Ensconced in one of these chairs, you can slumber away peacefully, eavesdrop on conversations in a neighboring strandkorb, or indulge in the game of "see and be seen."

Strandkorbs are as much a part of the scenery in seaside resorts on Germany’s North and Baltic coasts as the sand itself, though there are variations from state to state. On the North Sea island of Sylt, for instance, they are rented out by the municipality. Beach chair rentals on the Baltic Sea island of Usedom and in Cuxhaven-Duhnen in Lower Saxony, on the other hand, are in the hands of private entrepreneurs

Prices differ as well. On the islands of Rügen, Usedom and Sylt, they cost about seven euros ($7,60) a day, including discounts for booking in advance. At the upper end of the price scale, you can pay 12 euros a day on the islands off Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, and 11 euros on Cuxhaven’s North Sea beach.

Marriage on the beach

Andrea Güldenpfennig, who's in charge of Sylt Tourism Service’s beach chair rentals, says the traditional German strandkorb is equipped with a stowable tray table, pull-out footrests and armrests. Some vacationers are astonishingly attached to their canopied wicker baskets. Many regular guests ask her if they can have the same one every year.

On the island of Amrum, lovebirds and newlyweds can get special chairs from Detlef Boyens’s strandkorb rental. They’re decorated with hand-painted hearts. Boyens says customers have become more demanding over time, so he also offers sunshades, two tables and more padding.

Anja and Norbert Babies also supply chairs with hearts in the Baltic Sea resort of Lübeck-Travemünde. Norbert Babies, who’s head of Schleswig-Holstein’s state association of strandkorb rental companies, says they’re popular for romantic occasions such as wedding anniversaries. Once he carted one of the bulky chairs to the beach in the middle of winter because a man wanted to make a marriage proposal in it. "The bride said yes," he remembers.

Booking early for the best sea view

Norbert Babies has spotted another trend: XXL chairs for up to three adults. He says they’re becoming increasingly popular, especially with slightly corpulent guests. On the beaches of Timmendorfer Strand, Marcus Bade supplies chairs with heated seats, lighting and a 12-volt socket, powered by wind and solar energy. But the heating is used only in the pre- and post-peak seasons.

Guests in Zinnowitz on Usedom also have special requests for the rental companies. Mayk Borchardt says he has regular guests who reserve their chairs among the rows on the dunes as early as Christmas - "but please, not next to the X, Y or Z families." He says he’s glad to fulfill their wishes.

On the island of Norderney, requests tend to be for chairs in the front row - the one with an unobstructed view of the sea, according to the local tourism authorities. Sylt complains of vandalism - security guards patrol the promenade on summer nights. A strandkorb lasts between five and eight years there. On the island of Borkum, where vandalism isn’t an issue, the chairs last from eight to 10 years.