A hotel in southern Tenerife has gone viral on TikTok after introducing what holidaymakers have jokingly dubbed the "sunbed police" to keep order during the daily scramble for a prime spot by the pool.
The scenes, filmed by British holidaymaker Hope Davies during her stay at a hotel in Playa de las Américas, show dozens of guests queuing from as early as 7:30am, waiting for access to the pool area.
A security guard stands watch over the entrance, ensuring that nobody reserves a sunbed before the official opening time.
Then, at exactly 8:00am, the barrier is lifted and around 40 guests race towards the loungers, each hoping to secure the best spot for the day.
Speaking to The Sun, Davies said she had woken up early and watched the queue gradually build before the gates opened: "I woke up early, so I watched the queue forming from about 7.30am while everyone waited for the gates to open at 8am. Then everyone was allowed in to put their towels on the sunbeds for the day. There were about 40 people running for the loungers."
Tackling the 'Sunbed Wars'
The security guard's role is to prevent guests from placing towels on sunbeds before the designated opening time, a practice that has long been a source of frustration at many holiday resorts, not just in Tenerife, but across Europe.
By enforcing a single opening time for everyone, the hotel hopes to reduce arguments, discourage guests from reserving sunbeds hours before they intend to use them, and create a fairer system for all visitors.
The approach is becoming increasingly common at hotels in popular tourist destinations, where competition for poolside sunbeds during peak holiday periods can lead to early morning queues, frantic sprints and disputes between guests.
