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Original poster

Sun lounger wars - where to go to avoid them?

46 replies

froomeonthebroom · 04/08/2022 13:02

We are in France at the moment and by 10.15am all the loungers around the pool have towels on them. I hate this and have taken towels off if I want to sit down, but I can't face another year of it!

I'm looking for a recommendation of where to go that has good pools with slides, accommodation that has a separate area (or two rooms) for us and 2 teenage DC but most importantly NO LOUNGER WARS!

Needs to be in the school summer holidays so probably Europe. Budget around £4k.

OP posts:
elizabethcharlotte · 05/08/2022 08:35

We went to Camping Del Garda in Italy. It was lovely! If you left your towels unattended for more than half an hour the attendant folded them up and took them away. People only did it once because then you had the walk of shame you go and collect them with everyone watching! But it meant you could always get a couple of sun loungers even in August.

prepared101 · 05/08/2022 08:41

I'm on holiday at the moment and I would be mightily pissed of if I went for lunch and came back to find someone on my subbed. For those saying "if a sun bed is empty just sit on it" - that's not normal behaviour! Envy

OP, if you want a number of sun beds (I.e for a family) and the hotel allows reservations you will just have to get up early. I've never been to a Spanish resort that removes towels but when we were in Cyprus the hotel there was strict about removing towels put out before 9am all that did was create a hoard of European visitors waiting to fight over beds at 9.01

Felixsmama · 05/08/2022 09:31

We are at a little family run self catering apartments in Crete no sun bed wars!

Whammyyammy · 05/08/2022 11:39

Not really experienced it for a long time, as previously said, you don't tend to gey it at more expensive hotels.
When the kids were younger we did, and dealt with it;

  1. Report to reception, ask them to deal with it, once they do , you get a few people moan, but they all learn. If reception don't deal with it, tell them you will, and you'll bring all towels to reception.
  2. Remove towels and deliver to reception. If option 1 doesn't work.

Remember one family leaving for the airport years ago, just before they got on coach, they sent their kids to run round and throw all reserved towels into the pool. Some people cheered from balconies, some were just as noisy, but not cheering..made my morning.

prepared101 · 05/08/2022 11:44

Whammyyammy · 05/08/2022 11:39

Not really experienced it for a long time, as previously said, you don't tend to gey it at more expensive hotels.
When the kids were younger we did, and dealt with it;

  1. Report to reception, ask them to deal with it, once they do , you get a few people moan, but they all learn. If reception don't deal with it, tell them you will, and you'll bring all towels to reception.
  2. Remove towels and deliver to reception. If option 1 doesn't work.

Remember one family leaving for the airport years ago, just before they got on coach, they sent their kids to run round and throw all reserved towels into the pool. Some people cheered from balconies, some were just as noisy, but not cheering..made my morning.

I'm not convinced that some MN'etters live in the real world. And if they do they apparently raise rude children.

Original poster
froomeonthebroom · 05/08/2022 13:27

@pprepared101 you are obviously part of the problem. Why do you think it's OK to hog loungers when you're not even in the pool?! There are people here sitting on the floor because someone as selfish as you has left their towels.

OP posts:
Saisong · 05/08/2022 13:40

I've found the AIs in the Balearics tend to have attendants that remove towels if the beds are unoccupied for any great length. Just having the policy seems to curb the entitlement. The ones we have been to also seem to have shady gardens near the pool - I'm not averse to spreading a towel out on grass under trees rather than bake around the pool (I look for hotels with gardens for this reason).

We're off to Tenerife soon and apparently the hotel (Landmar Costa los Gigantes) doesn't have a sunbed issue as long as you are ok with sitting further back from the pool - we shall see!

YellowMonday · 05/08/2022 13:42

Boutique hotels and airbnbs rather than large resorts or "all in" deals.

I recently was in Hawaii, and in Maui and Kauai we stayed in airbnbs (small condos) and had no issue with sun lunges. In Waikiki we stayed in the best boutique hotel (White Sands) and had the best sun lounges whenever we were at the pool. We literally went from lounge to swinging seats at the tiki bar and back all day.

Flossflower · 05/08/2022 14:28

froomeonthebroom · 04/08/2022 13:45

@Winkydink the French camp sites don't tend to have pool attendants unfortunately, otherwise I would certainly speak to them. It's a double edged sword really because it means that the boys can wear baggy shorts (not really allowed) which is good, but it also means people don't follow the no reserving loungers rule.

I lost sympathy with you after this update. It is really grim to be wearing the same shirts in the pool that you wear all round and about. Have some better standard’s

Flossflower · 05/08/2022 14:29

Shirts not shirts. Shirts would be equally bad.

Flossflower · 05/08/2022 14:30

Shorts!,

pinkpanther84 · 05/08/2022 14:36

Following as currently looking for an all inclusive in turkey and every time I look up a hotel in trip advisor, people mention having to get up at the crack of dawn to get a sun bed. I don't want to have to do that!

midsomermurderess · 05/08/2022 14:40

prepared101 · 05/08/2022 11:44

I'm not convinced that some MN'etters live in the real world. And if they do they apparently raise rude children.

Show quote history

But they can do (an entirely unnecessary) numbered list. Amidst all the clapping and cheering.

onmywayamarillo · 05/08/2022 14:41

5 star resorts do not have this problem... especially if you get a family executive room with private pool

I find turkey all inclusive that cost about 5/6/7k for a week for 4 people. They just don't allow pool towel thing!

They take all towels off if no one is sitting there. You just rock up ask for more towels and sit where you please

kateandme · 05/08/2022 20:22

Private gite with pool.bliss.the idea of resorts give me nightmares because of things like this.
mobile homes or villas all the way.

Tallulasdancingshoes · 07/08/2022 10:12

IC Santai Family in Turkey has an part where you can rent a star room. These have their own shared pool and own loungers for each room. Something like this would probably be good, but it’ll definitely be more than 4k for 4 of you in school holidays.

NCTDN · 07/08/2022 10:48

Flossflower · 05/08/2022 14:29

Shirts not shirts. Shirts would be equally bad.

I think the op means they wear baggy swimming shorts, not trunks. Doesn't mean wearing the same shirts for swimming and shopping.

NCTDN · 07/08/2022 10:48

Ah now I did it! Shorts!

TheBikiniExpert · 07/08/2022 10:59

The other thing to do in Italy when you have access to the beach, is to go down to the nearest bagnino and book beds and an umbrella for the week. Job done.
This is what we do. But admittedly we are self catering near the beach rather than in a hotel. If we are in a hotel I never reserve a sunlounger for the kids as they rarely use it.

CookieDoughKid · 07/08/2022 17:22

Upper-class 5* resorts and some even reserve them for you throughout your whole stay. Unfortunately if you want first class service it is £££ but I don't mind paying as it also means less people 😅

cansu · 12/08/2022 19:51

Go somewhere smaller where people also spend time outside the hotel. The problem are people who go AI tend to stay all day at the hotel.

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