Nothing in Hotel Paradise is calculated to offend the sensibilities of socially-conscious readers. In fact, several social groups which are often treated dismissively, condescendingly, or stereotypically in others works—the young, the elderly, the mentally disabled—are presented with real sympathy and respect in this novel. As narrator, Emma is consistently resistant to thinking ill of others—except for her antagonist Ree-Jane Davidow, the waspish daughter of her mother's business partner. "It's very easy to find reasons to hate someone," Emma observes; "all you needed was the will to do it." Although she is imbued with a keen sense of injustice—especially toward those who neglect or mistreat children—Emma herself tries hard not to hate others and is nearly always successful.