Would you expect to cover up at a pool bar?

[mittestreet]

We were staying in a hotel recently. 5* but dated. There was a pool bar near the pool with plastic chairs where you could order some lunch.

We sat at a table right by the pool and ordered lunch. He didn't put a t-shirt on because he didn't want to get suncream on his shirt. People regularly ordered drinks at the bar in dripping swimming outfits only.

Manager came out to politely remind us of the requirement for clothing to be worn at lunch. We had assumed this only applied to the shit down restaurant that offers a more formal lunch. Would you expect to need to wear a t shirt at a pool bar?

Yes. I would.

Hm, I wouldn’t wear what I would to a standard restaurant, but at the very least I’d think coverups for women and T-shirts for men

Yes. Rather uncouth to be bare-chested at lunch, though I am ancient with some possibly dated standards around dress and footwear in restaurants.

No one wants to see middle aged spread and stretch marks when they are eating lunch. Cover up.

If siting down to eat them yes I'd put tshirt and shorts on.

I dont want to see semi naked people when eating.

Yes, definitely in this situation. It would be different if you had ordered foot to your sun lounger.

“Shit down restaurant” 😂😂

Yes it’s normally made clear at hotels that guests shouldn’t be semi naked in the eateries

Doesn't really matter what we would expect if that's the rule at your hotel. Maybe he could have an older t-shirt that he doesn't care so much about getting suncream on, just for lunchtimes.

Yes. Yabu. Certainly sitting down you should have clothes on unless it's a nudist restaurant.

Oh my gosh. Talk about a typo!

Yes. I don’t want to look at a hairy belly while eating.

At a pool bar no I wouldnt necessarily expect to have to get dressed. However I wouldn't mind or object if that was the rule.

So it depends on age then??

Yes, I have been to many similar resorts and putting a top on when eating at the pool bar is the norm.

Saying that, I suspect that appearance may make a difference. A slender and model-like young person will probably be overlooked whereas a hairy middle-aged man would be spoken to fairly quickly…

I wouldn’t be going near a shit down restaurant covered or uncovered

It winds me up no end that men think it's ok to walk around with their tops off... and at ANY bar or restaurant they should cover up. I don't care how old or young or how toned or otherwise. If it's not appropriate for a woman to have her tits out, it's not appropriate for a bloke to be bare chested either. It's basic etiquette and respect for others.

Yes - all pool restaurants I’ve been to insisted on it

‘no shirt, no shoes, no service’

not hard to throw on a tshirt and flip flops. That’s all they want!

I don’t know which country you were in but certainly in some parts of the Med they are actually very formal and especially around food. They would think it immodest and improper to eat at a table without a top on. Poolside or not.

They will know people do it, but not admire them for it.
The manager was trying to uphold standards for his hotel and the common cultural ones I suspect.
Too many people forget they are not in their own country. Yes, the hotel is built for guests. But the hotel will have rules about how those guests should behave.

I would expect men to wear a t shirt and women a beach cover/sarong maybe.

Yes I would. Seeing a woman in a minuscule thong sat on a bar stool made me…not want to sit on it when she left. How hard is it to put a cover up or t shirt on?

Me tool, it’s disgusting and imo only a certain type of person does it, I can’t stand people eating at pool bars without clothing…

l am not a prude, where l can l go topless at the beach. But in general:

Going up to the pool bar to grab a drink and return directly to the pool: No

Sitting down to lunch in the bar area: Yes, cover up!

Yes yes and more yes

No I wouldn’t if the bar serves the pool area and people order drinks in swimwear.

i spent years living abroad and at a plastic chair poolside bar or beachside bar I usually wore a sarong not to stick to the seat but we ate in swimwear 🤷‍♀️