Italian Supreme Court Upholds Hotel's Right to Deny Tap Water to Restaurant Guest

Italy’s Supreme Court has affirmed the right of a five-star hotel to refuse a diner's request for tap water, stating no legal obligation exists for venues to provide it. The ruling stems from a 2019 incident at the Hotel Sassongher in Corvara, where a woman from Rome was offered only €7 bottled mineral water by a waiter, despite her insistence that "water is a natural resource and a universal human right".

The woman sought €2,700 in compensation for emotional distress and economic damage, arguing her consumer rights were breached and likening tap water provision to fundamental hotel services like clean bedding and bathroom soap. However, courts in Rome, an appeals court, and now the Court of Cassation, ruled consistently in the hotel's favour.

Silvio Belardi, representing the hotel, stated that the court found "there is no obligation to supply tap water". He emphasised that serving only sealed bottled water at tables is standard "company policy…in many high-end establishments". Belardi also highlighted that running water was accessible within the hotel, just not at the restaurant tables. The judges concluded that Italian laws do not mandate venues to offer tap water, leaving the decision to individual establishments.