While at the Kempinski Ishtar Dead Sea, I experienced an unwelcome advance from the hotel hairdresser, who first asked me to take off my shirt, then pushed hard to accompany me back to my room for a massage, and for good measure tried to rip me off on my salon bill.
Hotel Hairdresser Pushes To Give Me In-Room Massage
I mentioned in my review of the hotel that there was an incident that occurred while I was there from a contractor. On my last day, I decided to get a haircut and reached out to the hotel spa for an appointment. The hotel does not have an in-house hairdresser and instead uses a contractor.
Once he arrived, I proceeded to the hotel salon for my haircut.
The man, who looked to be about 45, was quite pleasant but my “gaydar” went off based upon his speech, mannerisms, jewelry, and clothing.
A gay hairdresser. What. A. Surprise.
I was actually happy about that – he seemed confident and creative and I thought he’d do a good job with my hair.
Making assumptions based upon appearance or mannerisms is not always helpful, but in this case I tend to think my initial assessment was accurate.
The first thing he did was order me to take off my shirt.
“To wash your hair and for neck massage,” he explained.
I thought that was a bit odd, but okay.
I removed my shirt and after checking me out for a good five seconds and praising my abs, he washed my hair. I then sat back in the chair and he gave me a head (as in my skull), neck, and shoulder massage.
He then turned the chair around so that I was facing him and with a grin said, “How about I come back to your room and give you a full body massage? Only 60JOD.”
I could not help but to chuckle, but told him very clearly no thanks.
That did not seem to fluster him because he kept asking. And he kept asking if I had cash too. The answer was always no. I did nothing to lead him on.
Unfortunately, he did a poor job of cutting my hair. He hacked it and I thought it really looked terrible afterwards. Over and over he kept asking if I had cash and also asking if he could come back to my room with me. I wish he had focused on cutting my hair instead.
Once was done with the blow…dry he asked me once more if I had cash and said the haircut was 40JOD. I did not have cash and told him I would charge it to my room.
You should have seen the crestfallen look on his face.
A spa receptionist next door handed me a bill. The haircut wasn’t 40JOD, it was only 19JOD. The dude had not only tried to rip off my pants, but rip me off too.
I took this man’s picture and I have his name. I’ve decided to withhold both pieces of information from this story. Homosexual conduct is not criminalized in Jordan, yet homosexuals face social discrimination in a country that remains very conservative. I wish no harm on this man or his wife and kids.
But his conduct was not appreciated and he is not fit to hold a job at the Kempinski. I’ve forwarded this story to the hotel.
Here’s the thing: it’s one thing to flirt. I had my wedding ring on which should have been a clue, but then again, he had one on as well. I’m not offended that he made the proposition. But when I said no, that meant no the first time. There was no need to ask often. And the fact that he tried to rip me off too…well, I guess he did not think very highly of me after all.
I’ve put a link to this story in the hotel review, but this incident would in no way change my overall positive assessment of the hotel or decision to return. Still, I won’t go back to the hairdresser.
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