In this post, I thought it would be interesting to share some tips for how to file a complaint with a hotel. Separately, I’ve written about how to complain to an airline, though the reality is that airlines and hotels are very different businesses.
Continue reading: How To Complain To A Hotel, And Get The Best Outcome
Share your questions, experiences, and thoughts below.
Key is first raising it with the front desk supervisor / manager (unless there's a good reason you cannot). Other front desk staff usually not empowered to do that much other than escalate, and often they may simply be less experienced in what a guest should reasonably expect and not escalate things that a supervisor/manager would have taken action on. If no traction there, if the hotel sends post-stay surveys, fill it in; they can be surprisingly effective at getting responses and resolution. Then raise to corporate (if there is one), but this is way less effective at some chains compared to others and/or has become less effective in the same chain over time (e.g., mentioning no names but chains that prioritize hotel owners over guests ;-)). One of these will usually get a reasonable outcome, assuming not a serial complainer and the issue is truly an issue, though persistence and patience is often needed.
I think you're spot on. I also think with hotels what you are complaining about is a lot more tangible so specific complaints are harder for them to deny. You can take a photo, for example. Yeah, a delayed flight may have messed up your whole day, but getting to tangible damages is more time consuming. At a hotel, something isn't as advertised/published, you point it out, they say yes or no, and then you move on to step 2. There's also the realization you must have that hotel brands are running your revenue versus compensation history.
People rag on Hilton but as a Diamond for 20 years, they've generally made things right or thrown something my way. I also send more compliments than complaints, and complain when it's something that is specific.
Airport shuttles not running during published hours has been the source of two complaints in the last year. One of them, they flat told me the person went home early so "Guess you need to Uber." Limited service property and the only employee there was the front desk. They weren't empowered to do anything but apologize, but I politely stated that just please note that I will not be paying for the Uber in the end and did they have a contact I can follow up with during business hours. The hotel GM refused to reimburse, so I gave them a bad survey and complained to Hilton. Hotel GM had a new attitude two days later when asking how to pay me back.
Another at a Doubletree the Hilton app had hours that weren't correct. I ended up in an Uber on my own dime. Wrote a complaint the next day to Hilton, front desk manager called me within hours and asked for a screen shot of where I saw the hours so she could update them and threw me 10k points. Works for me.
But you're right that addressing it on property with first level manager often is a good solution. I was at a full flag Hilton by a major airport and just wanted a dang cup of coffee to go and wanted to use my F&B credit for it. Lobby Starbucks was closed. No sundry shop. The front desk told me go to the restaurant. Restaurant told me only way to get a cup of coffee was table service and had to buy the buffet. I went to the front desk and asked for their manager. She happened to be right there, said "come on" and walked me into the restaurant, got me a large to-go cup, and told me to help myself for free.
Very true on the surveys. If I've had a hotel with on-site leadership be purposely contrary, I've just tanked the survey and, admittedly on a handful of samples from past few years, getting a reply within a day or two with a newfound sense of helpfulness. I did hear from a DoubleTree manager that the then follow-up survey on how well they addressed my complaint is more important.
Not all that different from airlines, except there's no federal DOT complaint equivalent for hotels. I guess if it is truly a widespread scam or fraud, then maybe the FTC.
That said, my rule of thumb is to start with internal complaints (property) and escalate (corporate); then, it's a combination of credit card disputes (hopefully appeal to charge-back); and if not, maybe state attorneys general or consumer affairs department; and, finally small claims court. (I wouldn't even bother with the Better Business Bureau, as they just waste your time).
However, that's mostly domestic US hotels, if this happens overseas, you'd be in-luck if EU or Canada/Australia/NZ, because they have consumer protections, but elsewhere, it gets messy fast. Credit card dispute is often the best case. Get travel insurance; even though, they'll probably deny your claims anyway. *deep sigh* Good luck out there, folks!
“Not all hotel stays are going to be a good value“. *Choice Privileges and Wyndham have left the chat.*
Lucky, good to see such a practical and constructive article - and that you've come a long way since the early days when you were way too 'nice' and would unquestioningly accept bad service instead of rightfully and assertively complaining!
What are your thoughts about noise complaints? Had an FHR stay at a nice hotel in Atlanta (Marriott Luxury Collection) last week. The first night there was a family with small children in the adjoining room, quite noisy until about 10 PM. The next night it was loud-talking women (I think they imbibed liberally that evening) up until almost 2 AM. I'm less mad about the noisy folks, and more upset about the terrible lack of sound insulation with these adjoining rooms. This happened one other time many years ago in a W Hotel, and I have never stayed at that brand again. Other than knowing this hotel is not a good fit for us would anyone do anything else?
I once had a Residence Inn desk tell me at 3am I should just call the cops myself on a very noisy adjacent room.
Several years ago, I stayed at the Holiday Inn - Kensington Station in London. My room was ICE COLD...65°F. I immediately went to the front desk, waited due to many checkin's and finally told the bellman. "We well get that fixed right away." Didn't happen. I went back to the front desk a bit later and told the front desk manager. "We will get...." NADA. That night, I slept under two blankets. Next morning, same thing. NADA. I managed to "pinch" a stand alone "electric fire" that was in the hallway. That took a bit of the edge off. I called...oh...the phone was missing a bunch of buttons. I guessed and got the right number. Again...NADA. When I went to check out, I asked for the manager. "He's in a meeting." Aren't they all? They will give me 1,000 IHG points. Nope...not good enough. I wanted $$$ credits. I would have waited until hell froze over (could have done that in the room!) but my ride to Heathrow was waiting. I write polite business letters. I snail mailed letters to the hotel, to corporate UK and corporate US and never got an answer. I protested the charge with IHG MasterCard to no avail. So, I cut up my card, transferred my 80,000 points (at a loss!) to something else and have not set foot on an IHG property since. I also gave them 1 star on TripAdvisor. They responded to that but it was way too little and way too late! BUH BYE
Curious to get an opinion on what a fair compensation would be for our situation.
My wife and I stayed at a $$$$$ hotel in Tokyo. No written/verbal notices were provided and the window cleaners coming down the high rise saw us taking a bath.
What do you think would have been a fair resolution?
I also believe in the rule of giving them an out, if it's something that you do want compensation for, and not I just gotta get out of here situation. What I mean is, if you immediately go down the "I'll never stay here again!" route, you are not giving them the opportunity to make things right. You've already made up you mind, so there is nothing that will be satisfactory. There are times when that is warranted of course.
But, if it's for more moderate issues where a room upgrade would suffice, like you said, be direct, and reasonable as to what you can expect.
Funny that you used the Andaz Maui as a photo about not all hotels being a good value. I distinctly remember staying there and the key not working to my room. From the time that we brought this up with the front desk to the time that the maintenance person got around to fixing the door (i think the batteries were dead on the lock) took over an hour. Naturally they didn't seem to care about my issue at the front desk. Otherwise it was a great resort.
I never consider noise - to a reasonable extent anyway - a complaint before 10pm, and later in a “party” hotel… if you were hoping for an 8pm bedtime Miami Beach might not have been the right spot. 😛
About 10 years ago I stayed at a full service (Marriott family) hotel in downtown Fresno, CA while on a business trip. When I first entered the room it was completely dark and I was unable to find a light switch near the door. I ended up walking into furniture subsequently hurting my leg as I searched for a light of any kind. During my stay I was not impressed with the hotel, its layout or features. After checking out I received a questionnaire by e-mail. I was critical in my review about the layout of my hotel room and how dangerous it was to not have a light switch next to the door. I also compared the depressing hotel design to an old hotel you would find in exSoviet eastern Europe. The general manager replied by e-mail apologizing for my poor experience and fully refunded the room rate to my credit card. Looking at Google Maps the building was most recently a Raddison and now permanently closed. Probably best since downtown Fresno is quite sketchy.
One maybe valuable addition.
The way you should complain varies greatly from culture to culture. There are countries in the world where you can be way too nice and won't get anything because your complaint is not taking seriously and then there are countries in the world where you cannot be too nice and friendly. Talking two extreme, complaints in Russia (someday that may be relevant again) and in Thailand are two totally different matters. What will get fast action in one country will get you on the "ignore" list in the other.
Golden rule still applies but keep the local culture in mind
65 F means 18 celsius. Standard room temperature in a sleeping room is 16 Celsius. So your room had not been ice cild but instead many people would've complained for it being too warm
They like this in Asia, just note the design of a glass toilet so your SA can watch you going whole they're "going" in the shower. Windows ain't a thang
I stayed at a Holiday Inn Express in a Detroit suburb (toward the south) and there were air conditioning / compressor units right outside my window. They were cycling on/off and I couldn't sleep. I asked for a different room and I was told the hotel was fully booked even though the parking lot had only ten cars. I pointed that fact out and the night manager just repeated that the hotel was full.
Why is it you know Motel 6 is doing things that are dangerous and allowing bad behavior here's my story my ex-husband is a employee for motel 6 now changed hands my problem is I've caught my ex-husband who I still allowed to have woman in the room that are not their for good reasons I would go to his room no answer id wait and low and behold another woman comes out I was still in the picture so I started checking what was really happening when I noticed he had more than 2 other woman going to his room l would knock alot no answer I know he's in there well it seems he has some extracurricular activities while working for then when I confronted him about it it wasn't my business yes it is after awhile of finding these other woman in his room I would knock he wouldn't so I'd knock harder they would not answer me at the office this behavior going on was a allowed so I was knocking and yelling for him to open it and answer my question what are you doing he was having intercourse and I was angry I caused a scene and automatically thrown off the property this was being allowed by the company I wasn't going to let this go I caught him with 3 other woman and he was with me also this was not I expected to find and I was angry and was yelling at them what is going on here the management knew this was going on and I would watch and see what my ex still he was seeing to I had enough and I was banging on his door to open it no way he must have said something to those in charge they knew what was going on and I was told to get off the property and not come I did and was threatened by the night manager he scared the he'll he had been watching talking to my ex in a room and he said he'd talk but meet him in his room and gave me the key I was in their maybe 5 minutes quiet knock thought it was ex nope night manager he was not very nice and telling me I had to leave why I was causing trouble really and why was that you were allowing my ex to bring woman into his room and sleep with knowing we were still seeing each other I was not going to let it go this is not right and again I was kicked off the property and I didn't go for awhile and still he was allowing woman in and out this has caused serious relationship issues why is the manager allowing this kind of behavior its like a brothel and me I'm being thrown of the property and feel like this is not normal for a boss or owner to allow this its a sin and who his,being hurt and kicked off the property where is the morals and why would this be okay I would like to know what legitimate business would let this go on and make the spouse girlfriend watch them kick them of the property or call the police to remove them seems a little backwards to me this has caused alot of problems and someone needs to stop allowing this behavior