LifestyleGerman family wins court battle for $370 compensation over elusive pool loungers at holiday resort

German family wins court battle for $370 compensation over elusive pool loungers at holiday resort

Many tourists reserve sun loungers by the pools or on the beach early in the morning.
Many tourists reserve sun loungers by the pools or on the beach early in the morning.
Images source: © Adobe Stock

4:14 PM EST, January 8, 2024

There are two types of vacationers at hotels. Some secure their pool loungers early in the morning with towels, intending to spend the day at their favorite spot. Others lament that late risers like them find no free loungers near the pool. The German family, vacationing on the island of Rhodes, fell into the latter category. Despite their resort boasting six pools, they sometimes failed to find an available lounger. They decided to report this issue to the travel agency.

The quest for free loungers

The family, vexed with the habits of fellow vacationers, reported the situation to the trip organizer. The family was enraged by the lack of free loungers at the hotel and decided to seek compensation.

However, the travel agency dismissed the family's appeal. The hotel upheld a rule that if no one has used a lounger for more than 30 minutes, it is considered free, and the staff are allowed to remove towels from it. Undeterred, the family took their case to court.

Related Reading: She captured a fearless 'battle for the loungers'. The remarkable video has already captivated 8 million viewers.

The court's decision

The court considered the family's argument that the lack of loungers significantly affected the quality of their vacation. Moreover, the family pointed out that their choice of venue was partially based on its policy against reserving loungers and the abundance of sunbeds near the pools. The court also noted that the hotel did not enforce their rule of allowing towels to remain on loungers for only 30 minutes.

The court granted the family compensation of around $370. According to the "Daily Mail", the family had hoped for three times this amount. This judgment is not yet conclusive, meaning both parties have the right to appeal.

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