Holidaymakers offered chance to reserve sunbeds for £22 for entire stay

  • Travel

  • Video report by ITV News Richard Pallot.

Holidaymakers are being offered the chance to reserve sunbeds for their entire stay.

Thomas Cook customers willing to pay 25 euros (£22) will be able to book a specific lounger in what it says is the UK's first package holiday company to provide such a service.

Travel firms receive numerous complaints from customers unable to use hotel sunbeds because many are reserved by people leaving towels, books and other belongings on them.

The frantic dash to the pool in the early hours of the morning to bag a sunbed has become somewhat of a ritual for desperate holidaymakers, with several videos appearing online showing crowds outside hotel pools waiting for them to open before rushing in.

Thomas Cook says the scheme is being trialled in three hotels from the end of next month, and will be available in 30 hotels this summer.

Sunbeds will be displayed on a map featuring a compass to help people work out whether certain areas will be in the sun or shade a different times of the day.

Only a proportion of a hotel's sunbeds will be bookable, in a bid to ensure there are still enough sunbeds for those who do not want to pay the premium.