Before you order tap water abroad: It might not be free

You could be forgiven for thinking that a simple request for a glass of tap water in a luxury hotel restaurant would be nothing more than a formality. Well… think again. It might not be as straightforward as you’d imagine. While many people will claim it’s simply a basic human right, one luxury hotel in Italy has just proved otherwise.

An Italian court has ruled against a tourist who was refused tap water in a hotel restaurant. The incident happened at the five-star Hotel Sassongher in Corvara during the 2019 ski season but has just recently reached the Italian Supreme Court where her request for €2,700 to compensate her for emotional distress and economic damage for being refused tap water, has just been denied.

The case was initially filed at a lower court in Rome where a lady claimed her consumer rights were violated when staff refused her request for tap water, saying it was a key part of the hotel’s service and likened it to “finding a bed with sheets” and “soap in the bathroom”. Silvio Belardi, the lawyer representing the hotel, on the other hand, is quoted in the newspaper Corriere Alto Adige as saying the court held that “there is no obligation to supply tap water”.

Supreme Court judges dismissed the claim, ruling that Italian laws and regulations do not mandate venues to provide tap water to guests and that the decision to serve it is up to individual venues.

So, what you might have assumed is a basic human right, isn’t necessarily so, it seems. And it’s not just in Italy. Here are the rules from a number of countries around the world.

USA & Canada

While it is a deeply ingrained cultural norm to bring a massive glass of ice water to the table the moment a guest sits down, there is no sweeping federal law in either country forcing restaurants to do so. In fact, in water-scarce states like California, water conservation laws actually ban servers from bringing water unless the guest explicitly asks for it.

UK (England, Wales, and Scotland)

Under licensing laws, any establishment that serves alcohol must provide free drinking water on request. (Interestingly, Northern Ireland doesn’t share this exact legal mandate, and unlicensed cafés across the UK are technically exempt, though most comply).

France

Famously consumer-friendly when it comes to dining, French law dictates that a carafe d’eau (a jug of tap water) must be included free of charge with a meal.

Spain

In 2022, Spain passed a major waste and sustainability law that explicitly forces all bars and restaurants to offer free, unpackaged tap water to customers to cut down on single-use plastics.

Italy

As the recent supreme court ruling cements, there is zero legal obligation to provide tap water. Culturally, asking for tap water in an Italian restaurant is often seen as a minor breach of etiquette, and establishments heavily favour selling bottled mineral water (still or sparkling).

Germany and the Netherlands

In Germany, restaurants can charge whatever they like for water, and tap water is rarely served. In the Netherlands, there is no law mandating free tap water, which has caused ongoing debates and public petitions because many venues will flatly refuse a tap request and point you to the premium bottled menu instead.

Switzerland

The Swiss approach water strictly as a service. Except for the canton of Ticino (which mandates a free glass of water with a main meal), Swiss restaurants can—and do—charge whatever they like for tap water (Hahnenwasser). It is entirely common to see a charge of 2 to 6 CHF (£1.70 to £5.00) on your bill for a carafe of tap water, justified by the cost of washing the glass and the waitstaff’s labor.

Ireland

Despite being known for hospitality, Ireland has no legal requirement forcing restaurants to give out free tap water, though many do it out of goodwill.

Australia and New Zealand

In Australia, strict liquor regulations state that licensed venues must provide free or “reasonable cost” cold water to keep patrons safe and prevent intoxication. In New Zealand, the law is completely cut-and-dry: hospitality venues must provide free drinking water if requested.

Japan

There is no federal law requiring restaurants or luxury hotels to serve free water, and independent bars (izakayas) often enforce a strict “one drink minimum” policy where tap water won’t count. However, at almost any sit-down restaurant or high-end hotel dining room, a glass of ice water (o-hie) or green tea is brought to your table automatically as a core component of Japanese omotenashi (hospitality).

Singapore

Despite being one of the most strictly regulated countries in the world, Singapore has no law mandating free tap water. However, the cultural norm dictates that mid-to-high-end establishments provide it cheerfully, while some casual local eateries might charge a nominal 30 to 50 cents for “iced water”.

India

Under the Serais Act of 1867 (an old colonial-era law that is still technically active and enforced), any person can walk into any hotel or restaurant—including 5-star luxury resorts—and demand free drinking water and use of the washroom. Establishments can face severe penalties or lose their operating licenses if they refuse a traveler water.

Mexico and the UAE (Dubai)

I’ve grouped these two together because they adopt a similar approach. In many parts of the world, luxury hotels wouldn’t dream of serving you tap water for a completely different reason: one of potability. In Mexico, filtration systems vary, so high-end resorts bypass tap water entirely, serving premium bottled water to protect guest health. In Dubai, while municipal water is technically safe to drink, the reliance on desalination and building storage tanks means hotels exclusively serve local or imported bottled mineral water—and you will see it on the bill.

Paul Johnson

Paul Johnson is Editor of A Luxury Travel Blog and has worked in the travel industry for more than 30 years. He is Winner of the Innovations in Travel ‘Best Travel Influencer’ Award from WIRED magazine. In addition to other awards, the blog has also been voted “one of the world’s best travel blogs” and “best for luxury” by The Telegraph.