At what point do you complain about a hotel stay?

To start I have a confession to make: I’ve only once written a complaint letter to a hotel, and that was due to awful service (at the Crowne Plaza Auckland years ago, for what it’s worth). Yes, I’ve experienced minor hiccups I address at the hotel, like if they don’t honor late check-out, don’t provide upgrades within the terms of the loyalty program, etc. But I really don’t know at what point I should complain about a hotel, or if I should just chalk it up to being an airport hotel and lowering my expectations.

Yesterday was our last night in Ireland, so we ended up staying at the Hilton Dublin Airport, which was 115 Euros per night (which definitely isn’t cheap for a mediocre airport hotel).

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Anyway, while the service was fine, the stay was unpleasant for a few reasons:

• The shower temperature was highly variable. I set the temperature control to a reasonable temperature (40C), and then it fluctuated wildly, from unbearably hot to cold.
• The shower wouldn’t drain.
• The internet connection was among the worst I’ve ever had in a hotel. Not only was it slow, but I had to reconnect every few minutes.
• The bed was the most uncomfortable hotel bed I’ve slept in. I realize there are different levels of firmness in different countries, and that wasn’t my issue. It was more that the springs were so worn that it was downright uncomfortable to lay down.

Now, I assume the only issue that could have been addressed at the hotel was that the shower wouldn’t drain. I suspect the mattresses, internet, and water temperature fluctuation were similar in all rooms. I didn’t address the drain at the hotel because I only showered as I was leaving, so at that point it was too late to switch rooms.

I mentioned my issues in passing at the front desk upon check-out, though obviously it’s nothing one of the front desk associates could address on the spot.

So I’m curious, is this the point at which most of you would complain, or would you chalk it up to being an airport hotel? If so, would you contact the hotel directly, Hilton corporate, or somewhere else?

The reason I’m kind of torn is because I prefer to save complaints for situations where something can be easily done to rectify the situation, like when you deal with a rude employee. In this case I’m sure the hotel knows their internet is painfully slow and unreliable, I’m sure they know the beds are super-uncomfortable, and I’m sure they know the water temperatures are painfully variable. But I assume they’re not willing to invest to fix those issues.

So what would you do? Move on or complain? I realize this is entirely insignificant in the grand scheme of things, though I’m curious to see what through process you guys have when it comes to complaining to hotels.

Worst. Shower. Ever.