A German tourist has secured a payout after being unable to find sun loungers during a family holiday in Greece because other guests had reserved them with towels. The man, who took his tour operator to court, was awarded £850 after a judge ruled the holiday package was 'defective'.
The Case Details
The incident occurred in 2024 when the man, his wife, and two children traveled to the Greek island of Kos. According to the court in Hanover, the man woke up at 6 a.m. and spent 20 minutes searching for available sun loungers, only to find all were occupied or reserved with towels. He argued that the resort's reservation system rendered the sun loungers unusable.
The family had paid €7,186 (£6,211) for the package holiday. The man claimed that his tour operator failed to enforce the resort's ban on reserving loungers and did not confront guests who violated the rule. He also stated that his children had to lie on the floor due to the lack of available sunbeds.
Court Ruling
The judge ruled in favor of the family, stating that the holiday was 'defective' due to the inability to access sun loungers. While the tour operator did not manage the hotel, the court noted that the operator had an obligation to ensure a system was in place to provide a reasonable ratio of sunbeds to guests. The tour operator had initially agreed to a £302 refund, but the court increased the payout to £852.89.
Sun Lounger Wars
This case highlights the ongoing issue of 'sun lounger wars' in European holiday destinations. British tourists frequently film queues and crowds attempting to secure sunbeds early in the morning, often rushing across hotel leisure areas to claim spots near pools, bars, or beaches. Hotel staff have also been filmed removing towels from loungers to prevent reservation abuse.
The ruling serves as a reminder to tour operators of their responsibility to ensure guest satisfaction, even when hotel management is not under their direct control.
