Tourists are using a sneaky method to save hotel sunbeds in Tenerife – some call it ‘sad’.

Vacationers have taken extreme actions to secure the best sunbed locations abroad – a behavior that has been criticized as ‘pathetic’ by shocked social media users.

The battle for sunbeds has intensified across Europe in recent times, where travelers vie for sunny spots at resort pools and beaches by using towels and blankets to ‘save’ their spot and then returning much later.

This trend peaks during popular holiday seasons in destinations like Spain and Turkey, frequently visited by British tourists, prompting hotels to crack down on ‘sunbed reservationists’ by enlisting security personnel and implementing systems akin to parking tickets.

But in a recent video posted to TikTok, guests at a hotel in Playa de las Américas, Tenerife, were captured by an onlooker implementing an eyebrow-raising new tactic. 

In the clip, uploaded by @holidaybestbits in February, a dozen sun worshippers can be seen waiting by the empty pool area during the early hours of the morning.

The guests appear to be standing still in designated spots in a bid to ‘reserve’ a space for one of the sunbeds being unloaded onto the area. 

One holidaymaker can even be seen reading his book as he stood in position, before swiftly turning his attention to the loungers as the hotel employees began distributing them out.

In the comments, over 130 viewers, many of whom appeared to identify as British, rallied together to condemn the ‘miserable’ move.

In a recent video posted to TikTok , guests at a hotel in Playa de las Américas, Tenerife, were captured by an onlooker implementing an eyebrow-raising new tactic to secure sunbed spots

One person wrote, ‘Pathetic really. F*****g grown ups,’ while another said, ‘This isn’t what going on holiday is about… misery.’

A third declared: ‘Never ever have I been on holiday and had to do that. May this kind of holiday never find me.’ 

One viewer, who assumed the holidaymakers in the clip were British, wrote: ‘All Brits with no respect for others.’ 

Another said: ‘Each to their own I know but who goes on holiday to sit by a pool every day, certainly not for me.’

A fellow viewer commented: ‘Sad, rather have a sleep and go beach,’ as another announced, ‘This is why I no longer take these type of holidays.’

Finally, one person observed: ‘I’ve never ever seen sunbed wars, it always states no reserving and I’ve never not been able to get a bed no matter what time I go so I’m guessing it’s the kind of hotel their staying at.’

It comes after as a hotel in Cyprus has come up with a genius scheme to put an end to sunbed battles.

The five-star Olympic Lagoon resort in Ayia Napa, Cyprus, has been praised on TikTok for its innovative sunbed allocation scheme.

The guests appear to be standing still in one designated spot in a bid to ‘reserve’ a space for one of the sunbeds being unloaded onto the area 

In the comments, over 130 viewers, many of whom appeared to identify as British, rallied together to condemn the ‘miserable’ move

Tourists are then assigned a set of sunbeds for the duration of their stay. But if you don’t like your assigned spot, there’s no need to panic.

TikTok user ‘makingithappen24’ recorded a video of the hotel’s pool area at 9am to show off the empty sunbeds.

In the video, the holidaymaker explains how the hotel’s scheme works, saying: ‘You go to the little towel hut and they will show you round, show you what beds are available for your duration.’

The TikToker adds: ‘If you don’t like that stay, you can actually go back and change it, we did this three times throughout our stay on our holiday.’

She reveals in the video: ‘This is nine o’clock in the morning and there are no towels on the sunbeds. It’s absolutely brilliant.’