German Tourist Wins $1,200 After Suing Greek Hotel Over ‘Pool Chair Wars’

A German tourist won nearly $1,200 in compensation after suing a tour operator over unavailable pool chairs at a Greek resort. His family struggled as guests reserved loungers with towels before sunrise, despite rules against it.

A German tourist has won nearly $1,200 in compensation after suing over a frustrating holiday experience at a luxury Greek resort where his family reportedly struggled every day to find available pool chairs. The unusual legal battle has reignited conversations around Europe’s infamous “sunbed wars” and the practice of guests reserving loungers with towels before sunrise.

The unnamed tourist had booked an 11-day family vacation to the Grecotel Kos Imperial on the Greek island of Kos in August 2024 through TUI Deutschland. According to reports, the package holiday cost more than €7,000 (around $8,400) and included his wife and two children.

However, the family’s holiday quickly turned stressful because poolside loungers were allegedly impossible to find. The tourist claimed that despite waking up as early as 6 am every morning, nearly all chairs had already been “reserved” with towels by other guests.

The issue became particularly difficult during the peak summer heat, with temperatures reportedly touching 95 degrees Fahrenheit. On several occasions, the family’s children were forced to sit or lie on the ground because no loungers were available.

According to court documents, the resort had rules banning guests from reserving chairs with towels, but those rules were rarely enforced. The tourist said he repeatedly complained to both hotel staff and the tour operator, but no effective action was taken.

During proceedings at Hanover District Court in Germany, video footage reportedly showed rows of unattended loungers covered with towels. Judges ultimately ruled in the tourist’s favour, describing the situation as a “travel defect” because the holiday did not provide amenities reasonably expected as part of the package.

The court awarded the man €986.70 in compensation — roughly 15% of the trip’s value — after determining that tour operators are responsible for ensuring a reasonable balance between guests and available loungers.

The case has now sparked wider online debate around overcrowded resorts and so-called “chair games” at holiday destinations. On Reddit, one user wrote, “Waking up at 6am on vacation just to throw a towel on a lounger is insane.” Another commented, “They should have the amount of chairs as rooms.”

The ruling is being seen as a significant moment in the long-running battle over resort chair reservations, with many travellers now questioning whether hotels and tour operators should do more to stop towel-based seat hoarding during peak vacation seasons.