The daily dash to secure a sunbed around the hotel pool has long been a thorn in the side of the British traveller looking for some chill-out time in the sun. Travel firms regularly receive complaints from frazzled holiday-makers unable to find a free sunbed unless they get there at the crack of dawn.
The joke is that their German counterparts somehow manage it by leaping out of bed and marking their territory for the day with a mere throw of their towel.
Thomas Cook is launching a new service that allows customers to choose their pool-side lounger before they leave home.
Thomas Cook customers will be able to pick their loungers up to six days before they set off.
but they have to fork out £22 for the privilege
They can make an informed choice as they will have information about when their chosen spot will be in the sun and the shade.
Thomas Cook said:
Following the successful launch of Choose Your Room for Summer 2017, Choose Your Favourite Sunbed is part of our wider commitment to innovating today’s package holiday and adapting to the needs of the modern traveller.
British holidaymakers may be unsurprised to learn that the service has been available to German customers for several years.
For Brits the service is only available at three Thomas Cook own-brand hotels in Las Palmas, Lanzarote, Gran Canaria and Fuerteventura. However from the end of February it will be rolled out to 30 own-brand hotels for summer 2018.
What this means is that families and couples who pre-book sunbeds will be able to choose their location and ensure that they can stay together. Their sunbed will remain theirs even if they leave to do other activities for a while.
Chris Mottershead, Thomas Cook’s UK Managing Director, said:
We’re excited about the opportunity with Choose your Favourite Sunbed, particularly among families that want to secure a number of beds together in a specific spot.
Choose Your Favourite Sunbed will cost €25 (£22) per sunbed valid for the length of their stay – quite a hefty sum to dole out especially if everyone in a family of four wants their own.
However, only up to 20 per cent of each hotel’s sunbeds will be bookable, leaving enough available for those who don’t want to take up the service.
Choose Your Room will be available in 300 hotels by summer 2018 and costs €30 (£27) per room.
Is this a money-making scheme or a great idea for a much needed service? Leave a comment