Sunbed wars have become one of the most divisive holiday debates of the summer. Should you save a spot by the pool – or is it the ultimate holiday faux pas? Holidaymakers desperate to bag the best spot – or even find a free lounger – have resorted to increasingly extreme measures to secure their resort sunbed.From the morning dash to a whole host of techniques ranging from using itching powder to camping overnight, the ways Brits are reserving sunbeds are becoming increasingly inventive.The most bizarre tactics of all? Read on for an insight into British behaviour abroad… Itching powder The nefarious tactic of spreading itching powder on sunbeds has has mixed resultsOne British holidaymaker secretly sprinkled itching powder on towels left on poolside loungers by guests reserving them before sunrise.Fed up with early risers bagging the best spots and then disappearing for hours, Tom Caunce decided to take matters into his own hands during a family holiday in Majorca.The 31-year-old claimed he specifically targeted what he described as ‘repeat offenders’ who reserved prime poolside loungers before heading back to their rooms.’I think we’ve all experienced the frustration of trying to get a sunbed on holiday,’ Tom said.’On my last holiday, I decided enough was enough and that it was time for a bit of playful payback.’Tom, from Southport, said he spent the first few days keeping an eye on guests who repeatedly claimed the same loungers each morning before disappearing.He said he snuck downstairs and rubbed itching powder into one of the white hotel towels before waiting for a couple to return.Later, Tom said: ‘After about a minute, I noticed him starting to scratch his legs. After around 10 minutes, he got up and jumped into the pool.”He picked up the white towel and used it to dry himself, and the small irritation seemed to turn into a full-body scratch.’Sleeping on sunbeds Some have even taken to sleeping on sunbeds to save them for the next morningBritish tourists have taken sunbed wars to new extremes by sleeping on loungers overnight to reserve the best poolside spots.Last August, holidaymaker Ben Smith, from Sheffield, said: ‘People sleep on sun loungers to reserve their spot. They reserve the beds, but the hotel has a policy that if your bed is left unattended, they will remove the towels – so they just lay in them.’Some even look to be asleep. It’s a bit silly. I do get why people do it, but it’s a vicious circle, so to speak. They’re the ones creating the problem that they’re aiming to avoid.’If people didn’t reserve beds they didn’t need, then there wouldn’t be an issue. I haven’t seen the beds anywhere near full in terms of people, just towels.’Hiding others’ towelsHiding the towels of sunbed hoggers – or even just removing them – is one tactic holidaymakers are using to ensure everyone gets a spot.Rachael Rogers shared a clip on TikTok saying: ‘All week the same people would bag their spot by the pool. So today we decided to give them a little surprise and take them.’Elsewhere, British seasonal workers got revenge on ‘selfish’ Zante holidaymakers who reserved their sunbeds by ‘hiding’ their towels and flinging them up trees.Waitress Millie Newsham, 20, was on her way back to her hotel room at 6am after a night out with friends when they noticed towels had been placed on sunbeds to reserve them.Footage shows the group dragging towels off the loungers, chucking and scattering them around the poolside.Millie, from Blackpool, said her friends had become increasingly frustrated at tourists who try to claim their spot on the poolside.The British waitress said reserving sunbeds was ‘selfish’ and not the done thing on the Greek party island.’It’s quite selfish because half of these people they’re not even getting up. Then the people that are getting up then don’t have a lounger. It’s so annoying. Obviously this is our home right now. We’ve scared them off. They haven’t done it since.’There are other towel-management games at play, too. A select few holidaymakers – seen by some as unsung heroes, and by others as a real menace – are enforcing their own rules to combat the sunbed wars.One such hero wrote on Reddit: ‘As a kid I went further than just throwing the towels into the pool. We drenched them, tied them into a rope, played tug of war, then let the rope dry in the sun.’A different onlooker added: ‘I didn’t witness it, but I got told some legend picked up the towels and threw them in the pool… Apparently there were no more attempts to reserve loungers in the near term.’Another wrote: ‘There’s an easy fix for “reserved” spots. Just ignore the towel and sit down.’The sunbed sprint – ‘like something out of The Hunger Games’ British holidaymaker Clare Wright filmed the moment the gate to the pool area at the Protur Playa Cala Millor Hotel in Mallorca were opened for the day – with keen tourists breaking into a run to get their preferred spotVery few people opt to go for a run on their holidays – but some are forced to.Holidaymakers desperate to bag the best spot by a Mallorcan resort’s pool were caught on camera sprinting to the sun loungers in scenes described by an onlooker as ‘like something out of The Hunger Games’.The morning dash took place at Protur Playa Cala Millor Hotel in Mallorca, and was filmed by British holidaymaker Clare Wright, who was enjoying a stay at the four-star adults-only property.The 44-year-old, from Nottingham, filmed tourists running across the deck the second the gates to the pool area were opened, having queued for half an hour to ensure they were ready for the race.The tourist explained the unapologetic sprinting to secure the loungers was all the more surprising because guests had been given a warning the evening before about such dawn dashes.She said: ‘The night before, the entertainment manager said: “No leaving towels down, the staff clean the pool area in the morning, and no running as the floor will be wet and slippy. We are all adults here.”‘It’s not the only example.Earlier this year, holidaymakers in Tenerife were seen sprinting for loungers in the latest episode of this summer’s ‘sunbed wars’.After queuing for half an hour before the pool even opened, dozens of tourists clutching towels charged towards prime poolside spots as soon as security staff opened the gates at 8am. The mad dash was filmed by Hope Davies during a seven-day stay at the Spring Hotel Bitacora in Playa de las Americas, Tenerife.She said: ‘There were around 40 people rushing for sunbeds. People were panicking trying to secure the sunbeds directly next to the pools, mainly as this is a family hotel so I guess it’s to keep an eye on their children without having to be in the water.’Paying your way – for £95 In some destinations, a sure-fire way to reserve a spot is to payPaying for a sunbed at a luxury resort is one way to guarantee a seat.Last year, Chloe Papworth travelled to Rhodes, Greece, in September with a group of friends to celebrate a birthday. The 31-year-old said the group paid 110 euros (£95) to reserve the cabana sunbeds on the first row at Saint Paul’s Bay to experience the view.While Chloe admitted the price was high, she thought it was worth it as they were very close to the sea.Plus, some resorts have taken to charging holidaymakers – beachgoers could face extortionate costs in Palma, Majorca, as the cost of umbrellas and sunbeds rise.Daily rates for standard versions of both items increased to €10 (£8.70) in 2026, up from €6 (£5.20) in 2019.The new tariffs come as part of updated seasonal beach services issued by Palma Council.However, the price of premium loungers will soar to astronomical amounts – increasing from €30 (£26) to €45 (£39) per day, according to a study from the council.Meanwhile, Balinese beds – luxurious, four-poster outdoor daybeds – will reach €70 (£60) in comparison to €45 (£39) previously.The 2am stakeout Early risers have stayed up late or risen early in order to ‘shotgun’ pool seatsLastly, many holidaymakers have opted for early wakeups in order to secure a sunbed.One Brit, Claire Stewart, posted a video of one such sunbed war between midnight and 2am, saying: ‘?Operation: Sunbed Warriors. ?It’s past 2am here in Lanzarote and the mission is already complete.’Rules say no reserving, but the towel cartel waits for no one. Absolute madness. Spare a thought for the maintenance guys hosing around them at 8.30am.’Plus, a young British couple said they were left with no other choice but to sneak down to the hotel pool at 1am to reserve sunbeds while on holiday in Portugal. Aimee Millar, 20, from Belfast, said she resorted to leaving her room in the middle of the night when she discovered other guests were doing the same. Similarly, a mum on holiday with her family revealed how she was forced to get up early because of ‘unfair’ sunbed hogs. Travellers have been known to get up anywhere between 1am and 6am in order to bag a poolside plot.