Hotel that refused to give tourist tap water acted lawfully, Italian court rules

Italy's Supreme Court has ruled that a five-star hotel in the Dolomites was not obligated to provide tap water to a tourist. The tourist had argued that her consumer rights were violated when she was only offered €7 bottled mineral water at the Hotel Sassongher in Corvara during the 2019 ski season. She sought compensation for emotional distress and economic damage, claiming tap water is a universal human right and a fundamental part of hotel service. However, the court dismissed her claim, stating that Italian laws and regulations do not mandate venues to supply tap water, leaving the decision to individual establishments. The tourist's initial claim was filed in a lower court in Rome.

Italy's supreme court has ruled that hoteliers are not legally obligated to serve tap water to customers. The case originated in 2019 when a tourist at a five-star hotel in the Dolomites repeatedly requested tap water with her meals, which was refused. Instead, she was provided with expensive bottled water. The tourist argued that water is a universal human right and an integral part of hotel services, seeking compensation for damages. However, both lower courts and the supreme court dismissed her case, stating no Italian law mandates the provision of tap water by hoteliers.