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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think sunlounger reservers are the worst

81 replies

Clearlynotmyname · 21/10/2021 10:36

We're on a sun holiday which is lovely in many ways but we can't get a space for love nor money by one of the three large pools, because of people saving beds when they are not there. This morning by 9ish, all of the beds at one pool had stuff dumped on them, and there was literally one person present, everyone else had gone off to have breakfast or whatever.

This gives us the fun options of: not having a bed, moving someone's stuff and inevitably having a fight when they eventually show up, or also being dicks and rocking up at 7am with our towels.

First world problem and all that and I know I am lucky to be on holiday but perhaps precisely because it's our first proper holiday in years that it's pissing me off so much. I have spoken to reception but nothing has changed. Aibu?

OP posts:
girlmom21 · 21/10/2021 10:38

I'd move their stuff and be prepared for the fight if they don't turn up within half an hour or so of putting their stuff their.

Knobs.

girlmom21 · 21/10/2021 10:38

*there

GertrudePerkinsPaperyThing · 21/10/2021 10:39

Decent hotels police this and don’t allow it. I know that doesn’t help you now!

Original poster
Clearlynotmyname · 21/10/2021 10:41

Gertrude I agree - we've been to this hotel a few times before and never found it a problem. Not sure why they have lost control of it now!

OP posts:
ShirleyPhallus · 21/10/2021 10:42

Speak to the hotel staff who usually will tell others to move their shit

Original poster
Clearlynotmyname · 21/10/2021 10:42

I'm not one to shy from a fight if I had to but DH gets embarrassed and I'm also pissed off with hotel for putting me in this situation- I don't want to start every holiday day with an argument!

OP posts:
Kiduknot · 21/10/2021 10:43

If you can’t beat them, join them. I’ve gone and put towels down when I’ve got up for a wee about 5amish. Then I’ve gone back to bed. I’d rather not though, but it was either that or not get a bed..

daimbarsatemydogsbone · 21/10/2021 10:44

Hell is other people.

Guavaf1sh · 21/10/2021 10:45

Kidunot you ARE them

Original poster
Clearlynotmyname · 21/10/2021 10:46

Hell is other people

You're not wrong there Grin
Maybe next time we'll go for a private villa. But goddamn I love the buffet breakfasts here

OP posts:
Bluntness100 · 21/10/2021 10:46

Personally I think if you reserve and then go to brekkie and come back and use the beds for an extended period I don’t think it’s that big a deal. I think it’s a big deal if you don’t intend to use it for hours.

Daddydog · 21/10/2021 10:50

It's even more annoying as they space them out further due to COVID so less to fight over. They all have polices but don't enforce unless you raise it. Also us Brits never really complain beyond forums and TripAdvisor. Have you tried taking photos of towels being put early morning or empty beds and explaining this to the General Manager? Explainig you have kids and need to obiously be close to the pool to watch them but it's hard with such selfish guests? They may even take a few loungers out of storage! Have a lovely holiday!

Original poster
Clearlynotmyname · 21/10/2021 10:51

One man just "kindly" gave us one of his 4 reserved beds as apparently "his kids won't be down for ages". I gritted my teeth and said thank you so much you twat

OP posts:
Simonjt · 21/10/2021 10:52

We go to places now where the staff allocate your sunbeds when you arrive at the pool, if you then leave they box up your shit.

EileenGC · 21/10/2021 10:53

I’d tell the hotel staff.
I’d never book an all inclusive holiday with lots of pools and other tourists around ever again Grin

Ilovechocolatetoomuch · 21/10/2021 10:53

This is the exact reason we always get a villa, because I am no confrontational and don't want to deal with this.
I think it should be upto the hotel to police it really, otherwise it's like the petrol crisis again but with sunbeds.

Original poster
Clearlynotmyname · 21/10/2021 10:54

Thanks all. But as I said in my OP I've already complained! And sent DH to complain once as well

OP posts:
RandomMess · 21/10/2021 12:55

Don't move their stuff as such just sit on their towels etc.

Oh the hotel staff said you can't reserve so thought it was a hotel towel...

saltinesandcoffeecups · 21/10/2021 13:28

I hate that about resorts, but have come to accept that it will never change. We don’t go to resorts that often anymore, but if we do it’s a Sandals in the Caribbean. We get the butler* rooms and they’ll reserve our spaces for us.

So much easier and saves me the grief of worrying about it.

*these rooms typically have the amenities we want vs. the standard rooms and with the discounts offered through different programs usually take care of the difference in price.

Funkyslippers · 21/10/2021 13:28

If there are loads of sunbeds I'd have no problem taking towels off and putting them on the ground, then moving the sunbeds so it didn't look like I'd done it. But it's better to speak to the hotel or holiday rep.

Worst I've seen is in Lanzarote, there were around 6 pools with around 1000 sunbeds and every single one was taken on our first morning, around 9am. I spoke to the holiday rep who at first said he couldn't do anything as he 'doesn't like confrontation' (even though that's exactly what he was having with me) but in the end got a couple of the staff sunbeds and a parasol for us and our young baby.

Bluntness100 · 21/10/2021 13:30

Don’t sit on their towels. That’s going to cause warfare and is disgusting.

The issue you have is normally folks can leave stuff for an hour or so, so if you wish to go to lunch for example you’re not expected to pack up all your stuff and leave and then come back to get new beds after lunch. And this means you don’t know how long folks are away for, or when they are coming back.

DentalWorries · 21/10/2021 13:33

I hate this. We stayed in a 5* hotel in Greece recently and they had some beautiful double sun beds (probably about 20 in total) but then loads of normal ones. I wasn’t really bothered about getting a special one but thought if I woke up early one day I’d get one. So one day I went out at 6am to have a look. I couldn’t believe they’d all already been reserved!! And some with just a lilo not even a towel. Are people really getting up pre 6am or are they reserving them before bed?

Bluntness100 · 21/10/2021 13:36

The worst I saw was a family came down, moved someone’s stuff off of the sun beds and used the beds, I knew it was going to be an issue as I’d seen the family pop down with their towels and knew when they left they would not be long, but sort of lay there watching as I didn’t wish to get involved.

And bang on time the displaced family came back about five mins later, literally and to be fair they had only been gone about twenty to thirty mins.

After a bit of an argument the displaced family said fair enough and then proceeded to lay their towels out and sit on the ground right next to the couple who had displaced them who were laying on their beds. It was so so awkward. Eventually the couple who moved their stuff moved off.

That’s the fundamental issue, you don’t know how long someone has been gone or when they are coming back

Whammyyammy · 21/10/2021 13:37

We only use adult only hotels so don't see this, but when we went to places with kids we did. My oh woukd always neatly pack stiff up and move it. Never has one argument, had some looks but no 9be ever said anything.
My husband is a very big guy though.

Just move theur stuff

DillonPanthersTexas · 21/10/2021 13:41

Any kind of holiday that involves 5am starts or squabbling with others for space by the pool is no kind of holiday.