It is 5:55 AM. The sun hasn’t even cracked the horizon over the Caribbean Sea. You are on vacation. You should be asleep. You should be dreaming about the swim-up bar.
Instead, you are pulling on shorts in the dark, grabbing four striped towels, a bottle of sunscreen, and a battered paperback book. You are on a mission.
Welcome to “The Towel Game.”
If you have been to an all-inclusive resort in Punta Cana—whether it’s a budget-friendly Riu or a high-end Hyatt—you know this war. It is the unspoken, passive-aggressive conflict that defines the morning routine of thousands of tourists every single day.
Here is the inside scoop on why it happens, how to play, and (if you’re smart) how to cheat the system without getting into an argument before breakfast.
The Math Doesn’t Add Up
Let’s be real about the numbers. Your resort has 2,000 guests. It has 400 prime pool chairs (the ones with umbrellas and a view).
Do the math.
If you roll down to the pool at a civilized 10:00 AM after a nice omelet station breakfast, you will find a ghost town of empty chairs, all “occupied” by a single flip-flop or a novel from 2004. The owners of those items? They went back to sleep. They won’t be back until noon. But that chair is theirs.
The Rules of Engagement
The Towel Game has a strict, unwritten code. If you want to survive, you need to know what you are up against.
- The “Anchor” Item: A towel alone is weak. A gust of wind (or an angry fellow tourist) can “accidentally” blow it away. The pros use towel clips. If you see a bright plastic flamingo clip holding a towel to a chair, that creates a forcefield. You cannot touch that chair.
- The “Ghost” Move: This is the most controversial tactic. Dad wakes up at 6:00 AM, claims a row of six chairs for the whole extended family, and then goes back to bed. The chairs sit empty for five hours. This is the move that causes 90% of the arguments.
- The “Butler” Loophole: If you see a reserved sign on a chair at 7:00 AM, don’t touch it. That wasn’t a guest; that was a butler. At high-end resorts like Secrets or Excellence, guests in the “Preferred Club” text their butler the night before. The butler is up earlier than you. You can’t beat the butler.
How To Win (Without Waking Up At Dawn)
So, you refuse to set an alarm on vacation. I respect that. Here is how you get a chair without the 6 AM patrol.
1. The “Grease The Wheels” Strategy This is the most effective method in the Dominican Republic. Find the pool concierge (the guy stacking the towels) the moment you arrive on Day 1. Shake his hand with a folded $20 bill inside. Look him in the eye and say, “My friend, I love this spot. Can you help me out tomorrow?” Magically, you will find chairs reserved for you every morning. Money talks louder than towel clips. You might want to make sure he is actually working in the same spot tomorrow.
2. The “Vulture” Method Most resorts have a rule: “Items left unattended for 60 minutes will be removed.” They rarely enforce it, but you can. If you see a prime chair with just a resort towel on it (no personal items like a phone or bag), watch it. If nobody comes back in an hour, move the towel to the towel return bin and sit down. If they come back, play dumb. “Oh, there was nothing here when I arrived. Security must have cleared it.”
3. The “Nuclear Option” (Rent A Cabana) If you have the budget, stop fighting. Most resorts now rent “Bali Beds” or private Cabanas for $50–$150 a day. Is it annoying to pay extra at an all-inclusive? Yes. Is it worth $100 to sleep until 9:00 AM and stroll down to a guaranteed bed with a bottle of champagne waiting on ice? Absolutely.
The Bonus Tip:
The “Zero Stress” Loophole
If you have the budget ($1,500+/night), there is exactly one place where the “Towel Game” does not exist: Eden Roc Cap Cana.
The Secret: Private Pools.
Because almost every suite has its own private pool, the main community pool is rarely crowded. You can roll out of bed at noon and find the best chair waiting for you. No alarm clock required.
The Verdict
Is the Towel Game alive? Yes. Is it fair? No.
But until resorts start strictly enforcing the “use it or lose it” rules (like Moon Palace recently started doing in Cancun), you have two choices:
- Set the alarm and join the zombies at 6:00 AM.
- Bring a stack of $10 bills and make friends with the pool staff.
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