Tenerife hotel trials app-based pool sun lounger booking instead of towel madness

Images of towel squabbles by the swimming pool regularly go viral from Tenerife. A hotel chain now wants to put an end to the morning rush for the best spots in the front row by the pool. And it’s doing so digitally.

Iberostar is currently trialling a system for reserving pool sun loungers via its app. Guests wishing to make use of this service must download the hotel chain’s app. Towels, however, are no longer permitted.

The pilot project is currently underway at the Iberostar «Selection Sábila» on Playa Fañabé in Costa Adeje. And towels used as a sign of reservation aren’t the only thing that’s banned at the hotel.

Tenerife hotel trials sun lounger booking via app

The hotel is operated as an «adults-only» establishment. This means that children are not permitted on the premises in the south of Tenerife. Iberostar now wants to ensure even greater peace and quiet at the five-star hotel and is therefore trialling the towel scheme.

Thanks to this new service, the hotel group allows guests to reserve a sun lounger up to 48 hours in advance. This means guests no longer have to rush off with their towels at 6 am sharp when the pool area opens. However, making a reservation does not guarantee that you will keep your sun lounger. Anyone who has not arrived by 10.30 am forfeits their right to it.

However, the service is not available solely for the sake of peace and quiet. This is because the service is free of charge for the first three days. After that, a charge of three euros per booking applies. A couple on a week’s holiday who make a daily booking would therefore pay an extra 24 euros.

The hotel group promotes additional services via the app. For example, it also allows users to chat with hotel staff, plan activities and pay their bill. Customers appreciate the service: the app has a rating of 4.7 out of five stars on Apple and 4.6 out of five on Google. Check-in is done using the hotel name, surname and room number.

Tenerife pilot project not for spontaneous sun-worshippers

According to the hotel group, the aim is to «gain experience». Once feedback from «ongoing operations» has been received and analysed, a decision will be made on whether to roll out sun lounger bookings via the app across the entire group.

Hotel guests can currently see QR codes in the pool area, which draw their attention to the app and the services on offer. Sun loungers are then reserved by number. This allows hotel guests to choose their preferred loungers and book them two days before they plan to sunbathe.