I wouldn't be surprised if Madelines abduction was by the 'child-minding' service offered at the hotel, to make an example of parents for not using them and thus diminishing their income.....'course it's all got way out of hand now. But Madeline hasn't been found so hopefully, she's living somewhere.
I've been to Portugal, the locals I met were spiteful to me and my then 7y old. We occupied their shaded area of the beach (didn't know it was just for them) so they kicked sand all over us and the beach bloke told us to move to an unshaded area near the sewer. I vowed I would never return.