3 days ago
British holidaymaker steals towels from sunbed hoggers in the middle of the night because they 'deserved it'
A British holidaymaker has been caught on camera stealing towels from 'sunbed hoggers' who were reserving loungers overnight.
Samantha Cooper, 40, from Manchester, was enjoying a two-week sunshine break with her family at a Cyprus resort when she became fed up with the daily scramble to find a spot by the pool.
Despite the hotel's strict rule banning towels being put down before 9am, the mum said every morning was a struggle to bag a lounger – and it wasn't long before she discovered why.
From their balcony, the 40-year-old spotted the culprits sneaking down at 1.30 am to claim beds they wouldn't use until well into the following afternoon.
By day five, the mum had seen enough. She strode to the pool and stripped the towels, freeing the beds up for swimmers and sunbathers who would actually use them.
'To be fair, they deserved it,' her 25-year-old daughter Ellie Ikin said.
'They were never down there until at least 3pm. Every morning was a struggle.
'The hotel said they had rules of no one putting towels down until 9am, but no one listened.
'My mum noticed they were putting towels down at 1.30 am from her balcony.
'We were annoyed because the people who were doing it didn't sit around the pool until later in the afternoon.
'I was happy she pulled them off so other people actually got a chance to get a bed when they wanted to sit around the pool in the morning.'
Ellie said she was happy the move gave other holidaymakers a chance to grab a bed for a morning swim or some sunbathing.
And while there was no drama, the bold move made it easier to find a spot by the pool for a while.
However, the towel owners continued their sunbed hogging ways again the very next day.
Ellie slammed the act as 'selfish'.
'I completely understand the need of getting a bed early, but 1.30am putting towels out when you have no intentions of being there in the morning is ridiculous,' she said.
Sunbed wars are a common sight at hotels and resorts popular with British holidayers across Europe and northern Africa - and the battles are showing no signs of slowing.
One woman was left with second-hand embarrassment after watching holidaymakers race for sunbeds in Lanzarote.
Rachael, 28, from the northeast of England, was sitting on her balcony before the swimming pool at the Barcelo hotel in Playa Blanca opened at 7am.
But while she was enjoying the early hours from her room, others in the hotel had a different idea and stood waiting to get their sunbeds.
When the pool opened, chaos quickly unfolded as people, who one viewer familiar with the resort claimed are 'all English', rushed to grab the best loungers available.
Rachael recorded the keen individuals, including children and parents, quickly throwing their towels on sunbeds to claim their positions.
The TikTok quickly gained over 200,000 views, with people in the comment section equally shocked as Rachael.
One said, 'Please no, this is my worst nightmare. I've got such second-hand embarrassment here! Life is too short, people!
'Go out on your holiday and explore, go to the beach, take in some culture, taste local cuisine, go to other towns and villages. What's the point in going away to sit there roasting in the sun all day?'
A second wrote, 'It's so embarrassing. Imagine waking up in the luxury of a foreign holiday and saying to your other half, 'Can't lie here and enjoy being close to you, babe. I've got to go get a sunbed, we won't lie on until lunch'.'
Another added, 'I've been to this hotel. There are so many sunbeds, everywhere, I cannot believe this is needed. But then I see what I see.'
A third questioned, 'Which hotel is this so I can cross it off my list?' A fourth said, 'You couldn't pay me to stay in a hotel like this. I'm on holiday to relax not fight!'
Another said that he has stayed at the resort before and that those racing for the sun loungers are often 'all English,' he claimed.
