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Most people get spa treatments to relax and feel better, though that’s not how a massage ended for a guest at the Conrad Maldives Rangali Island, during what was a very special trip…
A massage gone wrong at the Conrad Maldives
An X user named Andrew tags me regarding a frustrating situation that has unfolded after a stay at one of Hilton’s most iconic hotels, the Conrad Maldives. He was in the Maldives to propose to his girlfriend (now wife), and they got a couples massage. Well, that massage changed his life, and left him with a permanent neck injury, requiring him to have surgery.
The evening of the massage, Andrew experienced neck swelling, and the staff had reportedly said that “you are sore because it’s been a long time.”
The trauma caused a 4.6 centimeter mass of scar tissue and blood clots in his neck, which the medical team directly linked to the Conrad spa. He has shared every medical record and bill with Hilton’s Office of Trust & Risk, but claims he has received total silence for months.
So he’s now going public with the story, in hopes that public shaming might get Hilton to take notice — fair enough!
My take on this situation, and Hilton’s response
First of all, congrats to Andrew on his proposal and subsequent marriage, which is the only good news in this story.
This neck injury sounds absolutely awful, and I’m sorry how much suffering he has endured following this trip. Honestly, this story sort of unlocks a new level of fear for me, since I never thought that a spa massage could end so badly.
When you get a massage, you typically sign some waiver releasing the spa from liability in the event of an injury. Obviously that doesn’t mean that you can’t request compensation or take legal action if things go really wrong — it’s just like valets typically claim they accept no liability for your car, but if they crash it, they’re still going to be on the hook.
This is beyond my area of expertise, though I am curious to what extent — legally and medically — the massage therapist, spa, and hotel, can be held liable here:
- Medically, how extreme would the massage therapist’s technique have to be in order to cause a permanent injury like this? Was there something pre-existing that was made worse by the massage, without the massage therapist’s knowledge? Or can a massage really cause a permanent injury like this if there are no pre-existing issues? Does the person receiving the massage have any responsibility in terms of providing feedback to the masseuse about the amount of pressure and technique?
- Legally, if the massage therapist was properly trained and it just happened to be that this person reacted badly to the massage technique, is the liability different than if there were some sort of negligence?
Now, I think the real issue is how Hilton and the hotel have reportedly ghosted the guest over this incident. Hotels typically use third party insurance companies for injury claims like this, and all too often, it seems that the insurance companies find any excuse to avoid liability, and then the hotel group sides with whatever they decide, since they don’t want to pay “out of pocket.”
If all of the claims are correct, and if public pressure doesn’t help, then unfortunately this seems like something that may need to be handled via the legal system…
Bottom line
A spa massage at the Conrad Maldives ended in the worst way imaginable, with a permanent neck injury that ultimately required surgery. The guest has reportedly been sharing all the relevant details with the correct departments at Hilton, but the hotel giant has now gone silent, and is refusing to pay for the injuries.
I’m really sorry to hear about how this unfolded, and it certainly makes me look at massages a little differently…
What do you make of this Conrad Maldives spa incident?
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