Sun lounger towel battles in all inclusive holidays

[Gagamama2]

We are booking our first all inclusive for Oct half term. Looking at reviews many people mention having to get up at 6:30am to put towels on sunloungers in order to secure your lounger for the day. A couple of reviews said they got up at 4:30am to do it?!?

This seems completely ridiculous to me.

We have three young kids and I want some sleep / relaxing time, not to be stressing about sun loungers or having to use ones that are miles away from the pool / ones without shade, because my kids will need supervising in the pool and shade.

Are there unwritten sunlounger rules when going to these resorts or am I within my rights to remove someone’s towels and bag a lounger if they don’t seem to actually be at the sunlounger?? Like if we get down there in the morning and they aren’t to be seen for 15 mins or so, not if they just pop off to use the loo or something?

Look at reviews, helped us choose a place it was repeatedly said more than enough loungers for everyone. Xx

I recommend IKOS resorts - all pools are heated and plenty of space all round. No sunbed wars needed plus the food and service is first rate. On

The IKOS quote for our next holiday was £20k. Probably cheaper to buy a sun lounger.

Yes, but if you pay peanuts you can get surrounded by monkeys. Just trying to help based on our experience.

If you have 3 young children how much will you actually use a sun lounger? I would imagine you'll be in the water with your kids when they are, then when they get out they will want to be on to the next activity?

This is one of the reasons I’m reluctant to book an AI with kids as I couldn’t stand it. We are planning a villa holiday, I know we will have to clean up and do some cooking but we’ll have some meals out, so simple breakfast and lunch and give each other some alone pool time for a rest from childcare! I know it’s not the same but for us the thought of our own pool, privacy, nobody else’s kids and nobody overindulging in the bar, swung it for us! Good luck with the hunt!

We have just come back from Proxima hotel in Kusadasi, Izmir, Turkey. All Inclusive.
We got up for breakfast at 730 and there are always sunbeds available here noone put towels out before then as there are plenty. They also have a beach space with plenty of sun beds and parasols, just under 10mins stroll down the road. The reviews said this walk was terrible and dangerous but I was pleasantly surprised, there isn't a path but there is space to walk without being on the road and even with 3 children it was fine. 10 min bus ride to kusadasi town and the transfer is only an hour had a fab time and food was best we have had in Turkey despite usually staying in 4 star plus and gone every year to different hotels for 4 years.
Antalya has amazing hotels but not ideal unless you want to stay on resort as there isn't much around them.
Marmaris is great for evening walks but very busy expensive hotels.
We did late September in Marmaris and it was lovely but the pool was freezing and things were closing by the day, did get really cheap boat rrip and jet skis though!
Also I absolutely get up to get a sunbed as if there isn't any your stuffed in Auhust in Turkey as it is too hot to go out until the evening. I get it is annoying but when you only have one holiday it's not worth the risk although in my defence we use them all day, i dont waste a minute! the kids have a nap under the parasol in the afternoon. If we go out to the beach or whatever I remove the towels

Book somewhere with a swim up pool. That way you step out of your apartment straight to your own sunbeds, with a pool there. They cost a little bit more, but worth every penny.

We usually do a swim up room for this reason but have been this summer to the Lindos Imperial in Rhodes and been amazed by the relax pool where there was no one but us and no issue getting loungers at the beach.

I’ve literally just come back from Cyprus and had a swim up room. Massive terrace with sunbeds and table and chairs. Thought it would be perfect but it wasn’t ideal. The depth of the pool was too deep for my daughter so one of us always had to go in with her. She also wanted to use the slides in the shallow kids pool - this was ideal as she could go in alone but we then needed sunbeds there. Luckily, there was always sunbeds around this pool so we could pop over whenever we wanted.

The swim up room was worth it as it allowed my asd son time in the room whilst we went in the pool - he hates the heat and rarely goes in the pool. We also used it at night for a drink. However it definitely wasn’t perfect with young children.

In my experience, the best hotels tend to make multiple pools and a private beach.

I've booked AI for the first time in 25 years for next month, but selected one where it sounded really clear there were plenty of sunbeds, even in August, and that the food was very nice. I had to rule out many places from my list for these reasons. Even really pricey places. I hope not to be disappointed.

Am at the Lara Barut at the moment. Can confirm sunbed wars are in force here....mainly the Brits. It's marketed as a five star AI, but my experience of five star is as a precious poster where a pool attendant finds you a sunbed and sets you up for the day...no reservations.

Mitsis Selection Laguna in Crete isn’t as good as Ikos but it is a fabulous 5* hotel with 2 heated outdoor pools, lots of space and lots of sun loungers. Drinks are branded and free mini bar is refilled daily.

It really depends on where you go(not necessarily price wise), who they cater for and what your expectations are.

Some of the people complaining about “sunbed wars” are the ones causing it by being the ones out at 6:45 to put their towels on. How ironic. Or what they mean by no beds is none(or not enough for a family of 5) on the first row by their favourite pool. Or the worst ones , the ones that have “their” sunbeds and how did someone dare to be there the next day.

Our holidays are the cheap AI’s , we always found sunbeds easily despite all the reviews complaining about “wars”.

I like the look of the IKOS resorts , but sadly out of my price range. Heated pools sounds lovely!

Hi Yoshiblue

Would you mind telling me where you find these 5* campsites in France, please? That is right up my street.
I know I could google but would love a recommendation.

A decent hotel will have a posted/policy not allowing such selfish behaviour and staff to remove unused towels and belongings as required.....

www.yellohvillage.co.uk/5_star_campsite

Looks like there are a few other affordable recommendations appearing on the thread 😎

I have never gone to an all inclusive, but when booking holidays I read the reviews very carefully, and any hint that there aren't enough loungers is enough to rule it out.

I liked the website for IKOS! Some web sites are definitely better than other ones .. lol

We've just come back from the titanic in Antalya and it was a little difficult some days but I moved towels off beds if it was obvious they'd cleared off out for the day. We got challenged once by one family and I explained I'd moved their 3 towels off several hours beforehand and told them they were selfish if they expected us to go without sunbeds whilst they had a nice day out and expected to come back to "their" saved beds. Didn't go down too well but whatever 🤷

If you’re out for the day then reserving loungers for a 4pm return is out of order :(
People , they spoil everything don’t they !

Why can't you just move the towel and lie down? If they're not in the pool then I'd just use the lounge. What are they going to do?

I think it depends on the resort. I just returned from one which was huge with multiple pools, so this wasn’t a problem except at the kids water park. And the staff removed towels from empty loungers if you asked for a seat. Not sure if the place you’re going has a kids club but we also found that the Adults Only area had plenty of loungers.