A mum who admitted she reserved sunbeds on holiday before breakfast even though she “hates doing it” has divided the internet.
The unimpressed guest said she went without a lounger for most of a recent holiday, thanks to the competition. Nonetheless, she was shocked to see just how early some guests rise to secure spots.
The holidaymaker – who seemingly decided that “if you can’t beat them, join them” – tried her luck with an early visit to the pool on her final day.
Although she said she hates such behaviour, she realised she needed to take action if she wanted a seat as almost a third of the spaces were gone, the Mirror reports.
Taking to social media discussion site Mumsnet, the woman wrote: “I hate doing it but 25 minutes ago all the sunbeds were clear then when I looked again 10 minutes ago about 30 percent were reserved with towels.
“Now, I am not an early riser and I fully accept that the early bird gets the worm BUT this is not early risers going for breakfast and reserving a sunbed on the way as breakfast hasn’t even opened yet.”
She continued that effectively she had decided ‘if you can’t beat them, join them’, explaining: “This is the last day of my holiday.
“Most days we haven’t had sunbeds as I have refused to do the reserving thing and we have gone to the beach instead. I’m really upset that this is a thing and that I’ve had to do it.”
She also noted that she does not “know what the answer is” but wanted to use the forum to “vent.”
In response, commenters were quick to agree with her complaint.
One person wrote: “I come from a country where this isn’t a thing. It is considered very bad form. When I go to countries where it is a thing I move the towels. It’s rude, entitled and selfish. If you want to use the chair, use it. If not leave it for someone else.”
Another rebellious character revealed: “This is mad. I just move the towels. A few years ago I watched a load of people put them out and go to breakfast.
“Must have been about 25. I picked up the lot and piled them in a corner and then went to breakfast myself.”
And someone else commented: “Absolutely hate it when hotels allow this behaviour. Went to a 5* hotel in Turkey a few years ago and they would actually line up at the entrance to the pool area and then sprint for beds as soon as the chain was moved.
“Sometimes these people didn’t appear again for most of the day. Alternatively, we went to a bog standard 3* in Greece a few years prior and the lifeguard moved any towels that were left for more than an hour. I’d only return to one of these hotels and it certainly isn’t the 5*.
“I now spend ages researching sunbed wars on trip advisor before I book any hotel. I refuse to book anywhere that allows this kind of behaviour.”
