A European hotel has been described as a ‘ghost town’ because there are no sunbed wars in the morning – all because of a genius solution they’ve come up with
The sun loungers are always empty every morning (stock photo)(Image: Jose A. Bernat Bacete via Getty Images)
Sunbed wars have become an almost unavoidable part of a holiday at a sunny resort, but guests at one hotel in Europe never have to worry about bagging a prime spot by the pool.
If you’ve ever stayed at a resort with a pool and rows of sun loungers, you’ll know all too well about the early morning scramble to secure a sunbed before heading off for breakfast. This frantic rush typically sees guests charging across the courtyard to toss their towel over a lounger, effectively claiming it for the entire day.
The trouble with sunbed wars, however, is that they not only encourage deeply selfish behaviour that denies fellow guests a fair chance at using the facilities, but they also pose a genuine safety risk, with people running poolside and potentially coming to blows over the best spots.
At one hotel in Cyprus, though, that early morning battle simply doesn’t exist – the resort appears positively “deserted” compared to other venues where daily poolside races are commonplace.
It’s not that the hotel is short of guests, however. The real explanation behind the refreshingly towel-free poolside scene each morning is that the resort has introduced a clever system designed to guarantee every guest a spot by the pool without any of the usual squabbling.
Mark Brown, also known as Right Guys Reviews, recently posted a TikTok video filmed at a hotel during his stay in Paphos, Cyprus. He panned his camera across the sunbeds surrounding a large pool, revealing that not a single one had a towel draped over it – despite it being morning and the majority of guests already seated at breakfast.
He was keen to point out that the pool wasn’t empty simply because the hotel was quiet, claiming it was actually fully booked. Rather, guests at this particular hotel simply have no need to scrap over a sunbed spot.
Mark said: “Honestly, you’d think this was a ghost hotel, and it was actually empty. But if you take a trip over to pool services, you’ll find out now why there’s no towels on the sun loungers.”
He went on to explain that upon checking in, guests are handed plastic “pool towel” exchange cards. Each morning, these are taken down to the pool services kiosk and swapped for towels to use on the sunbeds.
But there’s no mad dash once you’ve got your towel. At the pool services kiosk, guests are also assigned their sunbeds for the day, guaranteed to be theirs regardless, meaning there’s absolutely no need to squabble over the best spot.
Viewers who commented on Mark’s video were thoroughly impressed by the sunbed management system at the unnamed hotel. Many recalled their own battles over sunbeds in the early hours, with the vast majority saying they’d gladly swap the stress for a more relaxed, hotel-managed approach.
One holidaymaker said: “Just been to a five-star resort in Kos with no sunbed management. I had to get up at 6am every day just to secure two sunbeds for me and the wife.”
Another chimed in: “That’s the best way to do it. Booking policy is a brilliant idea.”
A third shared their own experience: “We went to Tenerife a couple of years ago and they allocated beds. It’s brilliant. So much better. You could book for am/pm or all day. Hate it when people put towels on at 7.30 and don’t turn up until 1pm.”
