How to Complain to a Hotel and Get Results (UK, US and Australia)
How to complain to a hotel and get results: on-the-spot tips, a letter template, fair compensation and your consumer rights.
Key takeaways
- Complain politely at the time, so the hotel has a chance to fix it.
- Be specific, keep evidence, and say what outcome you want.
- Escalate in writing to management, then the booking site, then your card provider or a consumer body.
- Consumer law protects you in all three countries, but the process differs.
In this guide
- Step 1: Raise it immediately
- Step 2: Escalate politely if needed
- Step 3: Keep evidence
- Step 4: Write a formal complaint
- Step 5: Involve the booking site
- Step 6: Use your payment protections
- Know your rights
- What compensation is reasonable?
- Online reviews
- Complaint letter template
- What makes a complaint successful?
- When a hotel walks you
- The bottom line
Things sometimes go wrong: a dirty room, broken air conditioning, noisy construction, or a room that does not match what you booked. How you complain makes a huge difference to the outcome. Here is a step-by-step approach that works.
Step 1: Raise it immediately
Go to reception, or call, as soon as you notice the problem. Be calm and specific:
"Hi, I'm in room 512. The air conditioning isn't working, and the room is too warm to sleep. Could someone fix it or could we move rooms?"
Hotels are far more willing to help when they have a chance to fix the problem. Many issues are solved in minutes.
Step 2: Escalate politely if needed
If reception cannot help, ask to speak to the duty manager. Explain what happened, what has been tried, and what you would like. Common reasonable requests include:
- A different room.
- An upgrade.
- A partial refund or credit for affected nights.
- Removal of fees for unavailable facilities (for example a resort fee when the pool is closed).
- Breakfast, parking or late check-out as a goodwill gesture.
Step 3: Keep evidence
- Photos and videos of the problem.
- Names of staff you spoke to and times.
- Copies of your booking, the room description and any messages.
- Receipts for extra expenses caused by the problem.
Step 4: Write a formal complaint
If the problem is not resolved during your stay, write to the hotel's general manager or guest relations team within a few days. Keep it short and factual:
- Your booking details and dates.
- What went wrong, with dates and times.
- What you did to raise it at the time.
- The impact on your stay.
- The outcome you are asking for.
- A reasonable deadline for a reply, such as 14 days.
Attach your evidence. Avoid exaggeration and personal attacks.
Step 5: Involve the booking site
If you booked through an online travel agency, contact its customer service as well. It may be able to put pressure on the hotel or offer its own resolution. For packages booked in the UK, the package organiser is responsible for the whole holiday under the Package Travel Regulations.
Step 6: Use your payment protections
If the hotel will not respond or refuses a reasonable request:
- UK: Credit card purchases between £100 and £30,000 are covered by Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act; debit and smaller credit card payments may be recoverable through chargeback.
- US: Card issuers offer chargeback / billing dispute rights under federal law for services not provided as agreed. File promptly.
- Australia: Banks offer chargeback on credit and debit cards for services not provided.
Know your rights
United Kingdom
The Consumer Rights Act 2015 requires services to be performed with reasonable care and skill, and information given about the service is binding. You may be entitled to a repeat performance or a price reduction. Citizens Advice can help, and some disputes can go to alternative dispute resolution or the small claims court.
United States
Consumer protection varies by state. You can complain to your state Attorney General's consumer protection office and file a report with the FTC for deceptive practices. The FTC's fee rule requires hotels to show total prices including mandatory fees.
Australia
The Australian Consumer Law gives you consumer guarantees: services must be provided with due care and skill and be fit for purpose. If not, you may be entitled to a remedy, such as a refund or compensation. Contact your state or territory fair trading or consumer affairs office, and the ACCC for wider issues.
What compensation is reasonable?
| Problem | Reasonable remedy |
|---|---|
| Minor issue fixed quickly | Apology, small gesture |
| Room not as booked (view, bed type) | Move, upgrade or price difference |
| Facility closed (pool, spa) | Fee waiver, partial refund |
| Serious hygiene issue (bed bugs, dirt) | Room move, refund for affected nights, cleaning costs |
| Overbooked ("walked") | Free alternative hotel of similar standard and transport |
Online reviews
Honest, factual reviews help other travellers. Write them after the hotel has had a chance to respond. Do not threaten a bad review to get a benefit, and remember that fake or incentivised reviews are banned under UK law and platform rules.
Complaint letter template
Subject: Complaint about stay, booking reference [number]
Dear Guest Relations Manager,
I stayed at [hotel] from [date] to [date] in room [number], booked via [channel].
During my stay, [describe the problem clearly, with dates and times]. I reported this to [staff name / reception] on [date and time], and [what happened next].
This affected my stay because [impact]. I have attached photos and my booking confirmation.
I would like [specific outcome: partial refund for X nights / refund of resort fee / compensation for cleaning costs]. Please reply within 14 days.
Yours sincerely, [Name, contact details]
What makes a complaint successful?
- Timeliness: you raised it during the stay.
- Evidence: photos, receipts, written messages.
- Specificity: a clear account and a clear request.
- Reasonableness: the remedy matches the problem.
- Politeness: staff respond better to calm guests.
When a hotel walks you
If a hotel is overbooked and cannot honour your reservation, it is said to "walk" you. Reputable hotels will arrange and pay for a comparable hotel nearby, cover transport, and often add a goodwill gesture. Ask for these clearly and keep receipts for any extra costs.
The bottom line
Complain early, stay calm, be specific and keep evidence. Most hotels want to fix problems. If they will not, you have strong consumer rights and payment protections to fall back on.
Frequently asked questions
Can I get a refund if my hotel room was bad?
Possibly, depending on how serious the problem was and whether you gave the hotel a chance to fix it. Partial refunds, room moves, upgrades or credits are common remedies.
Should I complain during my stay or after?
During, whenever possible. Many problems can be fixed on the spot, and complaining later without having raised it at the time makes it harder to get compensation.
Can I use a chargeback for a hotel complaint?
If the hotel failed to provide what you paid for and will not resolve it, you can ask your card provider about a chargeback, or in the UK, a Section 75 claim for credit card purchases between £100 and £30,000.
Prices, fees, taxes and booking rules change often and vary by hotel, date and country. Figures in this guide are typical ranges for planning, not quotes. Always confirm the total price and cancellation terms with the hotel or booking site before you pay.
