Tenerife Sunbed Wars 2025: Why Tourists Are Sleeping Overnight for Pool Spots

If you’ve ever stayed in a busy resort, you know the unspoken morning ritual, which is basically as follows: you wake up early, rush to the pool and claim your sunbed with a towel before anyone else does. This battle for the best poolside spot has been going on for years and has become so notorious that it’s now known as the “sunbed wars”.

But recently in Tenerife, Spain, British holidaymakers took things to a shocking new extreme. Reports from a number of prominent news outlets (including Daily Mail) revealed that some tourists were so determined to secure the perfect lounger that they actually slept overnight on the sunbeds. Yes, you read that right! People actually turned pool loungers into camp beds just to win the battle of the pool.

What Happened in Tenerife?

The story came to light when a tourist named Ben Smith shared his experience at a Tenerife resort. He noticed something strange: by 8 a.m. (a full three hours before the pool officially opened) the best loungers were already occupied. The interesting thing was that they weren’t just occupied with towels, but with people who had clearly slept there overnight.

The shocking scene quickly made its way online through Daily Mail UK, sparking outrage, laughter and even disbelief. Viewers couldn’t believe that in 2025, tourists were literally camping poolside just to guarantee themselves a sun-soaked spot.

@dailymailuk

British tourists have taken sunbed wars to new extremes by sleeping on loungers overnight to reserve the best poolside spot at a Spanish hotel. Ben Smith was left stunned after he noticed the best loungers at his Tenerife resort were already taken – three hours before the pool opened. 🎥 Jam Press #tenerife #sunbed #holiday #pool #hotelresort

♬ original sound – Daily Mail UK

The Long History of “Sunbed Wars”

This isn’t the first time the so-called “sunbed wars” have made headlines. For decades now, holidaymakers across Mediterranean resorts, especially in Spain, Portugal, and Greece, have earned a reputation for turning the poolside into a competitive arena.

During our travels, we have witnessed the ritual play out countless times. As early as 5 or 6 a.m., you will see determined guests quietly creeping out of their hotel rooms, towels in hand, ready to stake their claim. With the pool still closed and the sun barely rising, they drape a towel across a lounger as an unofficial reservation, often vanishing back to bed or breakfast while others wake up to find every “prime spot” already taken.

Over the years, clips of this have gone viral. Tourists sprint through resort gates the moment staff unlock the pool area. Parents drag kids half-asleep just to secure a lounger. There are even dramatic confrontations when someone dares to move a stranger’s towel. It has become both a running joke and a serious point of frustration in European holiday culture.

Hotels have tried pushing back. Some enforce rules where staff remove unattended towels after a set time. Others have banned sunbed reservations entirely, posting clear signs to discourage the practice. A few more creative resorts now assign loungers per room, taking the chaos out of the equation altogether.

But this latest twist from Tenerife, where guests actually sleep overnight on loungers just to beat the system, is something else. It does not just raise the bar in the infamous sunbed wars. It has actually changed the game completely, and not necessarily for the better.

Why Tourists Do It

So why would anyone sacrifice a comfortable bed in a hotel room just to lie on a pool lounger all night?

1. Fear of Missing Out (FOMO): The best spots by the pool (the ones close to the water, with shade from umbrellas) are always in demand.

2. Holiday Status Symbol: For some, being in the “prime row” is part of the holiday bragging rights.

3. Competition Mentality: The belief that “if I don’t claim it first, someone else will”.

4. Routine: For many British and German travelers, reserving a sunbed has simply become part of the holiday tradition.

It might sound ridiculous, but if you’ve ever seen a pool area in peak season, you’ll understand the competitive energy.

Travel Tips: How to Avoid the Sunbed Wars in Tenerife (or Anywhere)

If the thought of joining the sunbed wars makes you roll your eyes, there are plenty of simple ways to avoid the stress and still enjoy your holiday the way it was meant to be.

Book the right hotel

 Some resorts have strict policies that stop guests from reserving loungers, while others go one step further by assigning loungers to rooms. It may sound like a small detail, but it can completely change your holiday experience. Do a bit of research before booking and you will thank yourself later.

Go off-peak

The busiest hours are usually late morning when everyone is competing for the same sun-soaked loungers. Try visiting the pool in the early afternoon instead, when the early risers have already gone back inside for lunch or a nap. You will often find more free loungers and a calmer vibe.

Head to the beach

Tenerife is famous for its natural beauty, from the black sand beaches near volcanic areas to golden stretches along the coast. Swapping the hotel pool for the ocean not only saves you from the drama but also gives you a richer experience of the island.

Stay flexible

The front row by the pool may look like the prize, but in reality the second or third rows are just as comfortable. In fact, they are often quieter and less crowded, which makes them ideal for a peaceful afternoon of reading or sunbathing.

Create your own rhythm

Instead of following the herd, plan your pool time around your own schedule. Take a dip after breakfast when it is still quiet, or enjoy a swim later in the evening when most guests have packed up. The poolside can be surprisingly peaceful when you avoid peak times.

At the end of the day, we think that holidays should be about relaxation, not competition. If you find yourself getting worked up over a sunbed, step back and remind yourself of the bigger picture. Whether it is by the pool or on the beach, Tenerife offers more than enough places to unwind. The real goal is to recharge, not to fight for a chair.

The Bigger Picture: What This Says About Tourist Culture

The Tenerife sunbed war tells us that there is something bigger going on than just loungers. This sadly shows how tourist behavior often becomes a caricature of itself. For example, Brits abroad have long been stereotyped for their poolside antics. The pressure to maximize every moment of holiday time sometimes leads to over-the-top behavior.

While it’s easy to laugh, it’s also worth remembering that these incidents put pressure on hotels, frustrate fellow travelers, and even go as far as sometimes embarrassing entire nationalities.

Related posts:

New $250 US Visa Integrity Fee: What It Means for Travelers in 2025 Linkin Park to Perform in Abu Dhabi in 2026 as Part of “From Zero World Tour” How Did the Boy Get on the Hersheypark Monorail Track? Chinese Tourist, 21, “Missing” in Egypt Found and Arrested as Part of Cyber-Fraud Ring