Sunbed Stampede

We have just returned from a weeks holiday in Menorca, (full holiday post will be coming later this week), but I thought this deserved a separate post of its own. Mainly because I have never in my life experienced the stampede at a time when you should still be asleep on holiday. The time in question was 6am. Yes, you read right. OMG! 6am!

On our first morning I thought nothing of sunbeds because we arrived at around 11am and we decided to stay by the pool. I casually mentioned to my wife as we were walking passed the sunbeds that we should try and find a couple of sunbeds. At this some woman said you’ll be lucky. During the course of the day a number of people mentioned that people start queuing to the entrance of swimming pool areas at around 5.30am in order to bag themselves a subbed! Really? That’s absolutely mental!

On our second morning I woke up and got down to the pool area around 6.20am. My disbelief at how many sunbeds had gone, I was genuinely shocked, although I did manage to get us some for the day. I would guess that by 7am all of the sunbeds had towels on them. They were truly all gone.

Years ago the Germans had a reputation for getting up early and putting their towels on sunbeds. Well the British have taken this to whole new level! On one morning I am convinced that there were more people around the pool at 6.00am than there was at the entertainment the night before. Saying that it didn’t surprise me as it was an ABBA tribute act and the girls looked like drag queens, and couldn’t even sing a single note in tune! It was particularly bad holiday entertainment! I’m sure know the kind of entertainment I’m talking about. Garbage!

The stampede for sunbeds was actually quite funny as long as you managed to get yours, otherwise it wouldn’t be so funny, especially if you ended up on chairs by the bar for the entire day.

A bonus for this early morning ritual was that I got to meet lots of people, and have a chat, but all the while thinking I want to be asleep!

I would have sort of expected it if there had only been a small number of sunbeds, but I think there was about 300, yet they were still all taken. Somebody also said that it was very common place at this hotel, and was mentioned on Trip Advisor.

On our last morning I decided to find out for myself if this queue at the doors to the swimming pool was actually true. I can confirm that it is definitely true, as the picture below proves! This photo was taken at 5.58am. Hard to believe, I know, but sadly true.

I was actually tempted on the morning we left to leave two towels on some sunbeds and then catch the plane back to the UK just so people could moan that they have not been used all day, haha! Sadly my wife wouldn’t let me!

When you have been on holiday abroad have you ever come across this stampede for sunbeds? I would love to hear. It’s definitely a first for me!