Good post Caroline- if people don't get to the pool until around lunchtime they can't expect to get one of the better beds
If we go to the beach for a few hours I wouldn't expect to be able to find a bed in the sun back around the pool after lunch.

When I removed the towels at lunch time it was at a small family owned hotel in Crete which I had stayed at the previous week and everyone that stayed there got to know each other and believe it or not,each others towels.
Most days we went to the beach but on this particular day we stayed at the hotel because another guest we had got friendly with was upset because her husband was in hospital after breaking his leg.
When we arrived at the pool we noticed towels on sunbeds that were not being used and when it got to lunchtime I removed them and put them on a chair.
These people eventually turned up at 4 pm and glanced over to the beds probably hoping they would still have their towels on!
I wouldnt dream of removing any ones bags etc but there is no way I am going to sit on a chair when beds are not being used.
I only sit by the pool on a few mornings anyway as I prefer the beach or site seeing.
As I previously posted I usually wait until 9.30-10am when breakfast is normally over.
Dont worry anyone, I will post where I am spending my next holiday so you can make sure your towel is safe.

I'm usually attached to mine - so you'd have the job of removing me as well

Helen,I used to be glued to mine in my younger days when I spent from early morning until the sun had almost gone down.
Now I am a "lady of leisure"I can do that every day when the sun shines(not often) so like to explore when I am holiday.

Yes I put my towels out very early . Normally up about 6-6.30 and I head straight to the sunbeds . towels down , settle down with my book for an hour or 2, although that doesnt usually last long because more often than not I start gasing with someone . I then go back to wake the others up for breakfast about 8. Our bums are parked there all day except that time when I'm trying to wake the others or we are having lunch , all 5/6 of us . .Well one or two might go off for a drink at the beach bar or a stroll, maybe a game of football but there is always 1 or 2 of us that stay . If the men & boys are diving I just get one for me .

I love that early morning towel run because i'm usually at my best in the morning .I'm not ashamed to admit it either . I always make friends with others that do the same and I often enjoy a chat and a coffee with the regulars whilst it's cool first thing.

To be honest I've never stayed at a hotel where it's not been the accepted norm to do that . I've never seen arguments or even people throwing towels off . In Egypt the pool guys happily put the towels down for you when you give them a tip . So no I dont think people should remove towels when peoples belonging are there too. Different if they are still completely empty come midday.

Interesting topic.

I rarely sit in the sun and on the odd occasion that I do use a sun bed around the pool it will be late afternoon after spending the day exploring, walking etc., and l almost always sit in the shade, so I have never really experienced the sunbed wars.

Some of you may know that I have lived in Germany for over 40yrs and about 28 years ago I took a flight to Tenerife and my seat on the plane was next to a very pleasant elderly German man. During our conversation he asked me why Germans had got the reputation for hogging the best sunbeds. I said I hadn't experienced it but family members who regularly holidayed in Spain told me tales about Germans putting towels on beds in the middle of the night. We had a bit of a laugh about the whole thing and I forgot about it.

I slept quite badly the first few nights and found myself sitting on the balcony overlooking the pool, with a cup of coffee watching the sun come up. I was quite amazed to see quite a few people come out and put towels on the beds then leave. I sat on the balcony for up to three hours on some mornings and saw the same procedure. One morning just out of devilment I went down to the pool, gathered up all of the towels and put them in a neat pile on the edge of the bar and returned to my room to watch what happened. I think that most of the holidaymakers just thought that the management had moved their towels as there was very little upset evident. BTW there was only one German couple in the hotel and they were on a hiking holiday all of the other guests were British.

edited for spelling mistake

I find it varies where we stay if you get the sunbed hoarders, and yes in the past have been guilty of reserving them at silly o'clock. I think the die hards have to be in a certain spot ie where the sun is most of the day. These days I like a bit of shade.....Caz

Think we must like our sleep too much, as we wouldn't get up at 6am to put towels out (dont get up at 6am here) although we do go for breakfast and if we are going round a pool would probably be there by 9ish anyway. Used to be bothered about getting beds round pools when kids were little, but not bothered anymore.

If there's no sunbeds left, would probably go to the beach. Been to a villa with a pool the last few years, in terms of getting a sunbed and some space round the beds it beats hotels hands down, that's the other problem with sunbeds you are normally cheek by jowl with some stranger.

I love it when people put their towels out the night before.
I wait until no one is about and swap them around and watch the people blame each other the next morning.

Jay Trip - I would love to be at same hotel as you I think I would find it soooo amusing and would join in for the fun of it - but hats of to you, It is so annoying when some folks get up at the crack of dawn with a line of sunbeds, parasol, table and chair then clear off not to be seen for many hours later and then some others that don't do this come down to just the chairs and tables with no sun loungers

Hubby did threaten to remove towels this year but I wouldnt let him. Maybe ill let him next year just to see the reactions. My one worry though is confrontation. I dont think I could handle it if the original "hoarder" came back and I was led on "their" bed and they started getting aggressive. How do you handle that situation?

We had midnight reservers this year but many (including myself) let them off and overlooked it because the group had learning difficulties (im sorry I dont mean to offend because we made great friends with these people) but it was still reserving nonetheless.

I dont do it that often as we normally take our holidays in the quieter times of year and the last time I did it was in Side in 2006.
If many more people did this they would get a sun bed instead of the ones with towels on all day being occupied by the invisible man. I have never been confronted by anyone as if it looks like this is likely to be a problem I always ask at reception if it is OK to do this.All have said yes so if anyone did confront me I would just tell them reception gave me permission!
They probably are too embarrassed to say anything when they turn up mid afternoon to claim their bed. Another good idea to is to buy a lilo and move it to the position you want by moving the empty sun bed to another place.Preferably in the shade.

I remember one holiday where it was particularly bad with the first light brigade out creeping about putting towels down then disappearing for hours, after a few days there was a group of lads who went down just after they left and threw the towels in the pool, strangely they stopped putting their towels down after a couple of days of this happening to them, well done lads

One hotel in Bulgaria stacked & chained the sun beds at night then unchained them at 7 in the morning, there was always a queue of a certain nationality standing in a line from before 6am waiting for the beds to be unchained

The only time I have reserved a bed is if we are up early having breakfast and I will put our towels down knowing we will be on them within the next half hour. Otherwise I just take pot luck if we are later to see if we can get a bed or not. To be honest I have never been anywhere where it has been an issue - there has always been space available.

To be honest I have never been anywhere where it has been an issue - there has always been space available.

Same here but then I don't usually travel in the high season, much less the school holidays so this might have something to do with it - I can't remember the last time I stayed somewhere that was full. What I don't get is why hotels don't just make sure that they have as many sunbeds as beds in the rooms? Or is that a naive question?

SM

I think its a case of having to at some places, It doesn't bother me as I am an early riser and also like to see the place come alive early doors.
When we have been in a quiet hotel I would only put the towels out to save not taking them to breakfast, but if its a busy place then you have to play the game don't you?
Yes i do agree its very wrong and selfish to reserve beds and not turn up till gone lunch time but if a hotel is busy and you stay in bed till mid morning then I see little point in whinging about not getting a space.
And as for removing peoples towels well? you must be prepared for this to cause confrontation , I know I would be having a serious chat with anyone I found touching my or my family's property.

I recently got back from Portugal Brisa Sol - They wouldn't let you out until 9am so you had to queue in a line. people on the groundfloor could get out earlier. Then it was hilarious when people starting running as soon as the doors opened ....... crazy made you feel like a prisoner!

Millie,If you put your towel out early and then didnt turn up until noon would you expect your towel still to be there
Not if I was at the same hotel as you and wanted a sun bed.

Totally agree Jay trip - it's not reasonable and Millie if Reception gave permission then that it would have to taken up with them