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Court rules in favour of holidaymaker denied sun loungers
A German tourist has been awarded over €900 in compensation after failing to secure sun loungers during a family holiday in Greece, following a legal battle with his tour operator.
Daily struggle for poolside space
The unidentified man, travelling with his wife and two children, reported spending 20 minutes each morning searching for available loungers at their Kos resort in 2024. Despite waking at 06:00, the family often found all sunbeds reserved with towels, forcing his children to lie on the ground.
Legal arguments and ruling
The tourist sued his tour operator, claiming the company failed to enforce the resort's ban on towel reservations. He argued that the practice rendered the loungers effectively unusable, breaching the terms of his €7,186 package holiday.
A district court in Hanover agreed, ruling that while the operator did not manage the hotel directly, it was responsible for ensuring a "reasonable" ratio of sunbeds to guests. The judges deemed the holiday "defective" and ordered an additional refund of €986.70, on top of the €350 initially offered.
Wider issue of "sunbed wars"
The case highlights a common frustration among holidaymakers, often referred to as "sunbed wars" or the "dawn dash"-where guests reserve loungers with towels early in the day. Social media videos from 2025 showed tourists in Tenerife sleeping on sunbeds overnight to secure spots.
Some tour operators, including Thomas Cook, now offer pre-booking options for poolside loungers at an extra fee. In parts of Spain, authorities have introduced €250 fines for guests who reserve sunbeds but leave them unattended for hours.
Industry response
The ruling underscores the growing expectation for travel companies to address overcrowding and reservation disputes at resorts. While operators cannot control guest behaviour directly, the court emphasised their duty to implement systems ensuring fair access to amenities.
