I’m curious how OMAAT readers feel about it …
Etiquette for reserving sun loungers in hotels
There is a common practice in many resorts around the world where people “reserve” lounge chairs first thing in the morning (even before breakfast) and then don’t use them for several hours:
- If you actually intend to go to the pool at 10 a.m., only 20% of the lounge chairs may be occupied, but 100% of the lounge chairs have a sock, shirt, mask, or something else to indicate that this was the case of claimed someone
- This appears to be extremely inefficient, as a pool chair is often occupied by a single person throughout the day, even though they may only sit in the chair for a small part of the day
- This seems to be an especially widespread practice in some parts of the world – for example, this is how I find things to work in Hawaii, and I also find (historically at least) that this is popular with many types of European tourists (especially Germans – I can testify to that firsthand)
- While most hotels have technically published rules about how long chairs can be left unattended, I have observed that those guidelines are rarely enforced
- Coronavirus only exacerbated this problem as many resorts no longer have as many chairs as they used to
If you can’t beat them, will you join them?
Historically, I haven’t done the whole thing of reserving a seat because personally I think it’s inconsiderate to other people. However, I’m starting to think that maybe I’m just doing it wrong:
- While this is usually not the logic with which I approach things, do I feel like there is no other option when everyone else is doing it?
- I feel like this game was actually almost made for me as I’m a morning person and I get up before everyone else at a resort. I could have my choice of lounge chairs by 4am!
- The Larry David in me would love to remove someone’s stuff from a chair and claim it as my own after seeing it not being used for the stated time limit, but the truth is I do everything I can these days to avoid confrontation I will not do it. I don’t go on vacation to pick fights or to speak to anyone’s manager
I can’t help but feel that maybe there should be some innovation at the resorts when it comes to reserving pool chairs in order to maximize the greatest asset for the greatest number of guests. The way I see it:
- Personally, I’d like to see hotels actually enforcing pool seat reservation policies rather than using the honor system
- Maybe the logistics are too complicated, but I think there should be higher innovation for resorts that have a lot more guests than lounge chairs. Perhaps you should get a guaranteed pool spot for a certain number of hours each night, and then you can reserve times in advance based on availability
I understand this probably won’t happen because it’s not worth the hassle for hotels, but I still can’t help but suggest these things.
Bottom line
While this is undoubtedly a first world problem, I have struggled for years getting pool chairs at resorts where they tend to fill up.
Logically, I feel like I should only try to get a chair by the pool if I actually want to sit there (novel concept), but I seem like the only person feeling that way. In many resorts, practically all pool chairs are “reserved” until 10am, even though very few people are at the pool.
I’m a morning person so maybe I should just take this to my advantage and beat people at their game? I do not know…
Where do OMAAT readers stand on the practice of reserving sun loungers? Do you support the practice, do you feel like you have no option, or do you find it frustrating?
