Should i provide pool umbrellas

[ianthy]

Hi

We plan to fit a gazebos/fixed canopies over the dining/ terraces around the house. We can not decide about the pool - it is located in a windy sunny position = 4 broken umbrellas already this year!

Looking at other properties in our area - they do not provide pool umbrellas. Personally I think sometimes, it is too hot to be at the pool - and an umbrella would be useful or perhaps guests would simply withdraw from the pool to the shade of the terraces at this time.

Q: Is it necc to to provide umbrellas at the pool? do other villa owners with pools provide pool umbrellas?

[la vache!]

Q: Is it necc to to provide umbrellas at the pool? do other villa owners with pools provide pool umbrellas?

Yes, I think it is necessary and expected. It is windy here too, I just ask guests to put the parasols down when they leave to prevent damage. I don't think you can expect guests to sit in temperatures of 25°C + in full sunshine without offering some kind of shade.

[enid]

We carefully positioned our pool to have both sun and shade - we don't need umbrellas as we have trees but I think you should provide them.

[Tizfata]

Very same sisuation here, Ianthy!
Tried with mid range sunshades
then with very pool quality sunshades
this year I decided to go for 1st quality beach umbrellas.
Very expensive but very very satisfactory (so far, finger crossed...)

[Mouse]

Could you fix a canopy (sail) over part of the pool area? If so that might be the best solution. If not then yes I would say you should provide parasols near the pool and do as LV does and ask guests to be mindful of the windy conditions.

Mouse
x

[Jimbo]

The essentials for a guest pool are clean water, sun loungers and shade - anything else is a bonus. 32C here this afternoon, guests would be cooking without parasols. We had a spate of broken wooden parasols a while back but this stopped when we changed to more robust and expensive metal ones.

Jim

[ianthy]

thanks for the replies - i will look at metal umbrellas or a sail.

[Tizfata]

thanks for the replies - i will look at metal umbrellas or a sail.

Actually the lady at the umbrellas factory suggested wood instead of aluminium, because it is heavier. Also mine have a little umbrella at the top so that the wins can pass through it...

[Jimbo]

the lady at the umbrellas factory suggested wood

Perhaps she makes more profit replacing the wooden brollies! Maybe it depends how they are anchored? Our's have heavy independant bases but are top-heavy and, when the wind blows forcefully enough to topple them, they smack down with sufficient force to break the wooden stems. We lost five big wooden brollies in two seasons (about 50 Euros a throw) but none of the metal replacements in the following three years.

Jim

[ianthy]

the lady at the umbrellas factory suggested wood

Perhaps she makes more profit replacing the wooden brollies! Maybe it depends how they are anchored? Our's have heavy independant bases but are top-heavy and, when the wind blows forcefully enough to topple them, they smack down with sufficient force to break the wooden stems. We lost five big wooden brollies in two seasons (about 50 Euros a throw) but none of the metal replacements in the following three years.

Jim

Exactly my situation - strong gust of wind and wooden umbrellas are gone.....

[Tizfata]

the lady at the umbrellas factory suggested wood

Perhaps she makes more profit replacing the wooden brollies!

Possible but now I am happy as I have never been before. This factory works mainly for the beach (in Italian is stabilimento balneare, I found "bathhouse", not sure the translation is correct, anyway, the places you can go on the beach and rent parasols and sunloungers) where the ombrellas are on the beach, under the sun & the rain from June to September not particularly looked after.
Unfortunately 50 euro for a parasol (or for a sunbed...) at the supermarket is not (in my experience) a guarantee for quality. Most of the imported goods cost good money but have poor quality.

[olive]

Tizfata, Do youknow a good Italian web site for sunbeds and/or parasols?? Or a couple of brands I can search online? We're only 2 hours from Italy and I've given up on the French ones.

Oh, and the 2 couples who stayed in April asked for several parasols for the pool. The (extra) sunbeds near the pool(3 metres), under trees, weren't what they wanted. I think they really wanted 4 parasols.

[Rocket Rab]

Two couples? Four parasols?

[olive]

Yes!

[KathyG]

Do you think it's getting close to the stage where we won't be able to satisfy these 'punters' any more?