Germans are well known for leaping out of bed on holiday and bagging the best pool sunloungers with a quick throw of the towel, but they may finally be thwarted – at least by the customers for one holiday firm in particular.
That’s because Thomas Cook is launching a new service that allows customers to choose their sunbed before they leave home.
What’s more, they will have plenty of time to pick their loungers – up to six days before departure – and they will have access to data that shows them when their chosen spot will get sun and shade.
The Sunprime Atlantic View in Las Palmas, pictured, is one of the hotels trialling the sunlounger booking system from the end of February
Thomas Cook said: ‘Following the successful launch of Choose Your Room for Summer 2017, Choose Your Favourite Sunbed is part of our wider commitment to innovating today’s package holiday and adapting to the needs of the modern traveller.’
The new initiative is being trialled in three Thomas Cook own-brand hotels, such as the Sunprime Atlantic View in Las Palmas, from the end of February and will be available in 30 own-brand hotels for summer 2018.
It is the first service of its kind to be offered by a package holiday company in the UK, claims Thomas Cook, and ‘takes customers’ ability to “unpack” and personalise their package holiday to a new level’.
This image is a mock-up of the pool plan Thomas Cook customers will have access to before they jet off
Choose Your Favourite Sunbed allows families and couples to pre-book sunbeds in their preferred location, helping them stay together, spend more time on their favourite activities, then returning to the pool when it suits them, safe in the knowledge their beds will be waiting, Thomas Cook said.
Customers will receive an email six days before departure asking if they would like to choose their sunbed in advance.
They will be able to choose their preferred location from a pool plan based on their personal preferences.
While some families may wish to secure their ideal spot by the kids’ pool, others may prefer to be in a more secluded, restful spot. The pool plans will include a compass that indicates when loungers will be covered in shade.
Chris Mottershead, Thomas Cook’s UK Managing Director, said: ‘Traditional package holidays are a thing of the past. Holidaymakers today want to personalise their package, mixing and matching the elements that best fit their needs and lifestyle.
‘Our recently launched services such as Choose Your Room, which has attracted more than 10,000 bookings during the trial phase, and Early Check In, are proving popular and we’re excited about the opportunity with Choose your Favourite Sunbed, particularly among families that want to secure a number of beds together in a specific spot.’
Choose Your Favourite Sunbed will cost €25 per sunbed per stay. Around 10 to 20 per cent of each hotel’s sunbeds will be bookable, so there are enough available for those who don’t want to take up the service.
Choose Your Room will be available in 300 hotels by summer 2018 and costs €30 per room.
For more information, go to: www.thomascook.com/holidays/choose-your-sunbed.