In this post, I thought it would be interesting to share some tips for how to file a complaint with a hotel. Earlier I wrote about how to complain to an airline, though the reality is that airlines and hotels are very different businesses.
While airlines are in the transportation business, hotels are in the hospitality business, and that’s supposed to include providing good service.
In this post:
Tips for filing a complaint with a hotel
Most of us probably do quite a bit of research before booking hotels, by reading reviews, studying the location, amenities, and room categories, and more. However, what happens if you show up at the hotel and your experience isn’t what you were expecting?
Well, in some ways, complaining about a bad hotel stay is almost the opposite of complaining about a bad flight. So let me share some general tips for how to complain to hotels in a friendly yet effective way…
Address problems as soon as they arise
If there’s an aspect of your hotel stay that you’re not happy with and it’s actionable, you should make your concerns known immediately, and give the hotel a chance to make things right. I think just about any hotelier would tell you that they’d rather have a chance to right any wrongs, rather than only hearing about issues when you check-out.
This is also why I have certain hotel habits once I check-in. For example, as soon as I get to the room, I like to make sure that the air conditioning, water, and Wi-Fi work to my satisfaction, so that I can immediately address that, if not.
While hotels often send out post-stay surveys soliciting feedback, if you had serious issues with your stay, hopefully you addressed them before you left the property.
Know who to escalate your complaint to
It’s also important to know who to escalate your complaint to. If you’re simply sharing some basic feedback for an action item (like a safe being broken), you can just let a front desk agent know, and they can pass it on to the right person, so that it can be fixed.
For something more serious, my first course of action is generally to ask for the front office manager, and give them the chance to make things right, since they’re basically the first “layer” of management. If they can’t resolve concerns in a satisfactory way, I’d request to speak to the general manager, who should be most empowered to help.
Let me of course acknowledge that the type of hotel you’re staying at also impacts the “chain of command” for complaints. For example, at a small, limited service hotel, it’s possible that the only front desk agent is also the front office manager.
Be direct about what you’re looking for
First and foremost, when you provide feedback, make sure you’re being polite. We should always share feedback in a polite way, without being aggressive or accusatory, as the golden rule never goes out of style.
That being said, when sharing feedback, I think it’s totally fair to share with the manager what you’re looking for as a resolution to an issue, and what would make you happy. Hotel managers aren’t mind readers, so if there’s something in particular that you’re hoping to get, just let them know.
Of course they won’t always be able to accommodate your request, and there may be an element of negotiation to this. But still, I think most managers prefer when guests are direct, since it makes it easier to find a resolution, and make everyone happy.
This could be an upgraded room, some bonus points, a reduction in your room rate, a property credit of some sort, etc.
Be realistic with your expectations
If there are things that you’re unhappy about with a hotel stay, I also think it’s important to have realistic expectations. The reality is that pricing at many high-end luxury resorts has gone through the roof in recent years, and is higher than ever before.
All the while — at least in the United States — hotel owners are largely doing everything they can to cut costs and maximize profits. Pricing no longer represents value, but for many hotels, it just reflects what they can get away with.
My point is simply to say that many people may find themselves at a hotel charging $800 per night now, while the same property would have cost $300 before the pandemic. Just in terms of managing your expectations and having a nice time, don’t expect that a hotel will have amazing service or amenities just because it’s expensive, as sadly that’s just not the case anymore.
I also think it’s possible to decide that you don’t want to return to a hotel without actually having anything to complain about. Sometimes we just don’t like the design or vibe of a property, and that’s fine. We’re always free to vote with our wallets. Along similar lines, we’ve probably all gone to restaurants that we wouldn’t return to, but they weren’t necessarily meals we’d complain to the manager about either.
What to do when you reach a dead-end
The single person most empowered to assist with any issues at a hotel is the general manager. However, what happens in situations where the general manager is unhelpful, combative, or dishonest? It’s extremely rare, but it does happen (for example, some may remember my four-hour stay at Aegon Mykonos).
If you get to the point where you feel like your issue can’t be resolved on property, you have a few best courses of action:
- If you’re staying at a hotel belonging to a hotel group, you can reach out to corporate affairs, in hopes of them liaising in finding a solution
- You can of course use social media and review sites to share your negative experience, which may often get hotels to take note
- If it’s a very serious issue and no other avenue gets a satisfactory solution, there’s always approaching someone in the media, in hopes of negative attention making a difference
Bottom line
I don’t want to suggest that there’s a single right approach to take when complaining to hotels. However, I think two things are key — make your issues known as quickly as possible, and always be polite. Personally, I typically start with the front office manager, and if the issue isn’t resolved there, I’ll escalate it to the general manager.
Though truth be told, only very rarely do I find anything at hotels worth complaining about. There are of course plenty of hotels I have no interest in returning to, but that’s not due to one actionable thing being wrong.
What’s your approach with complaining to hotels when things don’t go as planned?
The Hyatt place on lake merry blvr room leaking water from ceiling and at that point did not offer a another room or at least too compensate for what we paid for room
There's also the option of complaining directly to the relevant authorities for the more serious stuff. The hotel I had booked for a stay around Easter in 2021 decided to close a few days prior to my arrival and move me to its sister property which was a bit further out of the city centre. No compensation or anything else was offered and they were being very vague about room types (I had booked a...
There's also the option of complaining directly to the relevant authorities for the more serious stuff. The hotel I had booked for a stay around Easter in 2021 decided to close a few days prior to my arrival and move me to its sister property which was a bit further out of the city centre. No compensation or anything else was offered and they were being very vague about room types (I had booked a junior suite and the sister hotel wasn't showing any availability for those).
The threat of a formal complaint to the local Tourist Board bagged me a 30% discount and a couple of minor additional perks. This happened in an EU country, and it also was a chain which is all about CSR (might even technically be third sector), so it might be less likely to work in less consumer-friendly jurisdictions such as Thailand or even the US.
Good article, but I will take issue with one point. You said that pricing is not “value” but is “what they can get away with.” That is classic value-based pricing. I speak as someone who had a been a pricing professional for 15 years. Theoretically, you will only pay up to the value you place on a product or service, especially where there is elasticity of demand given alternatives. We may prefer higher end hotels,...
Good article, but I will take issue with one point. You said that pricing is not “value” but is “what they can get away with.” That is classic value-based pricing. I speak as someone who had a been a pricing professional for 15 years. Theoretically, you will only pay up to the value you place on a product or service, especially where there is elasticity of demand given alternatives. We may prefer higher end hotels, but they are not a necessity. We can find a place to stay in a Hampton Inn or other lower-priced limited service property. If people are willing to pay - a key value pricing concept - $800 for a room that was $300 five years ago, what reasonable hotel operator would not charge that?
Let's not suggest that Hampton Inn is a "market substitute" for Ritz Carlton. There are commodity markets (Hampton Inn) and there are differentiated markets (Ritz Carlton). Sellers have no pricing power in commodity markets. Sellers do have pricing power in differentiated markets. Sellers in commodity markets that are not "purely competitive" can seek higher prices if buyers forego lower prices due to (say) loyalty program preference, location, etc. or even the buyer's simple lack of...
Let's not suggest that Hampton Inn is a "market substitute" for Ritz Carlton. There are commodity markets (Hampton Inn) and there are differentiated markets (Ritz Carlton). Sellers have no pricing power in commodity markets. Sellers do have pricing power in differentiated markets. Sellers in commodity markets that are not "purely competitive" can seek higher prices if buyers forego lower prices due to (say) loyalty program preference, location, etc. or even the buyer's simple lack of knowledge. I'm with Ben on this one.
Let's face facts:
Paul Weiss is Biglaw, he is Tony, he is nobody.
He has no experience with money.
He has no experience with frequent travel.
He has nothing.
He's a kid. Pretending.
He's nobody.
Good luck in life, kid.
My kids know better. We look at you and it's a lesson.
Interesting. Is he Retired Gambler as well?
Sebastian has mastered this art of entitlement and extortion.
Lmao Ben, love the title image! It’s an OMAAT deep cut
This was the Greek hotel where they Photoshopped out the power lines in their marketing materials. Then hotel staff posted homophobic comments on this blog. (Allegedly.)
Other OMAAT deep cuts:
- the Singapore Airlines flight attendant everybody thought Ben had a crush on, but that was before Ben made his orientation public. (Ben is gay, but you would not know that just by his appearance or demeanor.)
- ordering Diet Coke with lime...
This was the Greek hotel where they Photoshopped out the power lines in their marketing materials. Then hotel staff posted homophobic comments on this blog. (Allegedly.)
Other OMAAT deep cuts:
- the Singapore Airlines flight attendant everybody thought Ben had a crush on, but that was before Ben made his orientation public. (Ben is gay, but you would not know that just by his appearance or demeanor.)
- ordering Diet Coke with lime on every flight, before Ben decided to take up drinking. This is actually very admirable. Most people start drinking at way too early of an age, when the brain has not fully developed.
- The sassy AA gate agent at LAX who didn't care that Ben was Executive Platinum! I think the article initially published her name, then withheld it.
- Ben's parents, who make an occasional appearance on the blog (e.g. Ben taking his dad around the world as a birthday gift).
- The one year Ben gave up his Bellevue apartment and "lived" in hotels full time, documenting incidents like overhearing 2 ladies at a restaurant shit-talking about him in German. At the end of the meal Ben walked up to them and said in perfect German, "I can also speak German." Classic!!!
Yeah I've been on this blog a long time, the above is what gives this a personal touch and sets it above mass-market trash.
“Yeah I've been on this blog a long time…”
More’s the pity.
In general, follow Paul Weiss' advice at the bottom. Separately, in the same way that Paul says certain people are genuinely pleasant, certain properties genuinely have a service culture . . . or not. Major flaws in service execution? You DON'T need to tell management. They ALREADY know it. It's intentional. Accept that they are not going to change. One-time stay? You're done. Potential repeat? Off the list. Save your energy and move on.
PS - My wife and I are regulars at properties in LA, NY, and London. We became regulars because of their service level. In each case, it is over the top good. No asking, no prompting, it just happens. There are truly good properties out there . . . they are the exceptions . . . you just have to find them. But, when you do find them, let them know that you've found them. Express your appreciation and gratitude. And, it will get that much better.
This is the way.
Somehow most people don't realize.
Your loyalty to the property will beat out every elite status.
Yes but no- the guest experience is often hugely dependent on the one receptionist that you encounter on arrival. I had a recent experience as an individual guest at a huge conference-type hotel where the receptionist had obviously been super stressed and overworked by the incessant flow of people and that resulted in her failure to sort me out with an elite upgrade and even in a bit of swearing (not at me, but at...
Yes but no- the guest experience is often hugely dependent on the one receptionist that you encounter on arrival. I had a recent experience as an individual guest at a huge conference-type hotel where the receptionist had obviously been super stressed and overworked by the incessant flow of people and that resulted in her failure to sort me out with an elite upgrade and even in a bit of swearing (not at me, but at some complex situation around using points as part-payment- plus she probably had been under the impression that I didn't understand the language). A longish (factual, not emotional) email to the general manager resulted in an apology, a comped night and a great upgrade for the rest of the stay.
This is prompted by the recent story of the woman on AA's no-fly list. I am on the "do not rent" list of an extended-stay type hotel chain. Neither the manager, general manager, nor corporate office will even tell me why I'm on this list. Unfortunately, this happened about two years ago, so I can't be prompt anymore. I still need to check if they took my money, since I made a weeklong reservation. What would you suggest I do? I definitely didn't do anything wrong.
Not much you can do except move your business elsewhere. Hotels are private businesses that can refuse service to anyone, unless it's based on some form of prohibited discrimination (i.e., race, gender, religion, etc.). You certainly should demand a refund, if you paid in advance or were charged, if you are saying you never received notice that you are on the "do not rent" list. If they refuse, sue the hotel entity in small claims...
Not much you can do except move your business elsewhere. Hotels are private businesses that can refuse service to anyone, unless it's based on some form of prohibited discrimination (i.e., race, gender, religion, etc.). You certainly should demand a refund, if you paid in advance or were charged, if you are saying you never received notice that you are on the "do not rent" list. If they refuse, sue the hotel entity in small claims court. It could also be used as an opportunity to negotiate yourself off that list, assuming there was a lack of justification for you being placed on i.
Not really a hotel walk, but something strangely similar. I have had a trip on the books for sometime now. I was planning on staying at a Hyatt Unbound Property for my SO's birthday and had booked a week using points and a suite upgrade several months back. About a month out, the property contacts me by email and notifies me that they will not be able to honor the first day of my stay...
Not really a hotel walk, but something strangely similar. I have had a trip on the books for sometime now. I was planning on staying at a Hyatt Unbound Property for my SO's birthday and had booked a week using points and a suite upgrade several months back. About a month out, the property contacts me by email and notifies me that they will not be able to honor the first day of my stay as they have been "reserved for a large group." They offer to rebook us at a similar category hotel for the first night and let us spend the remaining nights as planned or rebook us at a similar category hotel for all of the nights. After some prompting, I am told the similar category hotel is a Curio about 20 minutes away. While the Curio is nice, I am also told that I will not get my usual Globalist benefits if I choose to stay the entire time at the Curio.
I am opting for staying the first night at the Curio and the remaining nights at the Unbound property. The hotel recognizes this is an inconvenience. Should I expect some sort of compensation for the inconvenience? If so, what would be appropriate? Property credit? Hyatt points? Also, how do I go about requesting some sort of compensation? Or do I leave it to their conscience?
No. You might receive a gesture of goodwill, but compensation is not due.
Professional etiquette (which is nice to receive, but not an entitlement) woudl have called for the Hyatt to move your entire stay to the Curio inclusive of Globalist benefits, namely breakfast and an upgrade. Given that the Hyatt shut that down, they've revealed themselves to be cheapskates, so you're probably getting nothing.
...No. You might receive a gesture of goodwill, but compensation is not due.
Professional etiquette (which is nice to receive, but not an entitlement) woudl have called for the Hyatt to move your entire stay to the Curio inclusive of Globalist benefits, namely breakfast and an upgrade. Given that the Hyatt shut that down, they've revealed themselves to be cheapskates, so you're probably getting nothing.
Personally, I would cancel the entire stay and book a different hotel on my own.
I just reread your post. This is a stay for your SO's birthday? If you love her, don't make her move hotels.
Yeah. We will see what the final offer is from the hotel. I spoke to my Hyatt Concierge and he said it was entirely up to the property and there were no Hyatt guidelines that covered the situation. He was uncharacteristically unhelpful.
As for my SO, I have given her the options. She is inclined to stay one night at the Curio and the rest at the outbound. We are in agreement that the offer as it stands shows a lack of class ...
Sucks. I know that feeling though.
If she is an infrequent traveler, she may underestimate the hassle of packing and unpacking, coordinating the timing of check-out at the Curio and check-in at the Hyatt, and potential service problems at the Hyatt. If you're checking in on the same day as a huge group is checking...
Sucks. I know that feeling though.
If she is an infrequent traveler, she may underestimate the hassle of packing and unpacking, coordinating the timing of check-out at the Curio and check-in at the Hyatt, and potential service problems at the Hyatt. If you're checking in on the same day as a huge group is checking out, hotel staff may be stretched thin on that day, at which point it is up to management to see that they continue to uphold quality service.
I could write books about this! I often get upgraded and access to top benefits, the key is I don’t ask for an upgrade. I just try to make the experience pleasant while checking in and often times (if not always), we get upgraded. I just returned from a trip where I scored an upgrade to huge suite with a terrace that was shown in the Talented Mr Ripely movie and then went on to...
I could write books about this! I often get upgraded and access to top benefits, the key is I don’t ask for an upgrade. I just try to make the experience pleasant while checking in and often times (if not always), we get upgraded. I just returned from a trip where I scored an upgrade to huge suite with a terrace that was shown in the Talented Mr Ripely movie and then went on to another hotel and we were given 2 connected suites that are used by Sofia Loren when she’s in town ;)
You have the wrong key. As nice as it is to be pleasant while checking in, the advice is meaningless. Pleasant people are always pleasant -- they don't have to be told to be pleasant. Unpleasant people who put on an act of being pleasant are immediately sniffed out and identifying as groveling for an upgrade. A well-mannered receptionist will not call it out, but will know it and chuckle to himself or herself.
If...
You have the wrong key. As nice as it is to be pleasant while checking in, the advice is meaningless. Pleasant people are always pleasant -- they don't have to be told to be pleasant. Unpleasant people who put on an act of being pleasant are immediately sniffed out and identifying as groveling for an upgrade. A well-mannered receptionist will not call it out, but will know it and chuckle to himself or herself.
If you booked the room in advance, upgrades were processed by a hotel employee long before you arrived. If you booked the room same day and check in 5 minutes later, you do have to ask for an upgrade, generally speaking. A mindful front desk agent will look for an upgrade without you asking, but that doesn't have anything to do with you being pleasant or not.
I often see people overestimate the positive impact of being pleasant and the negative impact of being rude. Confounding factors are often overlooked.
@ZTravel's boastful post reminds me of some other blogger recently who assured readers that they ALWAYS, without exception, got upgrades on flights just by being well-dressed!
Must be great to be touched by lifes magic niceness wand at every turn!
It can also be said about those people who think or boast about how they can ‘always’ get an upgrade by asking for it in advance. The reason given is that they need it to do work so they need a suite and it should be given complimentary. Then, there are those who throw a tantrum but we know how that will end up though.
The two replies to this post perfectly sum it up.
Oops sorry everyone! Didn’t really intend to boast… was trying to say that I’ve found that not asking for upgrades or complaining usually works in my advantage… it came out all wrong! ;/
While not really a complaint, here’s how the strategy Ben outlines helped me. Last spring, my husband and I went on a five-week vacation through Japan and Korea, staying almost exclusively at Hyatt properties using points (I’m your basic Discoverist). At the first two hotels, in Tokyo and Kyoto, we were (unexpectedly) given Club Access, which included a full breakfast. Of course, we were very pleased and wondered if this was a typical Discoverist upgrade.
...While not really a complaint, here’s how the strategy Ben outlines helped me. Last spring, my husband and I went on a five-week vacation through Japan and Korea, staying almost exclusively at Hyatt properties using points (I’m your basic Discoverist). At the first two hotels, in Tokyo and Kyoto, we were (unexpectedly) given Club Access, which included a full breakfast. Of course, we were very pleased and wondered if this was a typical Discoverist upgrade.
So imagine our disappointment when we arrived in Osaka and weren’t offered Club Access. I was very polite and friendly with the front desk clerk, but she basically said it was not in the cards. So, I asked if we could speak with the manager at his convenience. When we met with the manager, I explained the courtesy we had been extended at the other two Hyatt properties and asked if we might be granted the same amenity. I sensed two things: he may not have believed me and felt a sense of competition with the other Hyatt properties.
Later that day, he notified us that he had given us Club Access. Based on a conversation with the front desk, I know that he contacted the other hotels to verify what I had told him. I made a point to thank him.
That process continued throughout our trip, including our time in Korea. I’m unsure if this sense of competition is unique to Japan and Korea, but it made our vacation even more enjoyable.
Traveling with family in Greensboro NC, at the airport Marriott, I was handed 2 breakfast vouchers at check-in. I had status at the time and up until then, at other USA Marriotts, had always been proactively offered vouchers equal to the number of people in my party (at least 3, sometimes 4). I knew perfectly well that vouchers in excess of 2 were a courtesy of the hotel going above and beyond Marriott status requirements....
Traveling with family in Greensboro NC, at the airport Marriott, I was handed 2 breakfast vouchers at check-in. I had status at the time and up until then, at other USA Marriotts, had always been proactively offered vouchers equal to the number of people in my party (at least 3, sometimes 4). I knew perfectly well that vouchers in excess of 2 were a courtesy of the hotel going above and beyond Marriott status requirements. I asked the front desk, a seemingly well groomed and well mannered gentleman, if perchance a third breakfast voucher could be provided.
The gentleman, who had up until that point been displaying Southern hospitality, abruptly switched to NYC style bluntness, wiped the smile off his face, and told me in no uncertain terms, I get 2 vouchers.
The next day at breakfast, a very nice woman serving my family proactively waived the 3rd person charge. I left a cash tip equal to 25% of three of the highest priced breakfast entrees on the menu at full price.
God, slumming it, Paul. I haven't done Gboro overnight since I was in undergrad, cheering Duke on in the ACC tourney. At the very least hit up Biscuitville. Rookie.
"So imagine our disappointment when we arrived in Osaka and weren’t offered Club Access..."
Why were you disappointed for not getting something you didn't pay, or eligible for?
What is your suggestion when the GM is having a consensual relationship with the head of the department you're having issues with?
hmm... screwed?
One of the most difficult situations to deal with. Talk about an unfair political situation, you the guest has to wade thru.
As Ben says, be polite with the manager to get some compensation. If not, then its on to Corporate, which can also be difficult if they can not recognise the bias of the GM.
Its good to pray on this one.
I'm not a big complainer for compensation. Don't think I've ever contacted an airline and maybe once a hotel. But recently I spent a lot of money on a stay and had a bunch of disappointments. A friend coached me on how to do it. The key thing - email them before you checkout so they know you have had issues that will have to be resolved at checkout rather than springing it on them. I did this. It worked. And it felt good.
Like you, I find little to complain about with hotels. When I get into a room I make sure everything is reasonably in order:
- Bedding clean.
- Towels clean.
- Sink and shower faucets work and drains are clear.
- HVAC works.
- No smell in room. Not cigarettes, not cleaning chemicals, not mildew.
Any problems with these are simple problems and I just ask the front desk for another...
Like you, I find little to complain about with hotels. When I get into a room I make sure everything is reasonably in order:
- Bedding clean.
- Towels clean.
- Sink and shower faucets work and drains are clear.
- HVAC works.
- No smell in room. Not cigarettes, not cleaning chemicals, not mildew.
Any problems with these are simple problems and I just ask the front desk for another room.
Now, sometimes the other room has the same issue. For example, a hotel might clean with the same nauseatingly fragranced chemical in every room. In that case I'm f**ked. I suck it up for the (usually one) night of my stay and then post a negative review online.
I don't speak to anyone other than the front desk. The latest generation has a culture of not escalating problems. Ask for a manager, you're a "Karen."
The front desk gets an opportunity to solve anything I bring them. Their prerogative if they want to escalate to a manager.