Forget sun lounger wars – tourists in Spain now battling for prime sunbathing spots with parasols at dawn
TOURISTS are now battling for the best spot on the beach not with sun loungers – but by reserving parasols.
Sun lounger wars often plague resorts across Spain, with holidaymakers battling it out.
And tourists, in particular German holidaymakers, have added a ‘new dimension’ when it comes to trying to save the best ones, according to locals.
Majorca residents claim they are now getting up at the crack of dawn to reserve their straw-covered beach umbrellas on the first row, just inches from the sea!
Many foreign holidaymakers are marking their territory in the early morning, with dozens of umbrellas being taken way before the crowds arrive.
“While half of Majorca is still asleep, the towel war is already beginning in Playa de Palma,” says the Spanish press.
“Not only have German holidaymakers ‘reserved’ their sun loungers at the hotel pools at dawn but have now also moved this habit to the beach.
“With towels hanging on the parasols in the early morning, the tourists secure the best spots right by the sea.”
Images from local media were taken at the weekend near a leading hotel in Playa de Palma much favoured by German tourists.
By early morning, just over a dozen parasols had been ‘occupied’.
Towels can be seen hanging from almost all the poles, many of them belonging to nearby hotels.
“The holidaymakers’ strategy is probably to ‘reserve’ the best spots and then go to have a leisurely breakfast,” reports Ultimahora.es.
Palma city council provides the rental service for sunloungers and parasols on this stretch of beach through an external company between 10am and 7pm, with a daily fee.
As a rule, employees are on site from 8.30am, opening the sun loungers and distributing them.
In the evening, they are stacked and closed.
A resident who has lived in Playa de Palma for years said: “You don’t just see this here. You can even find it all over Playa de Palma.”
And responding to the report by Inselradio, one said they would “throw these towels into the sea” while another said they were “embarrassed by something like this”.
A third said it was a “totally bad habit,” adding: “Securing sunloungers with a towel in the early morning is absolutely inconsiderate and absolutely not acceptable.
How long can you reserve a sunlounger for?
Etiquette expert William Hanson, reckons there is a 30-minute grace period on poolside reservations.
He said: “In the morning, at the start of the day, and you’re by the pool after breakfast, then it’s fine at 8.30 to put your towel on the bed to reserve your spot.”
“But later on in the day after you’ve used the lounger, and go off for a massage, for example, which is going to be an hour, then you can’t use a towel to reserve the sun lounger.”
If you’re grabbing some grub at lunchtime, William said holidaymakers are allowed to eat at the hotel bar or restaurant providing you’re not gone longer than 30 minutes.
He said: “It also gives your towel time to dry off.”
William said despite the grace period, “You can’t hog the sun lounger for the entire day.”
“If no one blocks sunloungers with towels in the morning, everyone can have one. After all, we all want the same thing: a relaxing holiday.”
Another incensed local said: “This has been happening all my life in Benidorm. What surprises me is that it has taken so long to reach Palma.”
Sunlounger wars usually take place at huge holiday resorts rather than beaches.
One woman even reveals how she charges £500 a time to save sunloungers for holidaymakers.
But it’s not just Spain, as new rules are being introduced across Greek beaches.
However, its not tourists they are clamping down on but cafes and restaurants, who they claim have “taken over” the beaches with sunloungers and seating.
The Greek government is now introducing rules including caps on the number of loungers and requiring permits to put tables on the sand.