How to Write a Hotel Complaint Letter

Complaining may be easy, but it isn't always productive. If you have recently had an unpleasant hotel stay and want to submit a letter of complaint, follow these steps to ensure that your letter is effective.

Before you write, decide whether your situation justifies any kind of compensation from the hotel management. If you think it does, discuss the matter with an objective party to help you determine what demands you should and should not make.

If possible, meet with the hotel manager before you submit a formal complaint. A personal visit to the front desk may make it easier to express your concerns effectively and request any appropriate compensation.

Consider looking at sample hotel complaint letters. They can help you with wording to describe the poor service you experienced. Using a template could also be helpful for formatting your complaints. Customer complaint letters can get lengthy depending on the quality of hotel service you received, and a letter template can help alleviate that.

Include all your necessary contact information in the letter heading. Contact information should include your full name, address, phone number, and email address. Put this information in the top left hand corner of the page in block format. Date the letter and put the name of the hotel underneath the date, as well as the hotel address.

Begin the body of your letter with a professional greeting. If you know the name of the general manager or contact person, you can use their name. Otherwise, "To Whom It May Concern " or “Dear Sir or Madam” is appropriate.

Provide a detailed summary of your negative experience. Include any dates, names, room numbers, and any other specific information. Explain what happened and why your bad experience prompted you to write your complaint letter.

Request any compensation in the last paragraph of the body. Be specific in your requests and let the hotel management know why you are asking for them. For example, if you ask for a full refund, be sure to indicate the areas that made your recent stay unpleasant. If applicable, provide proof of any incorrect charges that were made.

Conclude your letter by stating how the management can reach you and restating your expectations. If necessary, inform the company of any actions you will take if your needs are not met. You can include a line such as, "I will report this matter to the Better Business Bureau if I do not see prompt efforts to resolve the situation and refund my account." Additionally, if you frequently stay at this chain of hotels, make sure to indicate in the letter that you are a loyal customer, and would hate to take your business elsewhere.

Ask a friend or family member to proofread your hotel complaint letter for grammar and spelling errors before you send the final draft.

Be courteous in your letter. A rude complaint letter is less likely to be effective. Never use profanity and ensure that any requests for compensation are reasonable and fair.