Italian court allows hotels to refuse serving free tap water
Kyiv • UNN
The Supreme Court of Italy has ruled that hotels are not required to provide free water. The judges determined that the law does not mandate establishments to provide such a service.
Italy's Supreme Court has ruled that a five-star hotel in the Dolomites acted lawfully when it refused to provide a tourist with tap water. This was reported by the BBC, according to UNN.
Details
In Italy, a woman filed a complaint stating that water is a natural resource and a universal human right after she was offered only mineral water for 7 euros (£6) at the restaurant of the five-star Hotel Sassongher in Corvara during the 2019 ski season.
The Italian Supreme Court rejected her claim for 2,700 euros in compensation for emotional distress and economic damage, Italian media reported.
The hotel's lawyer, Silvio Belardi, quoted by the newspaper Corriere Alto Adige, stated that the court ruled: "there is no obligation to provide tap water."
According to media reports, the woman initially filed a lawsuit in a lower court in Rome. Her identity and origin have not been confirmed.
She argued that her consumer rights were violated when staff refused to give her tap water, comparing it to a "bed with sheets" and "soap in the bathroom" as part of basic service.
The Supreme Court judges dismissed the claim, ruling that Italian law does not oblige establishments to provide guests with tap water, and that it remains at the discretion of each establishment.
It is noted that in licensed establishments in England and Wales, the law requires drinking water to be provided free of charge upon request.