Hotels and resorts across Europe are stepping up efforts to stop guests reserving sun loungers with towels, following a landmark court case in Germany. A holidaymaker, David Eggert, won an £850 refund after arguing his tour operator failed to enforce a ban on reserving sunbeds during a 2024 holiday in Greece.
The case centred on the common practice of guests reserving sun loungers with towels early in the morning and leaving them unattended for hours. Eggert told the court he spent around 20 minutes every day searching for available loungers despite waking up at 6am, and his children were forced to lie on the floor because no sunbeds were available.
Speaking after the ruling, Eggert said the decision should serve as a warning to hotels and travel companies. He described the outcome as a 'very, very important ruling' and warned that if thousands of holidaymakers start suing travel companies, the costs will run into the millions.
The ruling has reignited debate around sunbed etiquette at resorts across Europe. Some resorts are already introducing stricter measures, such as sounding a horn twice a day and removing items from unused loungers to lost property. One Facebook user commented that if there was no official reservation system, towels should be moved, while another questioned the obsession with sunbeds, suggesting people should explore local areas instead.
