Would you PAY to book your sunbed by the pool in advance?

An option to book a sunlounger before you begin packing your suitcase sounds like a winning idea – but it comes with a €25 (£22) price tag.

Thomas Cook has today announced the launch of its ‘choose your favourite sunbed’ option, which lets you pick your poolside spot up to six days before you jet off, and ensure you’re guaranteed a prime position, with the fee covering a sunbed for the duration of your stay.

The catch? There’s a €25 fee for doing it.

The travel firm says it’s initially trialling the scheme in three of its own-brand hotels, with a view to rolling out to 30 hotels this summer. And for those who dread the early morning dash to mark their territory with a towel, €25 might seem a price worth paying.

Yet bear in mind that’s €25 per sunbed, so the costs could quickly add up for a family or a group – and while you might sometimes pay a few quid to hire a sunbed at the beach, this is essentially an extra cost for something that’s previously been free.

For full details of how it’ll work, see the Thomas Cook website. Then let us know what you think in the comments below (and for tips to cut the cost of your two weeks in the sun, see our Cheap Package Holidays guide).