The swimming pools of resorts have become a setting for small daily “battles” over the years: towels that “reserve” sunbeds, dashes at dawn to secure a prime spot, and disputes over who arrived first.

A week ago, the account @tenerifequejasvecinales shared a reel filmed at a hotel in Adeje: several tourists asleep on sunbeds to ensure they get “the best place” by the pool.

In the description, the author linked this scene to all-inclusive packages and posed a provocative question: do those who never leave the hotel “barely contribute” to the island’s economy because their spending is concentrated within the establishment?

“Your Money, Your Time”

Some users defended individual freedom: if the hotel permits it and the guest has paid, they can spend their holiday as they wish. Some even joked that if they stay inside, “at least they won’t clog up puddles or trails.”

This perspective shifts the focus to the internal rules of the hotel: if there are hours of operation and they are adhered to, conflict can be reduced. This is not the case in most establishments that fail to restrict pool hours at night, remove towels that are “reserved” without occupants, adjust capacities, and properly manage services.

Several professionals with experience in hospitality reported that at their venues, it is not allowed to occupy sunbeds outside of designated times, and security intervenes before issues escalate.

“Queueing for the Pool”

Many comments criticising the all-inclusive concept pointed out that it “encapsulates” visitors: those who eat all their meals within the hotel go out less and, as a result, spend less on bars, taxis, or local shops.

“Paying for a room to sleep on a sunbed”, “waking up early on holiday for a sunbed”, “going to Tenerife to queue for the pool”… The humour highlighted a serious issue: overcrowding of services.

If selling more places than the sun terraces can accommodate forces guests to sleep on sunbeds to secure a spot, the issue lies not with the individual tourist, but rather with management.

Not an Isolated Case

The reel from Adeje adds to a recent collection of viral videos from the Canary Islands and other sun-and-sea destinations featuring queues at dawn, races with towels, and arguments in the sun terrace.

The pattern is the same: highly sought-after hotels, visitors wanting the front row, and poorly communicated, lax, or simply non-existent rules. Where clear regulations are enforced (such as opening hours, removal of unattended towels, and access control), tension diminishes within minutes.

Sleeping on a sunbed to “hold a place” is the most visible symptom of a combination of choices: how the hotel is managed, how we behave as guests, and what model of consumption we desire for the destination. Clear rules and well-thought-out offerings will reduce the need for racing, lessen the presence of “phantom” towels, and lead to more genuine holidays.