Rome has thrown a bucket of cold water on the British summer holiday. Italy’s highest court has ruled that hotels can legally refuse to serve tap water to guests. The decision, handed down by the Corte di Cassazione, is a blow to budget-conscious tourists.
It means hotels can now charge for bottled water without fear of being sued. The case was brought by a consumer group after a hotel in Florence demanded €2 for a small bottle. The court said there is no legal right to free tap water in private establishments.
This is a gift to the hotel lobby. They have long complained that serving free water cuts into their bar profits. The ruling applies to all hotels, B&Bs and holiday rentals.
British families already facing a cost-of-living crisis will feel the pinch. A bottle of water in a tourist hotspot can cost up to €4. For a family of four over a week, that adds up.
But that is not the only sting. Several Italian regions are introducing a 'tourist tax' on bottled water. The levy is meant to reduce plastic waste.
But critics say it is just another way to fleece visitors. The British Foreign Office has issued no formal warning. But travel experts are advising tourists to pack reusable bottles and fill them at public fountains.
Italy has thousands of public water fountains known as 'fontanelle'. They are free to use and produce high-quality drinking water. The problem is that some hotels now ban guests from filling up from them.
The ruling is the latest in a series of anti-tourist measures in Italy. Venice has banned large cruise ships. Florence has outlawed street eating.
Cinque Terre has introduced timed tickets for hiking trails. The message is clear: visit, but pay. And pay again.
And again.
