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Court rules in favor of family over sunbed access dispute
A German court has awarded a family an £850 refund after they struggled to secure sun loungers during their holiday in Greece, sparking debate over the widespread practice of reserving sunbeds with towels.
Legal victory sets precedent
David Eggert, a 48-year-old pilot from Düsseldorf, sued his tour operator after claiming he and his family were unable to access sun loungers at their Kos resort in 2024. Despite waking at 6:00 AM daily, Eggert said all 400 loungers were already occupied by towels, forcing his children to lie on the ground.
A district court in Hanover ruled this week that the tour operator failed to enforce the resort's ban on towel reservations, breaching its obligation to provide a reasonable ratio of sunbeds to guests. The family was awarded €986.70 (£852.89), despite the operator's initial offer of €350 (£302).
"It was a big hotel, very fancy, with about 400 loungers. And all 400 loungers had towels on them. The people were not actually using the loungers-they went into town or back to bed."
David Eggert, plaintiff
Holidaymakers share similar frustrations
Since the ruling, others have come forward with comparable experiences. Andrew Mills, from Newcastle, said he avoided the pool during his 2023 holiday in Zante because sunbeds were reserved by 6:00 AM. Another traveler, recently returned from Antalya, Turkey, said the practice "really took the shine out of the holiday."
Some resorts, however, are implementing solutions. A hotel in Protaras, Cyprus, now requires guests to reserve a lounger for their entire stay, while another in Paphos assigns sunbeds at check-in. Colin Davison, 73, praised the system, calling it "brilliant."
Resorts crack down on "dawn dash"
In France, holiday camps on the Mediterranean coast sound a horn twice daily to clear unused loungers, removing abandoned items to lost property. A Cypriot resort assigns numbered parasols, ensuring fair allocation for families.
Not all solutions are official, however. One holidaymaker recounted an incident in Ibiza where towels left overnight were thrown into the pool-a tactic that quickly deterred the practice.
Industry braces for legal fallout
Eggert warned that the ruling could lead to a wave of lawsuits if tour operators fail to address the issue. "If thousands of holidaymakers start suing, the costs will run into the millions," he said. The court acknowledged that operators cannot guarantee sunbed availability but must ensure fair access.
