pool etiquette

[stressed0506]

Opening a whole new can of worms here ......
I have been going to as for 15 years now and have had extended stays all over the village Over the last couple of years I have begun to notice a marked deterioration in the behaviour of some families around pools. Parents allowing children to virtually take over a pool area by screaming and shouting and water bombing.     In the past two weeks in particular in 2 pools that I use regularly there have been families that have totally dominated the whole area with no thought or consideration for others. I know that several other people at these pools feel the same as I do but wonder if other forum members have noticed this development.

[cabmufc]

Its called the "Im alright Jack f**k everyone else" social disease that some Brits now have.Thats why we will be beaching it in 18 days from now!! 

[Jules]

Never had any real problems at Tereza's but we are usually there when most kids are back at school so usually only couples are around the pool.

[loftyscot]

Had 4 years at Olga's (July 2008-11, Scottish holidays, early English holidays)), never had any problems.

To be honest, having been in Canaries, Costa Del Sol and Algarve since then the only similar experience I've seen has been adults doing what you describe.........but they usually get knackered after 10 minutes and then crawl back to where they came from.

[Rover]

Certainly not as bad as some places, but the resort "profile" is changing. We should also note that as we get older, we sometimes become less tolerant. I speak from experience!

[stressed0506]

Think you are right about the age aspect Rover but have to say that several parents of young children and teenagers here at present have also remarked on the rudeness and lack of consideration of some families who treat the pool as if it was all theirs. It doesn't stop me returning I just wander off to the beach or another pool with more socially aware parenting taking place.            Ps........I am a mother of three and a secondary school teacher of some years experience so I am accustomed to children and noise !

[Gill C]

Saw this happening at Athina and Nafsika pools this last two weeks.We have two seventeen and one fifteen in our group and they would not be allowed to upset other swimmers.More teenagers about this year seems as though others have now found this place .we will still be back next year. !!

[Dupnica]

It was exactly this kind of selfish, antisocial behaviour that  promoted Dimitri at Fedra Made to be more selective about  the people he allowed to use the pool.

[Waspman]

It was exactly this kind of selfish, antisocial behaviour that  promoted Dimitri at Fedra Made to be more selective about  the people he allowed to use the pool.

I agree Dup, love the Fedra Made too, lovely hotel!

[Dupnica]

I agree Dup, love the Fedra Made too, lovely hotel!

Oh don't let's start that all over again!!

[Waspman]

Touchy, touchy

[Gavlah1973]

We had it in Cyprus the other year. Perfectly adequate kids pool which obviously wasn't good enough for them. Instead they spent about 2 solid hours constantly jumping in and out in front of us. The dad wasn't the smallest of lads and he created near Tsunami conditions every time he hit the water!

[FetaGyros]

We've had 8 lovely years in San Stefanos, always staying in the same hotel and this year we noticed a real deterioration of considerate behaviour.  Our first week, all sunbeds were 'reserved' by 7.15 am (no problems, the second week) - this has already been raised by Canary.  The second week, three family tribes invaded the pool with little consideration for anyone else.  When people were swimming, diving toys were flung everywhere to allow children to dive for items with no regard for others.  one family with 2 children had 5 inflatables, which were left in the pool, taking up most of the pool.  The worse thing though was that the families allowed their children to have a pool party from about 10pm to 2am.  This resulted in screaming and screeching for 4 hours - the pool is near to our room and therefore we couldn't sleep.  Kids will be kids and I don't blame them for having fun and enjoying a lovely holiday, what annoys me is the over indulgent parents, who hide behind a laid back persona which enables them to let their kids run riot without needing to take responsibility. 

[amanda j]

We too were quite shocked this year at the behaviour of a couple of families who dominated the pool area of our apartments. Younger ones shreaking, shouting, screaming,  teenagers ducking and bombing each other and fighting in the water-got to the point where we went back to our room on a couple of occassions as I did not wish to see or have to attend to the injuries! You could not safely swim for several hours of the day. Sunbeds were routinely covered in towels by 9.00 latest and several even saved for friends who rolled up hours later ...felt like we had got off the bus in the wrong place not the San Steph I remembered. The days when the pool (which is sold on quiet and relaxing) area was quiet were bliss. Having said that we will come back next year with our fingers crossed 

[Jimbo]

I agree Dup, love the Fedra Made too, lovely hotel!

I've been trying hard to stay out of the dispute concerning whether Fedra Mare is or is not a/an "hotel", in this and other threads. As a writer, I have to think carefully about words like this, otherwise I get slagged-off by pedants in forums and reviews.

It's a loose term in that the rules defining it differ in different parts of the world. Looking at six major dictionaries the main consensus is that a hotel must provide beds, drink and meals to travellers. It would not normally provide self-catering facilities beyond a kettle and fridge. A hotel would probably be expected to have a restaurant - not just a snack bar.

Fedra Mare, quite correctly, describes itself on its website as "Fedra Mare Apartments and Studios." In Agios Stefanos the terms are fairly loosely used, so enterprises that are both self-catering and have a restaurant will use both - although Thomson make the distinction quite clear: if you have cooking facilities it's not a hotel. Looking at Fedra Mare's website, it clearly has hobs, ovens, pots and pans etc. So I'm inclined to vote for "not a hotel."

As far as pool stuff goes - the owners are perfectly entitled to set their own rules. Little Prince's pool has a notice saying that it's open from 10 until 6. I've seen Spiros at Nafsika gently suggesting to people that their kids are being a pain in the bottom. If people complained more at the time rather than later - a particularly British trait - things could be sorted.