Asked for Tap Water, Got Only $12 Bottled Water... Italian Supreme Court Sides with Five-Star Hotel

Only 7-Euro Bottled Water Provided at Five-Star Hotel

Italian Court: "No Legal Requirement to Serve Tap Water"

EU Guidelines Only 'Encourage' Tap Water in Restaurants

The Supreme Court of Italy has ruled that it is not unlawful for a five-star hotel to refuse to provide tap water. A woman from Rome filed a claim for 2,700 euros in compensation after Hotel Sassongher in Corvara, Dolomites, offered only bottled water for 7 euros instead of tap water, but she lost the case. The court found that, under current Italian law, hotels and restaurants are not obligated to provide tap water to guests, and whether or not to do so remains at the discretion of each establishment.

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On May 27 (local time), international outlets such as CNN and BBC reported that the Italian Supreme Court, known as the Court of Cassation, recently ruled that there was no legal issue with the five-star Hotel Sassongher in Corvara, located in the Dolomite mountain region, refusing to provide tap water to guests. The Court of Cassation determined that, according to Italian law and related regulations, hotels or restaurants are not legally required to provide tap water to customers.

The incident dates back to the Christmas and year-end holiday season in 2019. A woman, identified as being from Rome, stayed for a week at Hotel Sassongher, a ski resort hotel in Corvara in the northern Italian Alps. She had purchased a package including dinner, but beverages were not included in the accommodation fee. The woman requested tap water at every meal in the hotel restaurant, and according to some reports, she even offered to pay for it. However, the hotel only provided 750ml bottles of mineral water. Each bottle was priced at 7 euros, roughly equivalent to 11,000 to 12,000 won.

"Free water is a right" vs "No legal obligation"

After returning home, the woman filed a lawsuit against the hotel. She argued that tap water is a core element of restaurant and hotel service, and that refusing to provide it infringed on consumer rights. She also asserted that providing tap water should be considered a basic service, just like having sheets on the bed or soap in the bathroom.

In particular, she claimed, "Water is a natural resource and a universal human right," adding that "the minimum amount necessary for survival should be guaranteed free of charge." The woman sought 2,700 euros (about 4.7 million won) in compensation, citing both financial loss and emotional distress caused by the refusal to provide tap water.

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The courts disagreed. Both the Rome court and the appellate court dismissed her claims, and the Supreme Court reached the same conclusion. The judges found that under current Italian law, businesses such as bars, restaurants, and hotels are not expressly required to provide tap water upon customer request. Therefore, the decision to serve tap water is at the discretion of each establishment.

Silvio Bellardi, the hotel's attorney, explained in an interview with the local media outlet Corriere Alto Adige that the court ruled there is "no obligation to supply tap water." He also told the BBC, "This case ended with the hotel prevailing in the lower court, the appellate court, and now the Supreme Court." The hotel argued that its internal policy, like many fine-dining restaurants, is to serve only sealed bottled water at the table.

Attorney Bellardi further explained that although the woman claimed to have suffered damages, there was insufficient evidence to prove either financial or emotional harm. He added, "It was not the case that she was unable to drink water inside the hotel; it was simply that tap water was not served at the restaurant table." This verdict has once again highlighted differences in dining culture and legal systems across Europe.

Ordering bottled water in restaurants is common in Italy

In Italy, it is common to order bottled water at restaurants, and requesting free tap water can be considered unusual or even impolite. By contrast, in England and Wales, establishments licensed to sell alcohol are legally required to provide free drinking water to customers upon request. France and Spain are also known for having relatively clear obligations for restaurants to provide tap water.

There are also European Union-level regulations. However, the EU Drinking Water Directive only encourages restaurants and similar establishments to offer tap water; it does not mandate free tap water provision in all member states. Therefore, whether restaurants provide tap water depends on each country's laws and customs. International media outlets have reported that this ruling goes beyond a mere "glass of water" debate, touching on consumer rights, restaurant practices, and environmental issues. As more consumers seek to reduce plastic usage, some restaurants in Europe are shifting toward serving filtered tap water, but in Italy, bottled water sales remain a firmly embedded part of dining culture.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.