Australian influencer slammed for attempting to score discounted Bali resort stays in cringe video
Backlash grows as creator seeks free or reduced-rate accommodations in exchange for promotion
An Australian influencer faced widespread backlash after posting a video in which she tries to secure discounted or free stays at luxury Bali resorts in exchange for social-media posts.
Sofia Marroquin documented her efforts during a trip to Canggu, a resort village on Bali's south coast, in a clip shared to social media last month. In the video, she says she has three hours to find a place to sleep that night and acknowledges that obtaining a free stay in exchange for content is reportedly illegal in Bali. “Apparently it’s illegal in Bali to have a free stay in exchange for content so, what I’m gonna do is, I’m going to ask for a very, very big discount so at least I’m paying something and see if I can get one like that,” she says.
![Sofia Marroquin]https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/09/28/06/102513669-0-image-m-46_1759036366663.jpg
Staff at the hotels she approached told her they were not authorized to approve marketing decisions but offered to connect her with the appropriate personnel. In the first hotel, a receptionist suggested contacting the marketing team, prompting Marroquin to remark that marketing responses often take too long and she hoped to secure something for that night. “OK, every single time I contact marketing teams, they take too long to answer ’cause I was hoping to get one for tonight,” she replied. The receptionist then agreed to escalate the request to the manager and offered her a welcome drink while she looked around.
Later that evening, Marroquin tried her luck at an upmarket hostel, where she booked a room for $15 before asking for a private suite in exchange for a video. The staff told her they already had a content creator engaged on a volunteer basis. “What about other people? Because I’ve been making travel videos and staying at hotels consistently in Greece,” Marroquin argued, adding that she had just come from Greece and that outreach on social media can influence where people decide to travel. “I’ve just come from Greece now. When you get outreach on my TikTok people are like ‘Oh, I love this hotel, I’m going to save this for…’ you know what I mean? It’s different, it’s different.”
The video drew mixed reactions from viewers. Some praised Marroquin’s confidence and articulation, while others accused her of entitlement. One commenter said, “They’re running a business, not a charity. Most of us, including me, do cute TikToks of places we stay in for free.” Another added, “Not sure why you people expect free accommodation.” Marroquin replied that viewers may not understand the work that goes into content creation. A different observer wrote, “OMG you’re like one of the people that would beg everyone for a dollar standing in the school tuck shop line.”
The episode is part of a broader pattern in which travel influencers monetize their trips through sponsored stays or paid promotions, a practice that occasionally attracts public scrutiny. Tourism Australia and other destinations have faced questions about the costs and transparency of influencer-funded travel. In 2023, Tourism Australia disclosed it had spent as much as $90,000 to pay three TikTok creators to visit the country, a move critics said was difficult to judge in terms of return on investment and value for ordinary taxpayers. Supporters argued the campaigns could yield long-term tourism benefits, but critics contended the results were hard to measure and that ordinary workers should not be subsidizing high-visibility trips for a subset of travelers.
Marroquin’s clip arrives as influencers increasingly navigate the tension between authenticity and monetization in travel content. While some followers celebrate creators’ ability to turn experiences into engaging posts, others question whether the deals are fair or that they reflect typical consumer experiences. The episode also underscored Bali’s own regulatory and cultural context surrounding paid content and promotional arrangements, an area that has drawn attention as influencer culture expands globally.
Daily Mail reached out to Ms. Marroquin for comment. The outlet noted that the video’s publication last month drew attention to the ongoing debate over influencer marketing, authenticity, and the economics of luxury travel in a post-pandemic era.