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Original poster

Sunbed etiquette

74 replies

Itsrainingten · 27/07/2024 11:17

We're on holiday in Turkey ATM. We were at the pool first thing for about an hour, then went to the snack bar for an hour or so for some breakfast and left towels and our stuff on our sunbeds so we could come back to them (yes I know that's cheeky) but when we came back another family had taken the sunbeds next to ours and pinched one of ours - fair enough I accept we were being a bit naughty reserving it whole we weren't there BUT they just sat on all our stuff! Who does that?? The man was sitting his arse on DC's cap. Also they hadn't bothered to pull the sunbed across to join the rest of the ones they had and left it literally touching our other ones. This is weird right?
Why wouldn't you move the personal stuff - and the USED towel first? And why wouldn't you move it across so you're not in someone else's group?
It annoyed me so I decided to make them feel uncomfortable by sitting on the one closest to them until they moved it over away from our remaining ones. I also had to pull my son's cap out from under the man's bum!

OP posts:
Original poster
Itsrainingten · 27/07/2024 12:24

LuckysDadsHat · 27/07/2024 12:17

I prefer hotels and cruises that the staff move people's stuff after a certain amount of time (normally 30 mins). It makes it a much nicer experience. They normally put a card on the chair with the time stuff will be removed. Stops the CFs hogging all the sun beds.

Apparently they do that here. I wasn't aware until just now. That's probably why there were quite a few free ones other than ours. Maybe the limit is an hour or something because I think we were probably just under that till we got back.

OP posts:
Newbie8918 · 27/07/2024 12:24

Surprised at some of the replies on here.

I think sunbed etiquette seems to be subjective which is probably why it's always contentious. Here's what I think (my personal opinion so don't come for me)

  1. It's ok to put towels on beds and go to the snack bar for breakfast. I'd say an hour max
  2. However......its NOT ok to do that immediately when you put towels down, you must sit on them first for half an hour or so 🤣 (preferably get in the pool and ensure they look really used 🤣)
  3. Even if you've sat on them before you leave, it's unacceptable to leave the premises to go for food or go shopping...take them with you, you lose the bed
  4. The presence of a towel AND sun cream/caps/beach bags/strategically placed book, doesn't mean that you can leave them empty for longer. Same rules apply
  5. It's ALWAYS unacceptable to sit on someone else's things. Even if you think they're taking the piss and haven't complied with the rules above, you move their shit before you claim it as your own.
Original poster
Itsrainingten · 27/07/2024 12:26

sandrapinchedmysandwich · 27/07/2024 12:23

This. This is exactly the etiquette

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Well that was us so I don't think we were being massively unreasonable leaving our stuff. But we weren't there so I didn't really mind him pinching the bed. Just that he didn't move out stuff first. Anyway like I said the pool guy just moved THEIR towels. So maybe that's karma 😂

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Original poster
Itsrainingten · 27/07/2024 12:27

Newbie8918 · 27/07/2024 12:24

Surprised at some of the replies on here.

I think sunbed etiquette seems to be subjective which is probably why it's always contentious. Here's what I think (my personal opinion so don't come for me)

  1. It's ok to put towels on beds and go to the snack bar for breakfast. I'd say an hour max
  2. However......its NOT ok to do that immediately when you put towels down, you must sit on them first for half an hour or so 🤣 (preferably get in the pool and ensure they look really used 🤣)
  3. Even if you've sat on them before you leave, it's unacceptable to leave the premises to go for food or go shopping...take them with you, you lose the bed
  4. The presence of a towel AND sun cream/caps/beach bags/strategically placed book, doesn't mean that you can leave them empty for longer. Same rules apply
  5. It's ALWAYS unacceptable to sit on someone else's things. Even if you think they're taking the piss and haven't complied with the rules above, you move their shit before you claim it as your own.

Ha! I agree. I think this is spot on.

OP posts:
MeowCatPleaseMeowBack · 27/07/2024 12:29

I disagree with most of these posts.

I think it's a dick move to reserve a sunbed then immediately go off and do whatever. But when you're actively using one it's fine to leave your stuff for an hour while you go for a meal, as long as you plan to come back and use them.

TossieFleacake · 27/07/2024 12:30

There's a world of difference between putting your stuff on a sunbed to reserve it at 7am and then not going to use it until 2pm ... and leaving your used belongings on a bed while you nip to get some lunch.

Imisshimtoo · 27/07/2024 12:33

LuckysDadsHat · 27/07/2024 12:17

I prefer hotels and cruises that the staff move people's stuff after a certain amount of time (normally 30 mins). It makes it a much nicer experience. They normally put a card on the chair with the time stuff will be removed. Stops the CFs hogging all the sun beds.

That's a bit harsh. 30 mins isn't a lot of time if you've gone in the pool with your kids or something.

Whatnow321 · 27/07/2024 12:45

I hate getting sunbeds abroad. I don’t want to get up early to reserve a bed as on holiday and is so frustrating getting down to a sea of empty beds covered with towels that then don’t get used till lunch. My other bug bear is families who insist on taking one bed for everyone when the kids never sit on them.

Having said all that I wouldn’t sit on peoples stuff that’s just wrong

LlynTegid · 27/07/2024 12:48

Agree it is unacceptable to sit on someone else's things. Just place somewhere neatly nearby.

Superhansrantowindsor · 27/07/2024 12:53

If everyone just used a bed then moved their stuff when they got lunch they’d be enough for everyone as lots of people only want a bed for a short period.

Howdoesitworkagain · 27/07/2024 12:56

I don’t think you did anything wrong, it’s perfectly ok to have a break for food and drink. The other man was the rude one. I’d have said excuse me and expected him to move off of my belongings.

Agree with others that whilst having a break for food, pool etc is normal, it’s not ok to go off out or go and have a siesta etc which some people seem to think is fine. I also now stay in places with towels supplied and pool attendants who’ll go round removing ones that have been left for a while.

minipie · 27/07/2024 14:26

I don’t really understand this whole “you have to use them for a bit first” thing

Let’s say family A) put stuff on sunbeds at 8am and immediately go for breakfast, use sunbeds from 9am onwards

Family B) put stuff on sunbeds at 8am, use till 9am, go for breakfast, use sunbeds from 10am onwards

I don’t get why B is more acceptable than A ? Both have the same impact on everyone else? My issue is with people reserving sunbeds for ages when they’re not even at the pool - makes no difference to me whether they’ve used them first or not.

ladydeedy · 27/07/2024 14:32

Itsrainingten · 27/07/2024 11:27

Honestly it wasn't really about the reserving. It was basically laziness and not wanting to carry our stuff. Although there was an element of "insurance" I guess.

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I am glad I am not on holiday with you. You sound and - by your own admission - selfish and lazy. What kind of example are you setting your kids?

ClarabelleRose · 27/07/2024 14:34

It’s so naff to reserve sunbeds. Just don’t do it.

Bustedpoon · 27/07/2024 14:35

You just have to quickly establish the local rules and if that means queuing at 7am when they open the doors so be it. But dont fk with those big Russian guys!

LuckysDadsHat · 27/07/2024 14:38

minipie · 27/07/2024 14:26

I don’t really understand this whole “you have to use them for a bit first” thing

Let’s say family A) put stuff on sunbeds at 8am and immediately go for breakfast, use sunbeds from 9am onwards

Family B) put stuff on sunbeds at 8am, use till 9am, go for breakfast, use sunbeds from 10am onwards

I don’t get why B is more acceptable than A ? Both have the same impact on everyone else? My issue is with people reserving sunbeds for ages when they’re not even at the pool - makes no difference to me whether they’ve used them first or not.

I don't think it's acceptable either way. If you leave, you leave! A quick 5 min trip to the toilet etc.... is different, but it's wrong to go and get a meal and eat it elsewhere.

PrincessHoneysuckle · 27/07/2024 15:07

Every holiday I've been on people have reserved sunbeds it's standard

sandrapinchedmysandwich · 27/07/2024 15:09

ladydeedy · 27/07/2024 14:32

I am glad I am not on holiday with you. You sound and - by your own admission - selfish and lazy. What kind of example are you setting your kids?

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Don't be ridiculous. Going off for an hour to eat and coming straight back is fine. This is acceptable everywhere I have been. It's the arseholes who reserve and don't come back for hours who are the problem

Nonda · 27/07/2024 15:13

One of the nicest hotels we have stayed in had a strict no reserving of Sun lounger rule that was supported by the management. The lifeguards or pool supervisors would go round once per hour and put all the towels/belongings in a big basket for people to pick up later. This only happened once during our stay as people soon got the message not to reserve. It was a smallish hotel so he could check that people weren’t in the pool, suppose it is hard for a bigger resort.

Moveoverdarlin · 27/07/2024 15:15

I dunno. I’m on holiday at the moment. Every bloody sunbed is taken and reserved with towels by 10am and 70 percent have no one sat on them.

It’s a pain the ass. People reserve them, fuck off all day and then have the perfect spot when they come meandering back at 4pm. It’s so selfish.

whichfan · 27/07/2024 15:32

Itsrainingten · 27/07/2024 11:29

Meh! I accept reserving is a dick move. I want really bothered they took the sunbed. Just annoyed they didn't move my son's hat before sitting on it. And I don't really get why they would t slide it across to their group. There was enough left that it wasn't a problem at all. I just got another one and moved it across so we had our 4 beds again.

he sat on your son’s hat

Is it possible that he didn’t see a child’s hat when he plonked himself down?!

Presumably that wasnt the only thing you’d left… so what did they do with everything else you left?

Original poster
Itsrainingten · 27/07/2024 16:39

whichfan · 27/07/2024 15:32

he sat on your son’s hat

Is it possible that he didn’t see a child’s hat when he plonked himself down?!

Presumably that wasnt the only thing you’d left… so what did they do with everything else you left?

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No definitely not possible he didn't notice our stuff. There was also a book and a Rubik's cube along with the towel. The only bit his arse was actually on was the hat though. So weird. Especially when there's loads of others available anyway

OP posts:
Original poster
Itsrainingten · 27/07/2024 16:41

ladydeedy · 27/07/2024 14:32

I am glad I am not on holiday with you. You sound and - by your own admission - selfish and lazy. What kind of example are you setting your kids?

Show quote history

This is so dramatic 😂

OP posts:
Funkyslippers · 27/07/2024 16:56

I don't think you were BU to leave your towels while you got food. What were you supposed to, take them all with you? And a weird family to sit on your stuff.

I'm dreading next week when we go abroad as I hate sunbed wars! Tbh though we're usually just as happy sitting at a table by the pool bar....

LoobyDoop2 · 27/07/2024 18:48

If you’re in a hotel where people reserve sunbeds, you either have to do it yourself or never get one. The satisfaction of the moral high ground isn’t really the best basis for a nice holiday.

But there is a special place in hell reserved for people who pitch up too close to others on the beach, sunbeds or no sunbeds. It’s just fucking rude and I do not understand it.