A German father who initiated legal proceedings following a dispute over sunbeds at a luxury hotel criticized tourists who reserved loungers early in the morning and then left them unoccupied for hours. David Eggert, 48, took legal action against his holiday tour operator after finding all 400 sunbeds at the high-end Greek resort on Kos claimed by guests using towels to reserve them, leaving his children with no sunbeds by the pool. He spent over £6,200 for his vacation in 2024 and recently succeeded in his legal claim, receiving £770 in compensation.
David, hailing from Dusseldorf, shared his frustration over guests at the Grecotel Kos Imperial resort reserving sunbeds with towels early in the day and leaving them unused despite warnings against the practice. He revealed to the Daily Mail that he attempted to secure a spot by the pool every morning during their ten-night stay but was unsuccessful, forcing his children to lie on the concrete ground due to the unavailability of sunbeds.
According to David, the issue of reserving sunbeds in advance is a widespread problem faced by families across Europe, not limited to a Brit versus German tourist stereotype. He acknowledged partaking in the controversial practice on previous holidays, emphasizing the challenge of ensuring a nearby spot to watch his children while they swim.
In a groundbreaking decision by judges in Hanover, the tour operator was ordered to reimburse David with £851.75, signaling a potential shift in the handling of sunbed reservation disputes at hotels. David’s victory may set a precedent leading to increased legal actions against travel companies unless they address the issue of early sunbed reservation practices. He cautioned that if more tourists follow suit and file claims, the financial implications for travel companies could be substantial.
While there is no specific law prohibiting the practice of reserving sunbeds with towels, many resorts discourage the behavior through signage and warnings. The court ruling highlighted the responsibility of tour operators to ensure a fair system for sunbed allocation and intervene in cases where guests flout the rules.
