The Balearic Government's coasts directorate is to send an investigator to Formentor beach to assess accusations that the hotel, Four Seasons Resort Mallorca at Formentor, has established a private beach in contravention of Spanish Coasts Law.
Complaints have been lodged which maintain that the hotel has been reserving sunloungers for the exclusive use of guests. The hotel's website has removed reference to a private beach, seemingly in response to publicity given to complaints.
On Tuesday, towels laid between sunloungers and the shore were not in evidence, although it is possible that this was because of the rough weather. Regulations require a six-metre strip of beach for unobstructed public access.
If the coasts department establishes that there have been infringements, a possible sanction could be the withdrawal of the concession to provide sunloungers.
Pollensa Town Hall, one of the recipients of complaints, is sending the police to assess the situation. When last inspected in July, no infringements were recorded. Environment councillor Stephy Pozo says "these are difficult facts to prove". "The towels could have been provided by anyone, and we need to discuss with the legal services whether the hotel can deny service to those not staying at the establishment by invoking the right of admission. It's the same right they exercise when they prevent people in swimsuits from accessing the restaurants they manage on the beach."
The town hall will seek to clarify the situation despite a lack of evidence from inspections earlier in the summer. Pozo adds: "I'm the first person interested in not allowing private use of the beaches. Where are we going to end up? They're open, public, and free of charge."