Sunbed wars: Tourists sleep by the pools to reserve "VIP spots"
In hotels, tourists compete for poolside spots, even sleeping on sun loungers, which exposes the problem of overloaded services and a lack of clear rules.
For years, mini-wars have been raging in hotels near swimming pools: towels "reserving" sunbeds, morning runs for the best spot, and arguments over who came first.
Recently, a video appeared online from a hotel in Adeje, showing tourists sleeping on sunbeds to reserve a "VIP spot" by the pool.
The author of the video suggested that the all-inclusive system is to blame, saying that those who do not leave the hotel contribute little to the island's economy because they only spend money there.
Of course, there were also those who defended everyone's right to relax as they please, if the hotel allows it and everything is paid for. Some even joked that at least they don't create traffic jams on the beaches.
But the main question is the hotel's rules. If there is a clear schedule and it is followed, there will be fewer conflicts. For example, closing the pool at night, removing towels from empty sunbeds, regulating the number of people, and expanding services.
Hotel staff say that in their establishments, it is forbidden to occupy sunbeds during non-working hours, and security monitors this to avoid problems.
Many criticize the all-inclusive system for "isolating" tourists. They say that those who eat at the hotel are less likely to go out and spend less money in bars, taxis, or shops.
"Paying for a room to sleep on a sunbed," "getting up early on vacation for a sunbed," "going to Tenerife to stand in line for the pool"... Behind this humor lies a serious problem – the overloading of services.
If a hotel sells more places than there are sunbeds, and people are forced to sleep on them to have a place, then the problem is not with the tourists, but with the management.
This video from Adeje is just one of many examples from the Canary Islands and other resorts where people line up at dawn, run with towels, and argue for a place in the sun.
The pattern is always the same: popular hotels, tourists who want to be closer to the pool, and unclear or non-existent rules. Where there are clear rules (schedule, towel removal, access control), the tension disappears instantly.
Sleeping on a sunbed for a place is just a symptom of a problem that lies in the hotel's decisions, guest behavior, and consumption patterns. If the rules are clear and the services are well thought out, there will be fewer runs, fewer "ghost" towels, and more real relaxation.