Pool but no sunbeds

[Ceebeegee]

Hypothetical question really for an anxious traveller. If you're on holiday and all the sun beds are all taken around the pool, do you still go in the pool and leave you stuff at the side , or do you give up and do something else ?

You on your own?

in which case there’s always the odd single bed available

I just pop my things in a little pile out of everyone's way.

I’d get a drink at the bar and wait for a sunbed if I really wanted a day at the pool. Otherwise, I’d go to the beach or do some sightseeing.

In my experience there’s always a sun bed or a chair near the bar. Out go to hotel now has a rule that you can’t reserve sun beds before 10.00am. You can use them, but you can’t put your towel out and go away unless you are in the pool.

We're a family of 3. General reviews of the hotel are okay, but a quite regular comment is that sunbeds get taken very early and there are not enough sunbeds for the number of guests. We're not early risers so wont be running to claim a bed at 7am. I'd be okay leaving my stuff out of the way , but I wasn't sure of the etiquette if you haven't got a bed.

Put our stuff on chairs from a table which there generally are available and just proceed as normal and keep an eye out for sunbeds or go to the beach.

when are you going? Out of season?

And this is exactly why we always have a villa with a private pool. And not as expensive as you might think!
Even when the kids were small we had a villa and they had a lot of fun together playing in the villa garden and pool.

Spanish island in peak season.

I think we'll save up for a villa next year lol

I would make a point of emailing them before you go to ask about the sun bed situation. If this is coming up often as an issue they may purchase more.

Or alternatively if you have booked your holiday through Easyjet or Jet2 I know you can make changes for a relatively low cost.

What star level is it?

5 star top end and there’s always beds even in the height of the season. Not many but you ALWAYS find some

In my experience there are usually sunbeds, just not necessarily in the spot people want. The 6am crowd want the same 4 beds right next to the pool every day.
DH and I won't spend the whole day at the pool, we might turn up after lunch and there will be somewhere to sit. It might be on the grass, round the corner, tucked away from view or just in the bar.
My issue is umbrellas. I want shade all day. Why do people grab an umbrella then spit roast all day without using it?

I would choose a different hotel. If we stay in hotels we always stay in small ones, not big resorts, and we have never had problems finding sun loungers. Smaller hotels in towns/villages mean that lots of people will be out in the day so pool relatively quiet.

Yes, I would still go in the pool. I'd just leave my towel on the side.

I never use the pool but have found as I book self catering accommodation there are always sunbeds available. Hotels that offer all inclusive mean people will have no incentive to leave and I've found in the past they are the ones with sun bed wars.

Just leave your things to one side or on a bar chair.

Haha @Boffle

Spit roast made me laugh .

@Movinghouseatlast
Thank you, good idea.

I don't understand the point of sunbeds - can't you just lie on a towel on the ground? (I do not tan so have never tried either !)

Have you ever been to a hotel abroad in the summer with a pool? Ever

100% agree with this

We use Airbnb and can be just the same cost as a hotel if not cheaper

Sole good ideas thank you.

Not quite worried enough to change holidays or hotels. If it is an issue, we'll rethink next year. I've never really had a "spend all day by the pool" holiday before so it's a new novelty for me. Most holidays we're out on excursions every day , so haven't ever been poolside dwellers, but we're looking for a slower pace this time. Maybe a Spanish island in peak season was the first mistake lol

Yes I'm at one now. I can't imagine the point of sitting on a random sunlounger in public! But, again, don't tan. But even if I did couldn't I just tan from walking around outside??

So you’re at a hotel
with a pool
and it’s hot and people are sunbathing and you are baffled why they’d choose a dumbed over the ground?

You need that holiday!

I don't lie on a sun lounger to tan- I use an umbrella to keep me in the shade. I lie on a sun longer to read a book by the pool, to listen to music and relax or just to watch my children playing in the pool.