A hotel employee in Rhodes, Greece, was caught on video removing towels and personal items from reserved poolside loungers while guests were away at breakfast. The incident, captured by a 19-year-old tourist named Lucie Hewes from the UK, showcased the staff member enforcing the hotel’s no-reservation policy by clearing unattended sunbeds.
Lucie revealed that despite the hotel’s clear rules against saving sunbeds, many guests disregarded the policy by placing towels, hats, and bags on the loungers before leaving for breakfast or returning to bed. The daily routine of the pool staff involved removing items from unoccupied sunbeds around 8 a.m., much to the surprise of some guests who found their belongings missing upon their return.
Some visitors were reportedly confused or displeased to discover others occupying the sunbeds they had claimed. According to Lucie, one woman confronted a staff member after her belongings were removed, arguing that she had nowhere to sit. The hotel’s staff reiterated the policy that sunbeds cannot be reserved to ensure fairness for all guests.
The incident, captured in the viral video by Lucie, sparked a debate reminiscent of the annual “sunbed wars” often seen on British holidays abroad. The footage garnered significant attention online, with over half a million views, numerous likes, and comments supportive of the hotel’s actions.
This incident follows another British holidaymaker’s controversial response to the sunbed issue, where Tom Caunce admitted to sprinkling itching powder on towels left on reserved loungers in Majorca. His actions were driven by frustration with guests claiming prime poolside spots early in the morning and leaving them unoccupied for extended periods.
