How to complain about a hotel

What can you do when your hotel doesn’t meet your expectations? 

How To Complain About A Hotel

Know what you are paying for

Online hotel reviews are available from many different sites such as TripAdvisor where you can compare hotel ratings. The guide is a good source of information about hotels and the facilities.

However, we have noticed that when rooms at highly rated hotels are booked through discount room sites (especially last minute deals), the hotel is actually filling up their cheapest and worst rooms. So you could find that the room does not match your expectations, despite the great reviews.

Why not raise your complaint free via Resolver

Bought the hotel room yourself

There are two scenarios: one where you bought a hotel room as part of a package (i.e. flights, accommodation and transfers are purchased from one provider); another scenario is when you booked the room with the hotel directly or via a third-party website. 

If you purchased the hotel accommodation directly and you find it to be substandard, you should report the issue immediately. We recommend that you report the issue to the Duty Manager immediately. Clearly explain the issue and state what action you expect from management. Take a note of the person’s name, date and time of conversation and what (if anything) was agreed. 

If they cannot move you to another room or are unable or unwilling to resolve the issue, be sure to make a formal complaint. You can use Resolver to submit and manage your complaint. At this stage, it is important that your issue is formally submitted in writing.

Be sure to collect as much evidence as you can during your stay to support your case including:

  • A diary of your problem;
  • Photos or video coverage;
  • Names and addresses of anyone who has experienced the same issue; and
  • Receipts for any monies that you needed to spend as a result of the issue.

When you submit the issue ensure you explain what happened, your expected outcome and provide as much information and evidence as possible to support your case.

Booked through a website or travel agent

If you have the same issue but have booked through a travel agent or website, it is important to note that it is acting as the agent for the hotel. Therefore your contract is with the hotel and not with the website or travel agent. Legally, it does need to ensure the information they have provided you is accurate but this can be difficult to prove.

Bought using a credit or debit card

If you bought the room using your credit card and the hotel cost more than £100 (but less than £30,000) then under section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act your credit card company is also responsible for your issue. Therefore you should contact them and ask for a refund if the hotel is refusing to do so.

Hotel was abroad

If the hotel was abroad, but you booked through a UK website or company, you may be able to make a UK claim. If not, then you will need to make the claim through the local country’s complaints system. The European Consumer Centre based in Basildon can assist (http://www.ukecc.net/) on 08456 040 503. Its role is to help with cross-border disputes.

Package holiday

If your accommodation was part of a package holiday then your rights are different. The package must include two of the following: transport, accommodation and/or other tourist activities. If that is the case, then the Package Travel and Linked Travel Arrangements Regulations 2018 cover the accommodation. These regulations will cover the person who booked the trip plus any other accompanying travellers. The regulations state you should get what you paid for and it is the company’s responsibility to ensure these standards are met. 

You should raise your issue while on holiday and if the issue is not addressed, you have 28 days upon returning to raise your case. If you are not satisfied with the response you can raise the issue with the membership organisation such as the Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA) or The Association of Independent Tour Operators (AITO). They will offer you independent arbitration.

Final choice

Your final choice if the issue cannot be resolved is to raise your case using the Courts service. You can use Money Claims Online (MCOL) to raise an issue, as there is no ombudsman for hotels. There is a fee, but it is quick and easy to submit an issue. 

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