Leah Norman, 37, from Ayrshire, Scotland, observed crowds of tourists rushing to secure sunbeds at the Best Oasis Hotel in Salou, Spain, on July 4. She described the scene as 'Hunger Games style' after holidaymakers waited for two hours before the pool gates opened.
Daily scramble for sunbeds
According to Norman, a 'big queue' formed every morning from around 8am, with the doors to the pool area opening at 10am. 'The door was locked and would open at 10am. People would start queuing up from around 8am and when the doors opened at 10am, everyone would start running to grab sunbeds that were stacked up to place next to the pool, like the Hunger Games had just started,' she said.
Norman noted that many sunbeds with towels draped over them remained unoccupied for the entire day, leaving families with young children unable to find shade. 'Some families with young children were unable to get sunbeds or parasol shades for their babies as they would be taken. Some days, beds would lie empty all day with towels lying on them,' she added.
Similar incidents reported
Norman's account echoes that of another Glasgow tourist, Chris, who filmed over 40 tourists in a 'manic race' for sunbeds at a hotel in Salou in June. Chris said: 'It was a manic race and scramble for the sunbeds surrounding the pool at the hotel. I don't judge but found it funny so had to film it. Some people just rolled out their bed, queued up, mad-dashed to secure the bed then they were seen going back to their hotel rooms or off for breakfast.'
Chris added: 'It doesn't leave room for those who don't queue for an hour.'
