The headline is a bold claim, and it deserves a fair reading. Booking.com is legal, widely used, and responsible for a large share of the hotel and apartment reservations made in Italy every year. Still, the platform has had a few Italy specific brushes with regulators and courts over the past several years.
Italian rules for tourist accommodation also changed a lot in 2025 and 2026. Knowing what changed can save you money, and it can help you avoid a bad apartment or a surprise charge at checkout.
The Tax Case That Put Booking.com on Italy’s Radar
Italy’s Guardia di Finanza tax police alleged in June 2021 that Booking.com evaded 153 million euros of VAT tied to holiday rentals from 2013 to 2019.[1] The probe concerned payments between private individuals for rental properties advertised through the platform.
Investigators checked 896,500 property owners who worked with Booking.com.[1] In late 2023 the company agreed to pay €94 million to settle the tax case.[2]
Does That Case Affect You as a Guest?
Not directly. The dispute was about who had to collect and pay VAT on rentals by private owners. Those owners do not qualify as taxable persons for VAT purposes in Italy.[3]
Booking.com argued that withholding tax on rentals by private individuals is the landlords’ responsibility.[2] The company said it strives to comply with the laws wherever it operates and described the settlement as an amicable, mutual agreement.[2] So the story is real, but it says more about how the platform is run than about whether your reservation is safe.
The CIN Code Is Your Best Verification Tool
Italy now has a national registration number for tourist lodging, called the Codice Identificativo Nazionale, or CIN. It has been mandatory since 1 January 2025 for short term and holiday rentals.[4] The rule also covers hotels, bed and breakfasts and guesthouses.[5]
The code is meant to be visible. The law requires it to be displayed outside the building where the accommodation is located.[6] Fines run from €800 to €8,000 for missing the code and €500 to €5,000 for not displaying it correctly.[5]
Why Apartments Carry More Risk Than Hotels
The hotel category is fairly well regulated, and the biggest uncertainty usually sits with private apartments. The new rules try to close that gap. They require gas and carbon monoxide detection devices, along with legally compliant portable fire extinguishers.[7]
Platforms are being pushed to police their own listings as well. Industry sources say EU Regulation 2024/1028 applies in full from 20 May 2026 and requires platforms to check registration numbers and remove listings without a valid one.[4] Even so, a listing that shows a CIN is a better sign than one that doesn’t, and it’s worth a quick look before you pay.
Price Parity Is Gone, So Check the Hotel’s Own Site
For years, hotels signed contracts that stopped them from undercutting Booking.com on their own websites. The EU’s Court of Justice ruled on September 19, 2024 that Booking.com can no longer include price parity clauses in its contracts with hotels across the European Union.[8] Booking.com then waived wide and narrow parity clauses for EEA inventory on 2 December 2024.[9]
That means an Italian hotel is free to offer a better rate directly. Yet it doesn’t mean every hotel does. Many small European hotels still show exactly the same price as their Booking.com listing, to the cent.[10] Checking takes two minutes, and sometimes a direct email gets you a perk like breakfast or a flexible cancellation window.
The Tourist Tax Rarely Matches Your Booking Total
Italy’s city tax is set locally, so there is no single national rate. Around 1,200 of Italy’s 7,900 municipalities operate one, which covers essentially every destination a visitor would go to.[11] The tax is charged per person per night, and it’s easy to overlook when you compare prices.
Rome’s 2026 rates run from €4 a night in a one star hotel to €10 in a five star hotel.[12] Venice ranges from €1 to €5, payable for up to five nights.[12] A week in a four star Rome hotel works out to €52.50 per person.[13] Check your confirmation to see whether the tax is included or due at the property.
Hotels Are Still Fighting Booking.com in Court
The 2024 ruling didn’t end the argument. European hotels, backed by trade groups like HOTREC, are seeking financial compensation from Booking.com over its long standing use of rate parity clauses.[14] They are looking for damages covering clauses enforced from 2004 to 2024.[14]
Booking.com doesn’t accept that premise. It disputes that hotels suffered any loss, and a claim of this size will take years to resolve.[10] For travelers, the practical point is that many hoteliers have a strong incentive to win direct bookings, so a polite message to the front desk is often well received.
How to Book Smartly Whether or Not You Use Booking.com
Start by comparing the Booking.com price with the property’s own website. Then look for the CIN in the listing, because the law requires it to appear on every online listing.[15] If it’s missing on an apartment, ask the host for it before you commit.
Read the cancellation terms line by line, and save a copy of your confirmation. Try to use a card that offers some dispute protection. Used this way, Booking.com can still be a useful search tool in Italy, as long as you treat it as one source among several.
A Short Checklist Before You Pay
Confirm the CIN on any apartment or guesthouse. Compare the platform price with the hotel’s direct rate. Work out the city tax for your dates, and keep your cancellation terms in writing.
The Booking.com tax case ended in a settlement, and the parity clauses are gone in the EU. The real value now lies in the checks you do before you book.
