A German holidaymaker has been awarded almost €1,000 after he and his family were unable to find sunloungers at their hotel in Greece due to other guests reserving them early.
Background of the Case
The man, whose identity has not been disclosed, traveled to the island of Kos with his wife and two children in 2024. Despite waking up at dawn each morning to search for loungers for about 20 minutes, he was never able to secure any. The family ended up lying on concrete by the pool.
The holiday cost more than €7,000. After complaining, the hotel offered a partial refund, but the man sought further compensation through the courts.
Court Ruling
In a ruling last month, the Hanover district court ordered the tour operator to pay €986.70 to the family. The court found that the tour operator failed to ensure a reasonable ratio of loungers to guests and did not enforce the hotel's own rules against towel reservation.
The judge stated that while holidaymakers cannot always expect a lounger, the tour operator must coordinate with the hotel to have a system that allows fair access. The ruling was based on the specific circumstances of the case.
Legal Responsibility
According to Legal Tribune Online, the tour operator was held liable due to strict German laws on package travel. The hotel is considered a service provider and thus an agent of the tour operator.
No specific law prohibits reserving loungers with towels, but general etiquette and many hotel policies deem such reservations unacceptable. Some hotels remove towels after 30–60 minutes of non-use, but vague rules often lead to conflicts.
The judge emphasized that holidaymakers should not have to remove others' towels themselves. The tour operator is obliged to prevent such conflicts.
