"Saving" lounge chairs at a beach or pool

[Big_Hitter]

How come no one has suggest that a "beach resort" should have a better supply of beach chairs?

because that's off topic

 

[Big_Hitter]

Can you explain why it is ok for a pool attendant to move their stuff, but it is not ok for me to move their stuff?

because that's what they are paid to do

they can be jerks to the other guests, you can't

 

[JustCurious]

they can be jerks to the other guests, you can't

I beg to differ.



(Just to be clear, I am making a joke, I do not think I was being a jerk)

 

[Bestwifeever]

Can you explain why it is ok for a pool attendant to move their stuff, but it is not ok for me to move their stuff?

Because they are the chair police and we're not. And they can keep the guests' stuff safe while we would be dumping it on the sand or pool deck.

 

[JustCurious]

If it's much more than 30 minutes I would go to the hotel staff and ask them if they would allow me to take the "abandoned" chairs.

I don't get this. First, I do not understand why I need permission from the hotel staff to use an abandoned chair. Second, a hotel staff worker could be a teenager working the summer for extra money, and depending on where you are, especially if you are outside of the U.S., some of them do not speak English so it would be difficult to communicate in any event, so I don't see the need for me to seek their opinion, I can draw my own.

 

[txtig]

Several years back, a group of us were at a very nice all-inclusive in Mexico. On Day 1, luckily, we were able to get enough beach chairs for the whole group, even though it was pretty crowded. The hotel had waiters on the beach to deliver drinks to the customers. We drank a lot, but tipped our waiter well, even though tips were supposedly included in the all-inclusive fee. As we were leaving the beach at the end of the day, we mentioned to our waiter that we would see him tomorrow. Next day (and for the rest of the week after that), our waiter rushed to greet us when we came back done to the beach and escorted us to a group of chairs he had set up and saved for us in a very prime shady location. We tipped him even better after that. Money well spent. I will admit, however, that we've not been able to replicate this feat in many subsequent trips, despite keeping up the good tipping.


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[Philliefan33]

If I had left nothing but a resort towel on my chair, and come back to find the chair claimed by someone else, I would think them perhaps a little rude but would shrug it off and find another place to sit.

If I had left any personal belongings--my own beach towel, a book, my beach bag, my shoes; and come back to find them moved to the sand and the chair missing, I'd think the chair thief was extremely rude and self-centered. I would probably say something to you if you took my chair in that case. But I'm someone who would've been on the beach using the chair before 9 a.m. By the time you came down at midday, I was either walking on the beach (easily more than 30 minutes) or gone off to get lunch. If you want a chair, get there early!

 

[athena53]

The hotels have learned from the airlines: It's cheaper to pit your customers against each other competing for limited space/equipment, than to provide an adequate amount for each paying customer.

Bingo.

 

[Big_Hitter]

(Just to be clear, I am making a joke, I do not think I was being a jerk)

sounds like the rest of us disagree - forum intervention lol

 

[ProspectiveBum]

I agree with the majority here: what the other guest did was rude, but I wouldn't have moved their stuff. I'd have also let the hotel staff deal with it, rather than touching anyone's belongings.

 

[Just_Steve]

Maybe thats why when you go to a lot of east cost beach hotels they don't have beach chairs but you can rent a chair and umbrella from a vendor.

 

[Bestwifeever]

Bingo.

I don't remember fighting other passengers on an airline for a seat or to get my suitcase to the destination so I don't think this is true.

 

[pb4uski]

I...It's akin to stepping or pocketing a golf ball that was accidentally hit into your group. Bad juju.

I would never do that... first time it is a mistake... second time it is coming back at them or deep into the nearest pond or woods.

 

[Just_Steve]

I don't remember fighting other passengers on an airline for a seat or to get my suitcase to the destination so I don't think this is true.

I remember brawls breaking out for overhead carryon space when some thought 4 & 5 ocean steamer size bags was ok as long as they got on the plane before you.

 

[grasshopper]

Several years back, a group of us were at a very nice all-inclusive in Mexico. On Day 1, luckily, we were able to get enough beach chairs for the whole group, even though it was pretty crowded. The hotel had waiters on the beach to deliver drinks to the customers. We drank a lot, but tipped our waiter well, even though tips were supposedly included in the all-inclusive fee. As we were leaving the beach at the end of the day, we mentioned to our waiter that we would see him tomorrow. Next day (and for the rest of the week after that), our waiter rushed to greet us when we came back done to the beach and escorted us to a group of chairs he had set up and saved for us in a very prime shady location. We tipped him even better after that. Money well spent. I will admit, however, that we've not been able to replicate this feat in many subsequent trips, despite keeping up the good tipping.


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+1 That is putting a little skin in the game. I don't go anyplace to sit in a chair, I do enough of that at home.

 

[Totoro]

Especially in Spain there is an (almost) hilarious 'beach towel' war going on.

The German tourists "started" it by introducing a custom where putting your towel on a chair reserves it for the day. It sort of escalated from there ..

So you've now got people actually getting up early in the morning to put their towel on a chair, just to turn around and go back to bed.

Britons winning war with the German tourists to reserve sun loungers | Daily Mail Online

I'm personally very much of the "yield if not actively using" variety. Good thing I'm never at these types of resorts.

 

[audreyh1]

Good thing I don't care to lounge on the beach while the sun is high.

If we're out - we're out snorkeling.

Lounge chairs - prefer a private lanai with a view.

 

[Gotadimple]

I voted other. If you are on a cruise, or at an all-inclusive resort, management has the responsibility to make sure there are enough chairs for guests. If it can't, then it should allow reserving with the understanding that if the chairs are occupied by late morning, you lose the reservation.

As for moving people's belongings: it's your vacation, if you want a black eye - go for it.

 

[Bestwifeever]

I remember brawls breaking out for overhead carryon space when some thought 4 & 5 ocean steamer size bags was ok as long as they got on the plane before you.

Right but the flight attendants sort it out and the luggage still gets to the destination.

 

[JustCurious]

sounds like the rest of us disagree - forum intervention lol

I'm not sure that is true...so far the ratio of people that think it is rude to "save" beach chairs compared to those who say it is not is 22:7...that's more than 3:1... in election terms that is a landslide.

As far as whether I was being a jerk, well maybe, but I don't think you can say that everyone agrees with that, there seems to be a variety of opinions.

 

[FIREmenow]

I have a solution - ZERO time away from the chair allowed. If you're not currently IN the chair - its fair game. Period.

Just post a sign to this effect and everything will take care of itself.

 

[Just_Steve]

Right but the flight attendants sort it out and the luggage still gets to the destination.

Thats why airlines have size and weight restrictions, because people are inconsiderate................Just like the lounge chair hogs.

 

[Big_Hitter]

As far as whether I was being a jerk, well maybe, but I don't think you can say that everyone agrees with that, there seems to be a variety of opinions.

I agree it's wrong to "save" chairs - I was talking about the aftermath

If you tried pulling a stunt like that on a Texas beach it would have really ruined your day. just sayin

 

[athena53]

I don't remember fighting other passengers on an airline for a seat or to get my suitcase to the destination so I don't think this is true.

OT, but I'd like to comment anyway.

In addition to arguments when people hog overhead space- try starting a discussion on frequent flyer boards about who gets the armrest, whether or not it's OK to recline your seat and large passengers in Coach. Airlines have scraped away every possible square millimeter of space in Coach and yes, there's at least pent-up resentment and the occasional outright argument over who gets the remaining space. Up in the pointy end of the plane, things are far more serene. I was once waiting in the Business Class line in Customer service for American when we had to be rebooked due to problems. Naturally, there were far fewer passengers in the Business Class line per number of agents and a HUGE queue of Coach passengers. When a Coach agent finished with a customer, she beckoned me over to her desk. I thought the Coach passengers were gonna riot. I chose to wait for the Business Class agent, just because Coach passengers had it bad enough.

To get back to resorts/cruise ships- I'm not sure if it's possible for some of these places to have enough chairs at peak hours. I've never been on a mega-ship but even with a couple of pools, how can there be enough chairs for the subset of 5,000 passengers likely to want one at 2 PM on a nice day? It may be possible for resorts and smaller ships, and they should provide enough chairs if possible.

 

[aaronc879]

I disagree that it is your chair.

It's the hotels chair and the other person had rightful possession of it. If you disagree, talk to the hotel staff, don't take what's not yours.