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A TikTok video shows the morning rush for pool loungers in a hotel. Guests, children included, sprint to get the best spots.
Salou – The Catalan holiday resort is not only famous for the Port Aventura theme park and its exciting rollercoasters. Its location on the Spanish coast, right by the sea, also attracts tourists. These advantages have led to hotels springing up everywhere, which are particularly busy in the summer months. A video shows a special kind of rush.
Video shows wild race à la Mario Kart for beach chairs in Spanish hotel
The video, which is on TikTok published on , documents the morning battle for pool loungers. It was taken in a Catalan hotel that has both an indoor and an outdoor pool. The outdoor area is particularly popular, but the pools there are not open all day. According to the hotel website, the outdoor area is open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. As a result, many guests gather early in the morning to secure the best spot by the pool.
The video shows a large crowd waiting in front of the closed door. As soon as the doors are opened, the guests rush off, towels under their arms – including fast children. The first personal items are quickly thrown onto the loungers to reserve them. Then the video ends abruptly. Apparently the person who recorded the video was also still looking for a seat. The soundtrack of the racing game Mario Kart was played in the background, which perfectly accompanied the race for the best seats. Other guests also published similar videos.
“It was crazy!” – Guests appalled by pool lounger situation
A race that seems to take place every day during opening hours. “It was so funny to watch every day!”, one guest commented under the video in English. Other guests who had given hotel reviews found the situation less amusing: “If you wanted loungers by the pool, you had to queue up. You had to be down at 8 a.m. and walk. It was crazy! We never got any and sat on plastic chairs,” one guest reported in his review on Tripadvisor in August. Another adds: “People were using the chairs as loungers. So they were all taken. If you wanted to get lunch, there was nowhere to sit.” Scenes that people experience again and again on cruises.
“If you are looking for a relaxing pool holiday where you can spend time on a lounger in the hotel without any stress, then you have come to the wrong place. People queue up from 7.15 in the morning. By 8 a.m. there are hundreds when the doors to the outdoor area open. Then people sprint and fight for the loungers. It is fun to watch, but would ruin your holiday if you were expecting a relaxing day at the pool,” reports another guest in English. Elsewhere, guests are already queuing at 6.30 a.m. But not everywhere you can reserve with a towel. One hotel in Turkey has drawn a line under it.
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Good hotel rating despite lounger chaos
Despite the chaos surrounding the loungers, the hotel receives Tripadvisor four and a half out of five points. It scores particularly well for its location and cleanliness. But the service and value for money are also praised in the reviews. So if you want to use the hotel mainly for sleeping, this is the right place for you. Llevant Beach is less than 20 minutes’ walk away. (nr)
