Legionella in hotels and holiday accommodation: what the rules require and what to do when you reopen (2026)

Updated: 10 November 2026

Legionella grows in warm, standing water: tanks, pipes, little-used showers and hot tubs. Accommodation has its own risks: empty rooms, seasonal use and large networks. We read Spanish Royal Decree 487/2022, the Spanish Health Ministry FAQ, an Andalusian instruction, Portuguese Law 52/2018, the 2015 Italian guidelines, a Greek circular and ECDC documents (links at the end). Where we could not confirm something we say so. This is not legal or technical advice: check with your maintenance company or adviser.

Spain: who Royal Decree 487/2022 applies to

Royal Decree 487/2022, in force since 2 January 2023 (consolidated text, BOE):

It covers installations that use water and can create aerosols: hot and cold domestic water, showers, heated water with aerosols (24 °C or more), cooling towers and others (art. 3 and annex I).
It excludes installations in buildings used only as homes, unless they affect the outside (art. 3.2).
The Health Ministry FAQ says businesses located in such buildings are covered.
Holiday rentals: the decree does not name them. We have not confirmed whether a holiday flat in a residential block is covered. Ask your town hall or local health office.

Spain: the plan and who is responsible

The owner of the installation is responsible, even when an outside company does the work (art. 5).
You need a Legionella Prevention and Control Plan (PPCL) or a Legionella Health Plan (PSL) (art. 7).
The plan includes a diagram of the installation, maintenance, treatment, sampling and training programmes (art. 8).
Record every shutdown and restart with the reason, and keep the documents for at least five years (art. 8).
Whoever carries out treatments needs an official qualification (SEA492_2 or equivalent certificate, art. 18.5).

Spain: hot water temperatures and checks

Annexes III and IV of Royal Decree 487/2022:

Final storage tank: at least 60 °C (70 °C in twin-tank calorifiers). Checked daily.
Return loop and taps or showers: above 50 °C. Outlets are checked monthly on a rotating basis and all of them at least once a year.
Cold water: as low as possible, ideally below 20 °C; if the tank goes above 25 °C, assess the risk.
Unused rooms: open taps and showers every week and let the water run for a few minutes.
Cleaning and disinfection: at least once a year, never more than 12 months apart.
Legionella testing: every three months (annex V). In accommodation, all outlets in one room count as one when choosing samples.

Spain: hot tubs and whirlpool baths

Annexes IV, V and VIII of Royal Decree 487/2022, for shared use:

Start recirculation at least 10 minutes before opening and keep residual disinfectant at all times.
Check filters and ducts monthly; dismantle, clean and disinfect everything every six months.
Tubs without recirculation: empty and clean after each use.
Legionella testing monthly. At 1,000 CFU/L or more, stop, empty if needed and disinfect before reopening.

Andalusia

Instruction 01/2023 of the Andalusian Health Department, on cases and outbreaks:

It treats Royal Decree 487/2022 as in force since 2 January 2023.
It still cites Andalusian Decree 287/2002. We have not confirmed whether that decree is still fully in force.
Exposures investigated include staying overnight in a hotel and showering, or using showers, jacuzzis or spas in hotels.
If several cases stayed at the same accommodation 2 to 10 days before falling ill, action focuses on that property.

Portugal: Law 52/2018

Law 52/2018 of 20 August and Portaria 25/2021:

It covers building water networks, including domestic hot water, and recreational or therapeutic equipment with aerosols in publicly accessible spaces (art. 2).
For water networks it excludes buildings used mainly as homes or offices and spaces not open to the public (art. 2.3).
The law does not name hotels or alojamento local. That a hotel open to the public is covered is our reading, not the law's wording; an alojamento local in a residential building might be outside, but this is not confirmed.
Water networks: a maintenance and cleaning programme with an up-to-date record (art. 3.3). Aerosol equipment: a prevention and control plan (art. 6).
Fines from EUR 250 to 44,890 depending on the breach and whether you are an individual or a company (art. 19).
At 1,000 CFU/L or more in the network, stop showers and taps immediately, then clean and disinfect (Portaria 25/2021).

Italy: the 2015 guidelines

Linee guida per la prevenzione e il controllo della legionellosi, State-Regions agreement of 7 May 2015:

They have their own section for tourist accommodation (3.2): the manager carries out a risk assessment and reviews it at least every two years (preferably yearly), with a written plan.
Temperatures: storage at 60 °C or more, distribution and outlets above 50 °C, cold water no more than 20 °C (5.2 and 5.5).
Whirlpool baths: Legionella testing every three months.
They are an agreement between the Government and the regions. The Ministry announced an update in 2025; we have not confirmed it has been approved.

Greece

Health Ministry circular Δ1(δ)/ΓΠ οικ. 56075 of 29 July 2019:

It refers to a 2017 health provision (Government Gazette B 3282/2017): a value of 1,000 cfu/L and sampling at least twice a year in hotels and similar buildings. We have not confirmed whether that provision has been replaced.
Hot water at 55 °C and stored at 60 °C.
Spas: chlorine at 1 to 2 mg/l or bromine at 2 to 3 mg/l, and replace at least half the water every day.
EODY published a circular in 2025 that we could not open: we do not summarise it.

If a guest falls ill: the European ELDSNet network

Italian 2015 guidelines, Greek 2019 circular and ECDC:

Legionnaires' disease cases in travellers are shared between countries through the European ELDSNet network, with the property and dates of stay.
If two or more cases are linked to the same property, the national authorities must send a preliminary report within two weeks and a full one within six.
If the report does not arrive or the measures are not enough, the property's name is published on the ECDC website until adequate measures are confirmed.
Do not treat the system yourself before the authority takes samples: it can hide the source (Royal Decree 487/2022, annex IX).

Closing for the low season and reopening

Spain: after a shutdown of more than a month, clean and disinfect before restarting, and record it (Royal Decree 487/2022, annex IV and art. 8).
Italy: before reopening, clean tanks, disinfect the whole network and run water for a long time at every outlet; take samples before opening (2015 guidelines, 5.5 m and 3.2).
Italy: before letting a room that has been empty, run hot and cold water for at least 5 minutes (5.5 k).
Greece: areas closed in winter are part of the risk assessment, and water must be checked before it is supplied again (2019 circular).
Portugal: we found no specific reopening rule in the law or the portaria.

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Frequently asked questions

Does a small hotel in Spain need a Legionella plan?

Royal Decree 487/2022 applies to water installations that can create aerosols, such as hot water and showers, except in buildings used only as homes. The owner must have a PPCL or PSL, even if a company does the work.

What should I do when reopening after winter?

In Spain, if the shutdown lasted more than a month, clean and disinfect before opening and record it. The Italian guidelines add sampling beforehand and running water at every outlet.

Can my hotel's name be published?

Yes, if two or more cases are linked to your property and the report to the European network is late or the measures are not enough: it appears on the ECDC list until adequate measures are confirmed.

Sources

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