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Privacy NoticeHow much would you sacrifice for a decent spot in the sun? A proper night’s sleep and a hearty breakfast? Well, you might need to these days if scenes at popular resorts this summer are anything to go by. A hotel in Spain even hired a security guard to man the loungers and to break up fights between Brits as they battled it out with other holidaymakers for their dream tanning spot by the pool. Queued up and poised for the ultimate run of their lives, holidaymakers were spotted in scenes similar to the start of a marathon, armed with towels, inflatables and bags before sunrise, to lay their claim on a sunbed. But then mostly, in an act of madness, people are heading off to go about their day, leaving behind a sea of empty loungers and laid-out towels to guarantee a spot on their return.
Jam-packed loungers with a sea of beach towels is common place on holiday
(Image: Getty Images)
Holidaymakers should be ready for a morning sprint or willing to pay a hefty price to guarantee poolside seating this summer
(Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto)
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If you want a slice of the action, you’ll need to prepare yourself for an early rise, with some dedicated holidaymakers staying up all night! Regular to the Sunset Beach Club hotel in Benalmádena on the Costa Del Sol for 15 years, Wendy Brown, 44, admits she’s always first in line as the sun rises, to bag her favourite deck chairs. She told The Sun: “When the gates open it’s like a stampede. “It’s got worse over the years. They’ve had to put the gates up and hire a security guard – they never used to have that. “It’s always rammed. We have always had to get up early – I don’t mind doing it.”
Nicole Scherzinger and Thom Evans in Mykonos
(Image: Instagram / Nicole Scherzinger)
Mykonos is stunning and one of the most popular Greek tourist spot – but come with deep pockets
(Image: Getty Images/EyeEm)
And by the time the gates to the loungers open at 9am, there are usually around 100 people queuing past the hotel gift shop. Wendy admitted that her family even take shifts to “guard the beds” so that no-one pinches them. Another holidaymaker, Chris from Oxford, admitted that he takes his flip flops off for the run and gets up just as early as he would do for work. Worse still, unless you want a sandy bottom by the pool and you can’t manage the morning stampede, then you can pay in some places to reserve a lounger – but it will come at a cost. A hefty cost. Mykonos is one of the most popular Greek islands but it’s also extremely pricey and if you’re determined to land a lounger then you can expect to pay close to £700.
Helen Flanagan on holiday in Mykonos
(Image: Instagram / Helen Flanagan)
A familiar scene around pools in summer holiday hotspots
(Image: Getty Images)
The heavily inflated fees allow guests peace of mind with no overnight or early morning queuing but guests have been left wondering if it’s really worth the cost taken away from their precious spending money. Party tables at popular venues can cost close to £200 just to guarantee an area near the action with many questioning what direction holidays are heading in when it costs so much to park your bottom somewhere for the day. Websites are becoming more popular too for guests to book a bed in advance online, with more popping up to take advantage of tourists and their strong will and deep pockets.Story SavedYou can find this story in  My Bookmarks.Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right.Follow OK! MagazineFacebookTwitterCommentMore OnReal LifeTravel
