A Majorca hotel is under investigation after allegedly charging tourists an eye-watering €210 (£181) for a sunlounger, well over double the permitted rate.
It is €130 more than the €80 (£69) limit for a Balinese bed set by the local authority, which contracts this section of the beach to The Four Seasons Resort Mallorca at Formentor. A technician found the hire price had soared to €210 on Thursday when they were sent to review signage, prices and the size of the sunlounger plot. The signage also advertised hiring two premium sunloungers with parasols for €157.50 (£136.25), despite the town hall stating that a ‘premium’ sunlounger should be charged at a maximum of €25 (£21).
Pollensa Town Hall has launched an investigation to determine whether hotel management had breached the conditions of its contract, reports the Mallorca Daily Bulletin.
The Balearic Government’s coasts department, which gives authorisation to the town hall for the concession, could sanction the town hall and the hotel, and even revoke operating rights if a breach is found.
Although the concession granted by the town hall does not expressly limit the hire rates, experts believe that maximums authorised by the government should not be exceeded under any circumstances.
The Majorca Daily Bulletin reports how environment councillor Steffy Pozo highlighted the town hall opted for a contract that does not require setting maximum limits, although she accepts that there is a “difference of opinion.”
The hotel has long operated this part of Fomentor Beach, and other service providers have rarely shown an interest due to costs of running the isolated location, some distance from Puerto Pollensa.
However, complaints had allegedly sparked over the public land becoming like a ‘private beach’ exclusively for the hotel guests.
The Express has contacted the Four Seasons hotel for comment.
