Sun Lounger Wars. First Rodeo.

Adamc

Currently at a 5 star AI adults only resort. Plenty of sun loungers. Not all in optimal locations. Usual story ALL the best sun loungers (poolside and sea breeze) gone by 7am despite the policy ruling against this. We pitched up with our preferred spot in view and noticed that no one had used 80% of the spots there within 2 hours. I had staff move off some towels and 30 mins later a couple came back and said they'd reserved the spot. I asked them to speak to staff. They came back looking miffed and for the rest of the day intermittently came back and discussed the issue with the people on the loungers around us and within earshot of us. It soon became clear we had entered a small community of avid reservers who had rewritten the hotel rule book. After so long it was too much and I took the bait. I raised my voice a little saying that it's rude to discuss people within earshot and that they were being entitled. The other couples then got involved saying they'd done it all week and it's just the way it is. 

It's blown over now (well - I've heard no more) but I think I'm done with resort holidays. My partner isn't happy about it. They have joined the reservers at 7am. Now I'm morally compromised but complicit. We now also have differing views on resort holidays ... Oh and there's talk of a cruise which would be my maiden cruise liner voyage. 

discat11

Storm in a teacup really, but there are entitled wan*ers everywhere, unfortunately.

Frankly, if it's the hotel's policy to not allow reservations of loungers then they are responsible for policing it.
It probably wouldn't be too difficult for a member of staff to pop out once an hour and move towels off unoccupied loungers.

I appreciate staff don't want the hassle, but a firm hand played by the hotel would nip this in the bud before long.

Westin

Despite the long standing joke about the Germans reserving sunbeds, in my experience over the years it has always been the British who selfishly do the sunbed blocking.   

NoodleDoodleMan

Westin said:

Despite the long standing joke about the Germans reserving sunbeds, in my experience over the years it has always been the British who selfishly do the sunbed blocking.   

Seconded.

IvanOpinion

NoodleDoodleMan said:

Westin said:

Despite the long standing joke about the Germans reserving sunbeds, in my experience over the years it has always been the British who selfishly do the sunbed blocking.   

Seconded.

Thirded.  My partner and I are just back. 
The first week was lovely we got up at our usual 7AM and were on our loungers by 8:00 (note on them, not just towels) - before anyone says anything I love being up and about at that time of the morning.  People came and used loungers with no problem.

The second week is when the Brits arrived and it was wall-to-wall towels from 5-6AM with some of them not turning up until late morning.  I, like several others, just tipped the pool boy to dispose of the litter on our preferred loungers, sat down and enjoyed rest of the day - apart from the bit where this whining noise happened at about 10AM.

Mrsn

Currently in Tenerife and this hotel also says it has a we will remove belongings from sun loungers after 30 minutes if not being used. 

Haven’t seen it happen yet but we are lucky that we haven’t reached peak summer season for the British yet (Leicester break up earlier than everywhere else so took advantage of that and enjoying it being quieter) so although we can’t get loungers near the pool we can get them further back and that’s fine with us. Can’t get a parasol though.... 

TELLIT01

A friend's son stayed at a very posh AI hotel for his honeymoon.  He was shocked to discover that sunbeds had to be booked the day before, you were given a specific sunbed number, the beds were not to be repositioned, and it was a maximum 4 hour slot per day.

Yorkshire_Dangermouse

We stayed at the hotel in Tenerife earlier in the year that was recently in the news for the 'Towel Police'.  I must say it was refreshing to see the policy being followed, with no qualms at all.

If you'd left your lounger (the first check was around 10:00) the hotel staff lifted everything and left a note.  Towels, sunglasses, books, handbags, clothing....everything was lifted.

No excuses - they told everyone on check-in, and there are signs everywhere.  More of this please....we have rebooked for next year.

Sea_Shell

TELLIT01 said:

A friend's son stayed at a very posh AI hotel for his honeymoon.  He was shocked to discover that sunbeds had to be booked the day before, you were given a specific sunbed number, the beds were not to be repositioned, and it was a maximum 4 hour slot per day.

Were these standard loungers by the pool or "Bali" beds?   

I can understand if the latter, but I'd be miffed if normal ones were so restricted.

Sometimes "posh" doesn't always mean better!! 😉

silvercar

Recently stayed in a hotel in Cyprus, where you chose your sun beds according to what was available that day. If the position wasn't what you wanted you could put your name down for the beds you did like. The sun bed controller had a large map with the dates each bed would become available on it. It worked really well.

xzibit

Head to resorts that the English don’t frequent. It’s annoying and I don’t know why they do it. Selfish people. I’ve witnessed towels being out at 7am and the people turn up to lounge around the pool about 4pm. They rely on people being to scared to move the towels. Good on you for taking some action. If more people chucked their towels on the floor they’d give up.