A shocking incident at the Spring Hotel Bitácora in Tenerife's Playa de las Américas has sparked renewed concerns over the infamous 'sunbed wars' plaguing Spanish resorts. Around 100 foreign guests nearly trampled a staff member who was opening the pool access door at 6.30 AM, as captured in footage published by German newspaper Bild.
The incident occurred at the 4.5-star establishment, situated between Los Cristianos and Costa Adeje in southern Tenerife. Early-morning footage shows tourists, armed with towels, gathering in the hotel's ground floor before desperately racing to secure prime poolside positions. The staff member was seen struggling to retrieve his dropped key card amidst the rushing crowd.
This behaviour isn't isolated to Tenerife. At Mallorca's Cala Agulla, near the popular tourist destination of Cala Rajada, similar incidents have been reported. On 21 July, at 9AM, footage captured by a German resident showed an empty beach with nearly all sunbeds already 'reserved' with towels. The witness noted that rental companies had to repeatedly replace towels displaced by strong winds.
The practice of early-morning sunbed reservation has become increasingly prevalent across Spanish holiday destinations, particularly during peak season. With numerous hotels situated near beaches like Cala Agulla, local residents report this is no longer an isolated issue but a recurring problem, especially during high tourist season.
Tourism authorities and hotel management across Spain have begun urging holidaymakers to respect communal spaces and abide by fair-use policies. Some resorts have implemented new rules, such as removing unattended towels after a set time or delaying pool openings to curb the frenzy. Despite these efforts, viral videos and ongoing complaints suggest the so-called “sunbed wars” remain a flashpoint in the broader conversation about responsible tourism and the strain mass tourism places on local infrastructure and hospitality staff.