German man wins lawsuit over sun loungers reserved with towels

[Messy]

It's not even a joke or a beer commercial.

A travel agency must pay a German tourist compensation of more than 900 euros following complaints about occupied sun loungers. The tourist was unable to secure a chair because other guests kept reserving them with towels, despite this being prohibited.

The man was on vacation with his family of four in 2024 at a hotel on the Greek island of Kos. He stated that he spent twenty minutes every day looking for a sun lounger. Even when he got up at 6:00 AM, he was unable to secure a chair. His children were "forced" to lie on the floor.

He sued the travel agency because it allowed the 'reservation system' with towels. According to the German man, the sun loungers were reserved so often that they could not be used. He argued that the travel agency had failed to enforce the resort's ban on this practice and that guests were not held accountable. The court emphasized that the travel agency does not run the hotel and cannot guarantee a sunbed at all times. Nevertheless, the organization did have a duty to ensure an organizational structure that guarantees a "reasonable" ratio between the number of sunbeds and the number of guests.

The court ruled that the family was entitled to a partial refund of the package holiday, as it was "defective." Although the travel agency had initially paid a refund of 350 euros, the family is now entitled to a refund of 986.70 euros. The man had paid 7,186 euros for an all-inclusive trip.

Reserving sunbeds with towels has long been a problem at hotels in sunny holiday destinations. In some areas of Spain, tourists risk a fine of 250 euros if they reserve a sunbed and then disappear for hours.

 

[Been There]

This happens a lot in resort areas. I was lying on a lounger (free) at a hotel in San Diego when a big brute of a man walked over to the lounger beside me and took off the towel that was on the lounger and tossed it on the ground a few feet away. The pool guard came walking by and picked up the towel to place it in the laundry basket near the entrance to the pool. The man that was lying there came by and when he saw this huge man lying on his lounger, he walked away. Smart move on his part.

 

[George1959]

He was right. But as a judge I had given him 3000 euros. Only 900 euros for almost 7,200 euros he paid for this all-inclusive trip is not enough in my opinion.

 

[debodun]

In college, I was on a date with a fellow who wanted to go to the racetrack in Saratoga. We wandered around and there wasn't a seat to be had. People draped articles of clothing or put racing forms or newspapers on the seats. Finally I was too miffed to care, so I removed the papers on some seats and a woman came running over and said, "Those seats are saved!" I replied, "Thank you.", as I plopped down. My date never said a word. Needless to say I didn't date him again, the wuss.

 

[Messy]

He was right. But as a judge I had given him 3000 euros. Only 900 euros for almost 7,200 euros he paid for this all-inclusive trip is not enough in my opinion.

We always just swam and sat on the floor or something. Can't remember ever having used a chair at a hotel pool. We once went to Spain for the sea, hotel near the sea and people would lay all day on a chair next to a swimming pool. They didn't even swim. What a pity.

 

[hollydolly]

We always just swam and sat on the floor or something. Can't remember ever having used a chair at a hotel pool. We once went to Spain for the sea, hotel near the sea and people would lay all day on a chair next to a swimming pool. They didn't even swim. What a pity.

I never understand peoople who go away for a week or 2 and sit around a hotel pool all day long from morning until evening... that would drive me insane..

For that reason I have almost aways rented a vila whenn I go on holiday.. but even on the ocassions when i've stayed in a hotel... I've simply sat on a towel for the short time I would be using the pool to swim...... I certainly would never sit arounf the pool for hours...

I think the German guy was right to sue the Hotel because this happens all the time, it would be very frustrating to pay £6k for a relaxing holiday and not even get a seat around the pool...

 

[VaughanJB]

Over 7k Euro's for a German to have a holiday in Greece? I wonder what the details of his holiday is, because he seems to have paid a higher price than you'd expect, no? I mean flights are usually around the 400 Euro mark.....