Italy's highest court has ruled that a tourist's request for tap water at a hotel restaurant is not a consumer right, ending a legal battle that began in 2019. The woman, who stayed at a five-star hotel in Corvara, Badia, during the Christmas and New Year period, was on a half-board deal with evening meals included but drinks excluded.
According to Italian media, the woman repeatedly asked for tap water with her dinner, even offering to pay, but was refused. Instead, a 0.75-litre bottle of mineral water costing €7 was placed on her table each night. She complained of being 'constantly denied the opportunity to consume tap water, and instead being forced to purchase bottled water'.
The tourist argued that water is a universal human right and that free provision of a minimum vital quantity should be guaranteed. She considered tap water an integral part of the service, akin to bed sheets or soap in the bathroom. She sought €2,700 in compensation for economic damage and emotional distress.
Both the first and second-instance courts dismissed her case. The Supreme Court of Cassation upheld those decisions, confirming that no Italian law obliges restaurant managers or hoteliers to serve tap water. The court noted that while asking for tap water is generally considered a breach of etiquette in Italy, more restaurants are now offering filtered water due to growing environmental concerns.
