Italy's top court rules against tourist who demanded free tap water at luxury hotel

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The case dates back to 2019 when the woman spent a week at a five-star hotel in the Covara ski resort in the Dolomites.

The woman, who was on a half-board package including dinner but not drinks, repeatedly asked for tap water with her meal.

Rebuffing her request, the hotel instead provided a 0.75-litre bottle of water at her table each night - which added €7 to her bill.

During the visit, the tourist expressed outrage that the hotel was refusing to serve tap water and forcing her to purchase bottled water.

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After her stay, she pursued legal action, arguing that water was “a natural resource and a universal human right” and “the free provision of a minimum vital quantity is necessary to meet essential needs and must be guaranteed”.

She likened free water to any other service provided by a hotel, “much like finding a bed with sheets, a warm room and soap in the bathroom”.

The woman sought €2,700 for the economic damage and emotional distress she suffered as a result of the ordeal.

But Italy's supreme court failed to find in her favour, ruling there was no law in Italy requiring hotels and restaurant managers to provide customers tap water.

In the UK, any premises licensed to sell alcohol is legally obliged to provide water upon request to customers.

But laws around this area differ widely across Europe. For example, in France restaurants must provide a carafe of water with every meal for no extra cost. A 2022 law in Spain also obliges bars and restaurants to offer unpackaged drinking water for free.

But in Germany there is no similar requirement and hospitality venues can even charge a fee for providing a glass.