Phê Vé
May 8, 2026 • 3 min read
A German tourist has won a lawsuit after struggling to find pool loungers during his vacation. This is the story of the ongoing towel wars at European resorts.
The Towel Wars at European Resorts
A lawsuit filed by a German tourist has shed light on the ongoing "towel wars" at popular resorts across Europe. Recently, a court ordered nearly €1,000 in compensation for this traveler after he claimed that his all-inclusive holiday at a resort in Greece was ruined due to the inability to secure loungers by the pool for his family.
The Tourist's Experience
During his stay on the island of Kos, this tourist and his family had to wake up at 6 AM every day, only to find that most pool loungers were already occupied by towels. Despite spending 20 minutes each morning searching for available loungers, the family often couldn't find enough seats, leaving the kids to lie on the cold concrete floor.
Although the hotel had a policy against reserving loungers with towels, nobody enforced it. A local court in Hanover ruled that the travel company was responsible for failing to ensure a reasonable ratio of guests to loungers and for not implementing the hotel's anti-towel reservation policy.
The Pressure of Securing Pool Loungers
Anyone who has stayed at a large resort in Europe knows how the game of securing pool loungers works: Guests often wake up very early, placing towels on loungers before sunrise, which then remain empty for hours. Hotel staff seem oblivious to this issue, causing frustration among other guests, especially those who abide by the rules.
✈️ Tìm chuyến bay giá tốt
Đặt vé ngay với giá ưu đãi từ các hãng hàng không
When hotels fail to enforce their own rules, it creates a vicious cycle: compliant guests are at a disadvantage while the more aggressive guests prevail. Everyone wants to secure a spot for themselves, and if hotels enforced their policies seriously, many of these behaviors would disappear.
The Reality of Resort Vacations
While I’m not sure I would sue, I completely understand the frustration of spending over €7,000 on a vacation only to struggle finding a pool lounger. The stress over securing a pool chair, with some going so far as to "camp out" overnight to claim one, is baffling. A holiday should not be a time to worry about your seating arrangement.
Conclusion
The lawsuit from the German tourist highlights an interesting yet frustrating aspect of resort vacations. Hotels often advertise relaxing experiences by the pool while allowing guests to turn the area into a battleground in the early morning. If they cannot enforce their rules, it might be best to eliminate them so that guests better understand what to expect.
Article adapted and edited from: Live and Let's Fly
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