Death in a hotel in Mallorca – what does it look like?
Death in a hotel is not a very pleasant vision of vacation. Unfortunately, this is a fairly common phenomenon. Some of you know that I work in a hotel where most of the clients are elderly. I won’t reveal any details, but 5 people died in the whole season, which lasts 7 months in my case. The first death shocked me a lot, because I had never even thought before that such a thing could take place. I have never collided with such reality before.
Death in a hotel – my feelings.
People in a hotel do not always die in the rooms and it is rare to find bodies after unknown hours. Everything depends even on the number of stars in the hotel. Cleaning is daily in 4-star hotels, and less frequent in hotels with lower standards. Because of this, the body can be found a little later. However, people usually die in hospitals, not in the rooms or in the hotel pool. Although the truth is that it also happens.
I will tell you about what I met working at the reception during the season.
First of all, the elderly do not care about themselves. They go on vacation, drink a lot of alcohol without worrying about the medicines they take. All inclusive holidays are conducive to a poor diet, which is accompanied by malaise. Older people drink alcohol by the pool and often end in a stroke.
These were the most common cases of calling an ambulance to a hotel. Diabetes comes second. They don’t take medicine or keep an eye on sugar levels. They indulge in vacation. One day, a woman aged 90 decided to take a bath in the hotel pool. CANNOT SWIM. It began to melt. Fortunately, there are lifeguards above the hotel pool, trained and the woman was saved. However, response time matters at this age.
Death in a hotel – often the cause of death is irresponsibility.
On the one hand, I understand these people, because after all holidays are to let go a little, loosen the belt. However, not so high cost. It is rare that a person who dies is alone in a hotel. This usually starts to show you a feeling of being unwell. Then the guests contact the reception and we call the doctor. We leave hotel guests the choice.
They have the option of going to the hospital on their own or calling a private doctor who has a contract with the hotel. Guests must then pay for a private visit (cost about 100 euros, depending on the patient’s condition and the service performed), however, as guests in the hotel where I work 100% arrive with a travel agency, the travel agency reimburses this type of costs. In case the hotel guest has taken out insurance.
Depending on the condition of the hotel guest, the doctor decides whether an ambulance will be called.
If an ambulance is called, the paramedics go to the room with a wheelchair and take the patient to the hospital. The rest of the treatment takes place there. Usually it is in the hospital that hotel guests die. Their family who was on vacation with them usually extends their stay at the hotel. They stay in the room they paid for until the end of the earlier reservation, but if their stay is over, we move the guest to the emergency room.
The hotel usually has several rooms that are used for such cases. These rooms are also used by employees – animators, singers, dancers. Often the hotel has a contract with an artist and as he comes from a distance, the hotel organizes accommodation or simply gives the room key so that the artist has somewhere to change and refresh before the performance.
Death in a hotel – what else is worth knowing.
A family who stays at a hotel during treatment or after the death of a loved one usually pays for their stay. The costs are then lower, also due to the lower standard of the room. The treatment period can last for several weeks. And death is associated with filling a lot of documentation. The travel agency from which the trip was purchased then organizes assistance in the form of a mediator, translator and the like.
Unfortunately, the worst looks here is the cost and organization of corpse transport (which is reimbursed by insurers in some cases). It looks a lot worse when you organize holidays on your own. And it is at this point that you should mention that it is worth buying INSURANCE and getting a EUROPEAN HEALTH CARD, which entitles you to free treatment within the European Union.
What if the person who is sick or deceased arrived alone?
In this case, we contact the family. Usually a family member comes. They are usually children. Very often, when an older couple comes to the hotel and one of them ends up in the hospital – another family member also arrives. To help. This person normally pays for his stay at the hotel. It also happens that the spouse also ends up in hospital. The reason is usually weakness due to not caring for yourself. Older people often do not eat at such moments, they stay in the hospital for a long time, with their other half and again – they do not eat, drink. They sleep badly, do not take medicine and are tired. Sugar falls, people get panic attacks and much more. You can tell and tell stories.
Death in a hotel – what are the procedures?
If the death is discovered, the police and doctor are called to the hotel. The doctor really decides what happens next. It depends on whether the cause of death was natural or not. Depending on the cause of death, the deceased is transferred to a forensic institution or to a hospital with a dissecting room. However, we will not go into this topic. Oh, here I can still add a curiosity! Hotels that have a contract with clinics charge a commission for each private medical visit. So receptionists are on hand to call a private doctor to the hotel!
What is the situation when someone dies in a hotel room?
Depending on who discovers the body – let’s assume it’s a maid. First, first check whether the person is alive or dead. Then she should make a phone call to the reception. In hotels, these numbers are usually single or max three digits. For example, number 1 is the reception and number 2 is the bar. The receptionist is picked up by the hotel protocol. Usually it looks like he contacts the head of change first and he decides what to do next. Police are called – usually by the chief of change or director.
When the police arrive, they take care of the rest. Depending on the case, an investigation team may also come. At a time when it was, for example, a murder, this team protects the tracks. After checking the entire room and taking the evidence, the hotel can start cleaning and possible renovation, which may be financed from the insurance policy.
Death in a hotel – natural death.
It is the doctor who issues a document indicating that a person has died a natural death and then a family member must take care of the rest. If a family member is not present, he must appear. And complete all formalities, including arranging the transport of corpses. Being abroad, the situation is very unpleasant. Tourists do not speak a foreign language at a high level, so they need to find a translator.
The hotel usually washed its hands.
Everything is organized on its own. Here again I remind you – take out insurance. It makes a lot easier, and certainly refunds at least some of the money lost. If you buy a trip with a travel agency, usually a resident on site helps you to complete all formalities. That’s when you hit the resident. Not to reception. It is worth thinking about the darkest scenarios before going on vacation and make sure that with the biggest problem always have an action plan.
Death in a hotel is a terrible experience for a family.
You go on vacation and turn out to be the worst vacation of your life. You flew with another person and you come back alone. The very thought of it is very depressing. Therefore, take care of yourself, take care of your parents and grandparents. Call them on vacation, check how they feel and look after themselves. Make sure you take out insurance before going on holiday and that they have European health cards! Nobody wants to lose a loved one without being able to say goodbye to her – take my word for it. Living abroad, away from the family, the inability to say goodbye to loved ones before death is a painful experience.
Articles that may interest you:
What to know before moving to Majorca: https://namajorce.pl/hiszpania/baleary/mallorca/majorkowe-poradniki/przeprowadzka-na-majorke/
What is the education system in Majorca: https://namajorce.pl/hiszpania/baleary/mallorca/majorkowe-poradniki/edukacja-na-majorce/
How does work in Majorca look like?: https://namajorce.pl/hiszpania/baleary/mallorca/majorkowe-poradniki/praca-na-majorce/
What to know before you go to Majorca: https://namajorce.pl/hiszpania/baleary/mallorca/majorkowe-poradniki/majorka-2020-co-warto-wiedziec/
Advantages and disadvantages of life in Majorca: https://namajorce.pl/hiszpania/baleary/mallorca/majorkowe-poradniki/mieszkanie-na-majorce/
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