There is one tension-filled debate flooding travel forums right now, and the problem always peaks during the high season. Here at The Cancun Sun, we call it the “towel game,” and it is a never-ending saga.
If you look at social media today, it is filled with comments from frustrated travelers who are waking up as early as 5:00 AM just to reserve a pool chair. Many guests report that if you are not out on the deck by 8:00 AM, you do not have a chance of securing a seat for the day. Instead of people, you will find an endless line of resort towels, random paperback books, and strategically placed bottles of sunscreen blocking every single prime lounger.
So why exactly does this happen, and why is it getting worse?
The Math Behind the Madness
The root cause of the towel game is simple math. At the vast majority of mega-resorts, there simply are not enough chairs, umbrellas, or physical deck space for every single guest staying on the property. (Well, maybe with the exception of the massive new AVA Resort, but they are the outlier).
When a hotel has 1,000 rooms and only 400 prime pool loungers, it creates an artificial scarcity. This instantly triggers a first-come, first-served battle every single morning. Guests realize on day one that if they do not play the game, they will be sitting on the concrete. So, by day two, they are setting their alarms for dawn.
The Impossible Solution
Many guests are furious and point the finger directly at hotel management for not fixing the issue. But in truth, solving the towel game is not quite as easy as it looks.
The debate is split straight down the middle. One half of travelers wants a dedicated security officer patrolling the deck with a stopwatch. They want strict rules where any chair left vacant for an hour is immediately stripped, with the belongings sent straight to the lost and found.
However, enforcing that angers the other half of travelers. People argue that if they wake up early to claim a spot, they should be allowed to go grab breakfast or take a walk on the beach without their property being confiscated. On the flip side, the stopwatch method is the only way to appease the guests who actually want to sleep in past 6:00 AM on their vacation. It is a situation where pleasing everyone is mathematically and logistically impossible.
The Honor System?
While many resorts do have signs posted around the pool and outline the rules at check-in, they largely leave it up to the honor system. The hotel politely asks guests not to hoard chairs if they are not actively using them.
But when a traveler has just dropped $7,000 for a week-long luxury holiday, the honor system usually goes right out the window. Human nature takes over. The justification is simple: I paid a fortune to be here, I deserve that front-row chair, and I am going to hold it.
How to Opt Out of the Battle
If you refuse to set an alarm on your vacation but still want a guaranteed place to sit, there are really only two guaranteed solutions to bypass the towel game—and both of them cost money.
1. Rent the VIP Cabana You have already spent a small fortune on your flights and your all-inclusive package. Why not splurge a little more to make the experience completely stress-free? Most resorts offer VIP Bali beds or private poolside cabanas that you can rent by the day. Yes, it is an extra fee, but it guarantees you a shaded, premium spot no matter what time you roll out of bed.
2. Book the Ultra-Lux Tier The towel game is predominantly a mega-resort problem. If you want to avoid it entirely, you need to book an ultra-luxury boutique hotel or upgrade to a resort’s exclusive “Club Level.” These higher tiers usually feature a significantly lower guest count, exclusive private pools, and a 1-to-1 ratio of chairs to guests. In these premium sections, the staff will actually escort you to an open seat and set your towels up for you.
The Resort Towel Game
Ultimately, until resorts figure out a magical way to double their pool space, the early morning towel dash is here to stay.
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AL
Tuesday 24th of March 2026
No towels before 8 AM. After 9,i f you are not present ,all bets are off
Catherine
Sunday 22nd of March 2026
If every resort designated 2 chairs per room it would help alot. So if you are a family of 4 (2 adults / 2 children) you only get 2 chairs, period! If the resort has 200 rooms there should be 400 chairs with umbrellas or under pergolas, so everyone has shade no matter what. On check in all guest should be told that they only get 2 chairs and if they take more, they will have to give them up. This would help so much. And they can have an employee walk around once later in the morning and once in the afternoon to ensure that guests are only using 2 chairs.