Formentor: 210 euros for a beach bed — authorities probe possible price overrun

Too expensive for the beach? A weekend at Formentor raises eyebrows

Last Saturday, around 10:30 a.m., the small parking lot at the Mirador of Formentor was already quite full. The sun was shining, the waves were playing — and on the beach, staff in smart shirts stood beside luxury daybeds with curtains. A Balinese bed, as one hotel employee put it, costs 210 euros for the day. I laughed briefly. Other guests did not.

Official price limits and the question of public space

There is more than just head-shaking: According to the coastal administration, there are ceilings for sun loungers and special furniture on public beaches. In practice, however, offers appear that clearly exceed these limits. Two loungers with a parasol, officially allowed to cost at most around 45 euros, were listed here at nearly 158 euros. That is not only expensive — it is, for many visitors, simply surprising.

The authorities have subsequently begun to examine the allegations. It is about determining whether on the public beach effectively private areas with luxury offerings are created or whether simply false prices were advertised. In the worst case, fines and withdrawal of the offers threaten.

Who orders a Café con leche at the kiosk for 2.50 euros in the morning and sees next to it a beach bed for 210 euros, asks: For whom is this beach actually? Local residents report that in recent years more extras have appeared — rental offers with service, beds with curtains, small service islands. The business model is understandable, but the balance between supply and the commons must not be lost.

What happens now and how it could proceed

The coast guard and the municipality want to check whether permits were violated. Both hotel operators and representatives of the operator of the beach area have already been questioned. The question remains whether this is an isolated case or part of a larger trend that is slowly making its way.

In the end, much depends on inspections, clear rules, and common sense. Until then: anyone heading to Formentor on a sunny morning should compare prices beforehand — and perhaps bring a towel. That saves money and trouble.