Overview
- Late June videos showed dozens of pool loungers claimed with towels before dawn, highlighting a recurring summer rush for prime sun and shade spots at busy resorts.
- A British tourist, Ellie McAdams, filmed herself removing unused towels at a Tenerife pool after a lifeguard told her to do so, and her clip has been widely shared online.
- A separate TikTok post captured dozens of loungers covered with towels at about 2am at Blue Sea Playa Club in Lanzarote, underscoring how early claiming can start.
- Hotels have responded with a mix of measures such as staff removal of abandoned towels, timed entry or security at pool gates, fines and formal pre-booking or allocation systems.
- A recent German court ruling found that failing to manage sunbed reservations can breach package-holiday obligations, a decision that could expose tour operators to refunds and push wider enforcement.