Holidaymakers aiming to secure desirable poolside loungers are engaging in increasingly inventive and sometimes extreme tactics, leading to what has been dubbed 'sunbed wars.' These disputes over limited resources have become a prominent, divisive issue during summer holidays.
Measures range from early morning dashes to more elaborate schemes. One tactic involves sprinkling itching powder on towels left to reserve loungers. Tom Caunce, a 31-year-old from Southport, recounted an instance in Majorca where he used itching powder on towels belonging to guests he identified as 'repeat offenders' who reserved prime spots before leaving for extended periods. He observed one individual react to the powder by scratching intensely before eventually getting into the pool.
Some tourists are opting to sleep on sunbeds overnight to ensure they are reserved for the following day. Ben Smith from Sheffield noted that while hotels often have policies to remove unattended items, guests sometimes remain on the loungers to prevent this. He described the situation as a 'vicious circle,' where the act of reserving beds people don't immediately need creates the very problem they are trying to avoid.
Another strategy involves interfering with reserved towels. Rachael Rogers shared a TikTok video demonstrating the removal of towels from loungers that had been pre-claimed. In Zante, seasonal workers reportedly retaliated against 'selfish' holidaymakers by hiding towels and even throwing them into trees. Millie Newsham, a waitress from Blackpool, described how she and her friends moved towels from sunbeds at 6 a.m., deeming the practice of reserving loungers without immediate use 'selfish' and disruptive to others.
More extreme actions include using reserved towels for games like tug-of-war after soaking them, or simply ignoring reserved spots and sitting down. One Reddit user suggested that such interventions could deter further attempts to reserve loungers.
The Morning Dash
The competitive securing of sunbeds has been likened to scenes from "The Hunger Games." At the Protur Playa Cala Millor Hotel in Mallorca, holidaymakers were filmed sprinting towards loungers as soon as the pool area gates opened. Clare Wright, 44, from Nottingham, captured footage of tourists who had queued for 30 minutes before the opening, despite a prior warning from hotel staff about no running due to wet floors.
Similar scenes occurred earlier this year in Tenerife, where dozens of tourists, after waiting for half an hour, rushed for loungers when the pool gates opened at 8 a.m. Hope Davies, who was staying at the Spring Hotel Bitacora in Playa de las Americas, observed around 40 people scrambling for spots, particularly those closest to the pools, which she speculated was to allow parents to supervise children.
Paying for Prime Position
In some locations, paying a premium is presented as a way to guarantee a sunbed. Chloe Papworth and her friends paid 110 euros (£95) for cabana sunbeds on the front row at Saint Paul's Bay in Rhodes to secure a specific view. Resorts in areas like Palma, Majorca, have also seen increased costs for beach amenities. Daily rates for standard umbrellas and sunbeds rose from €6 (£5.20) in 2019 to €10 (£8.70) by 2026, according to Palma Council. Premium loungers are set to increase from €30 (£26) to €45 (£39) per day, and Balinese beds from €45 (£39) to €70 (£60).
Late-Night and Early-Morning Operations
Some holidaymakers resort to staking out sunbeds in the early hours of the morning. Claire Stewart documented a situation past 2 a.m. in Lanzarote, referring to it as 'Operation: Sunbed Warriors,' where a 'towel cartel' operated despite rules against reserving spots. Similarly, a young British couple from Belfast, Aimee Millar, 20, found it necessary to go to the hotel pool at 1 a.m. in Portugal to reserve loungers, having discovered other guests employing the same tactic. Reports indicate that travellers are known to wake between 1 a.m. and 6 a.m. to secure poolside plots.