A wheelchair-bound grandmother from Manchester has criticised holidaymakers and hotel practices after her family’s reserved sun loungers were confiscated, highlighting a rise in 'sunbed wars' disrupting holiday fairness and accessibility.
A disabled grandmother has voiced her frustration over a troubling encounter with self-styled sunbed vigilantes during her family holiday at the Aquasol Aparthotel in Magaluf. Elaine Simpson, 77, a wheelchair user from Manchester, recounted an incident where her family's towels, strategically placed to reserve sun loungers due to her mobility issues, were removed by a group of holidaymakers. Despite having received permission from hotel staff to reserve the loungers, the family found themselves without a place to settle as they attempted to enjoy a day by the pool.
Ms Simpson's hotel room was situated on the fifth floor, making the trek to the pool a challenge, particularly given her chronic arthritis. Despite communicating her needs to the hotel reception, who consented to the reservation, her plans were dashed when they returned only to find their reserved towels had vanished. "The only thing that was available was white plastic chairs," she shared. "They were too hard. And I can’t lie down on the grass." Initially, the family suspected the towels had been mistakenly removed by a lifeguard but soon discovered that a group of friends had misjudged the situation, believing they were addressing the actions of queue jumpers.
The situation escalated when this group shared a video on TikTok, showcasing Ms Simpson's grandsons laying out the towels in what they believed was an effort against other holidaymakers’ queue-jumping antics. Unbeknownst to them, they were inadvertently capturing a family simply seeking fairness in an all-too-common struggle for prime sunbed real estate. When confronted with the backlash from their video, which led to an onslaught of criticism in the comments section, the grandmother expressed her dismay: “It was vile. My grandsons are 13 and 15; they had no right to post any pictures of them.”
In a twist, Ms Simpson's daughter reached out to the original content creator on TikTok, who subsequently issued a heartfelt apology and removed the video from the platform. This incident is illustrative of a broader trend among holidaymakers in popular resorts, where securing a sunbed has become a cutthroat competition, to the extent that some guests have resorted to queuing hours prior to pool openings. Reports from the Canary Islands reveal that eager sunseekers begin lining up as early as 8 am, armed with towels and sun lotion, in anticipation of pool access at 9:30 am.
The ongoing "sunbed wars" have prompted various resorts to implement stricter measures to maintain fairness, with some establishments now employing staff to monitor sunbed reservations. Reports from hotels in Spain have highlighted staff removing towels of those attempting to stake claims on loungers prematurely, a practice that has received widespread approval among frustrated guests. A hotel worker in Majorca has recently gained admiration for clearing towels from sunbeds, reinforcing the sentiment that such initiatives should become standard practice to ensure equitable access to facilities.
In light of these developments, Ms Simpson's experience highlights not only her familial struggle but also the larger question of fairness and accessibility in holiday settings. With sunbed hogging deeply entrenched in holiday culture, her story serves as a reminder of the need for empathy and clarity, particularly for those with special requirements during their vacations.
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Source: Noah Wire Services
Noah Fact Check Pro
The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first
emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed
below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may
warrant further investigation.
Freshness check
Score:
6
Notes:
The narrative appears to be original, with no exact matches found in prior publications. However, similar incidents involving sunbed disputes in Spanish resorts have been reported, such as the 'sunbed wars' in Majorca and other parts of Spain. ([euronews.com](https://www.euronews.com/2023/08/11/sunbed-wars-costa-chaos-as-tourists-fight-for-a-place-by-the-pool?utm_source=openai)) The earliest known publication date of these similar reports is August 11, 2023. The absence of earlier reports on this specific incident suggests a freshness score of 6. The report is based on a press release, which typically warrants a high freshness score. No discrepancies in figures, dates, or quotes were identified. The article includes updated data but recycles older material, which may justify a higher freshness score but should still be flagged.
Quotes check
Score:
8
Notes:
The direct quotes attributed to Ms. Simpson and other individuals in the narrative do not appear in earlier material, indicating they are potentially original or exclusive content. No identical quotes were found in prior publications, and no variations in wording were noted.
Source reliability
Score:
4
Notes:
The narrative originates from the Daily Mail, a reputable organisation. However, the specific article is not accessible due to restrictions, making it difficult to fully assess the reliability of the source. The report is based on a press release, which typically warrants a high reliability score. No unverifiable entities or fabricated information were identified.
Plausability check
Score:
7
Notes:
The narrative describes a plausible incident involving a disabled grandmother's struggle with sunbed reservation at a hotel in Magaluf. Similar incidents have been reported in Spanish resorts, such as the 'sunbed wars' in Majorca. ([euronews.com](https://www.euronews.com/2023/08/11/sunbed-wars-costa-chaos-as-tourists-fight-for-a-place-by-the-pool?utm_source=openai)) The report lacks supporting detail from other reputable outlets, which raises some concerns. The language and tone are consistent with typical news reporting. No excessive or off-topic detail unrelated to the claim was noted. The tone is appropriately dramatic, resembling typical corporate or official language.
Overall assessment
Verdict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): OPEN
Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): MEDIUM
Summary:
The narrative presents a plausible and original account of a disabled grandmother's sunbed dispute in Magaluf. While similar incidents have been reported in Spanish resorts, the specific details of this case are not corroborated by other reputable outlets, raising some concerns about its authenticity. The reliance on a press release as the primary source and the inaccessibility of the original article further complicate the assessment. Therefore, the overall assessment is 'OPEN' with a medium confidence level.
