TWO etiquette experts remain divided over the best way to bag a poolside bed on holiday.
Countless videos have emerged online of holidaymakers rushing to reserve a spot by the pool with their towels, and those caught up in the chaos have been labelled as “pathetic” and “selfish” by some.
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While holidaymakers may be forgiven, even two etiquette experts can’t decide on the best way to nab a bed in the sun.
Renowned etiquette expert, William Hanson, believes there is a 30-minute grace period on poolside reservations.
This is where hotel guests can use a towel or a book to reserve a spot for no longer than half an hour.
William told the Sun Online Travel: “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 lunch time, 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.”
Despite the grace period, William said: “You can’t hog the sun lounger for the entire day.”
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Holidaymakers shouldn’t expect unlimited access to a poolside bed if you’ve gone off the resort site to grab lunch elsewhere.
He said: “You don’t want to come back and find your towel covered in sand.
Despite William’s exceptions, Laura Akano, the Principal Coach and Trainer at Polished Manners, who is also an etiquette expert, doesn’t believe holidaymakers have a right to reserve a lounger at all.
She told the Sun Online Travel: “I think it should be a first come first serve basis – if the resort doesn’t have a booking system.”
In Laura’s view, the only appropriate way to reserve a lounger by the pool is through a booking system.
She said: “You shouldn’t be hogging a sunlounger all day, it’s bad manners especially in communal spaces where people should be sharing their resources.
Much like William, Laura wouldn’t be surprised if a fellow guest removed a towel if holidaymakers have left it unoccupied for a long time.
She said: “If you go away someone else should be able to use the sun lounger.”
“Some people would come and see the towel and remove the towel from the lounger.
“You’ll find your towel on the side of the pool and it could cause an argument that no one wants to hear.”
Both experts agreed that the rules change when holidaymakers have paid or rent a lounger for the day.
Staff at a hotel in Tenerife were caught removing them after cheeky tourists had dumped the towels and left.
A mum was recently left fuming on her holiday in France by “ignorant and selfish” Brits who were reserving sun loungers at the campsite she was staying.
William Hanson also revealed the foolproof way guests can get their hotel room upgraded as well as who should get the armrest on the plane.
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