Bahamas Resort For Obese-Only Tourists Opens Up

Body positivity is one thing. Resorts designed specifically to make you feel like your unhealthy lifestyle is totally normal and OK? Different story.

Allow me to introduce you to the world’s first and only plus-sized hotel. It’s called The Resort and can be found on the island of Eleuthera in the Bahamas.

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Again, this resort is for obese guests ONLY. It’s designed specifically to cater to their needs and tastes. Apparently, some overweight people are traumatized by regular resorts, because there are too many non-overweight people, and it makes them feel inferior and ugly and self-conscious.

The roomy island retreat is the subject of a new ITV show, Club 18 to 30 Stone, which follows a group of obese British tourists – all over 20 stone – who all said their size had made them hate beach holidays.

 

The series follows them as they spend a week enjoying the company of fellow plus-sized tourists from across the UK as they build up their confidence enough to try new activities and even strip off in the pool.

 

To make the guests feel super comfortable, owner James King, from the US, has ensured the resort is big on space – and he’s hoping to capitalise on the global obesity crisis.

It really is a genius move from an economic perspective. Hey, capitalism baby!

There are many features at this hotel, which make the stay comfortable for overweight guests. That includes “sun loungers around an azure-blue pool – all of which can take up to 40 stone in weight” (that’s about 560 pounds) as well as beds “reinforced with steel bars.”

The fact that the feature is even necessary…yikes man. Even the areas around the toilets look more spacious. And yes– the toilets are “reinforced” too.

In addition, there’s an overall “no judgment” policy, which sounds nice, but you really can’t stop people from mentally judging others. Sure, all the vacationers are fat, but some people are less fat than others.

There’s a ‘freedom from judgement’ policy that means those who want to strip off will never feel like they’re being fat-shamed, something that all of the guests say has happened to them before in more conventional resorts.

 

The first episode of the show sees the group undertake a body confidence therapy session with one of the resorts’ ‘coaches’.

 

The session quickly becomes emotional as the UK group share their stories. Mother-of-two Alice, from Nottingham, is just 31 but she admits that she’s already planned her own funeral, fearing that she won’t see her two young children grow up.

Boom. Right there. That’s what I have a problem with. It’s fine to feel confident in your skin, but if you’re so obese– to the point that you’re actually planning your own funeral– you don’t need body confidence therapy sessions. You need to lose weight. You need to get healthy. You don’t need to hide at a resort that makes your obesity feel “normal” and “healthy.”

And Dane, from Sheffield, can’t contain his emotion as he reveals that he’s scuppered wedding plans with Helen, ‘the love of his life’ twice because his weight has left him with crippling anxiety.

 

Holidaymakers at the resort aren’t encouraged to worry about what they eat – there’s a bottomless buffet three times a day – but there is focus on persuading them to feel comfortable enough to parade around in swimwear and get involved in daring sports they might not try elsewhere.

 

They’re told by the duo of body coaches: ‘When you look in that mirror, you can’t see failure.’

But again, is that REALLY the answer? I don’t think it is.

Look– if this is a place where they can go to try new things and GET HEALTHY and ACTIVE without fear of judgment, then sure. I get it. But the whole “bottomless buffet three times a day” certainly sends another message.

Get what I’m saying?

h/t Daily Mail