While most people are still asleep, some holidaymakers like a particularly early rise in order to try and reserve their poolside sunloungers. This 'reservation' system isn't confined to hotel pools, as it is now also evident on beaches.
In the Balneario 10 area of Playa de Palma, beachgoers are hanging towels from parasols to indicate that they have made this reservation. The beach service for renting sunloungers and parasols doesn't start until 10am, though workers are on site at 8.30 in order to put the loungers out.
A German resident of Playa de Palma for years is outraged by this. "You don’t just see this at Ballermann 10. You can find it all over Playa de Palma." There have been complaints on social media. One says: "I would throw the towels into the sea!"
A German etiquette expert, Birte Steinkamp, says reserving sunloungers early in the morning with a towel is "totally inconsiderate and not acceptable at all". It is behaviour, moreover, that can cause stress.