comment as well as to the resort she named in her TikTok via email.