Hotel Sassongher in Italy’s Dolomites region is in the news this week because it refused to serve tap water during dinner to one of its guests, who then filed a lawsuit against the five-star hotel, demanding 2,700 Euros in compensation for mental anguish and financial loss.
After a lengthy and costly legal saga, Italy’s Supreme Court ruled that hotel’s refusal to serve tap water to customers is lawful and that providing tap water is not a mandatory obligation.
The case dates back to 2019 when the woman spent a week at the hotel in the ski resort of Corvara, in Badia, over Christmas and New Year. She was on a half-board package, which included the evening meal, except for drinks.
According to Italian press reports, the woman repeatedly asked for tap water with her meal, even offering to pay for it. This was refused and instead she arrived at dinner each night to find a 0.75-litre bottle of mineral water, costing €7, on the table.
During her stay, the tourist complained about constantly being denied the opportunity to consume tap water and instead being forced to purchase bottled water.
The woman considered tap water to be an integral part of the service at a restaurant or hotel, much like finding a bed with sheets, a warm room and soap in the bathroom. The woman stated that water is a natural resource and a universal human right, and not providing it, was against consumer rights.
In the first and second lawsuits, the courts dismissed her case and the woman then appealed to the Supreme Court which also rejected her demand, ruling that Italian law does not compel hotels or restaurants to provide free tap water to customers. According to the court, the decision to provide tap water or not, falls within the rights of the respective businesses.
Asking for free tap water at a restaurant in Italy is generally considered a breach of etiquette, especially if the server has already offered the choice of a bottle of natural or sparkling water. But customers are increasingly asking for tap water, to avoid using plastic, and more restaurants now have the choice to offer filtered water.
Licensed venues across England and Wales as well as France, are legally required to serve free drinking water upon request.
Photo: Representative image of a luxury hotel restaurant in Italy’s Dolomites region.
