Making Complaints While Travelling
When something goes wrong during travel — a noisy hotel room, a wrong order in a restaurant, a cancelled service — you need to complain effectively. A good complaint is calm, specific, and states clearly what resolution you want.
The Structure of a Polite Complaint
- State the problem clearly: What went wrong?
- Explain the impact: Why does it matter?
- Request a specific resolution: What do you want them to do?
- Stay calm and polite: Aggression rarely helps.
Complaint Phrases
| Stage | Phrases |
|---|---|
| Opening | ”I’m afraid I have a problem with…” / “I’d like to make a complaint about…” |
| Describing | ”The [room/meal/service] is not what I expected.” / “This isn’t what I ordered.” |
| Impact | ”This is causing me significant inconvenience.” / “I’ve been waiting for [time].” |
| Request | ”I’d like a refund.” / “Could you please move me to a different room?” / “Could this be replaced?” |
| Escalating | ”I’d like to speak to the manager, please.” |
In British culture, starting a complaint with “I’m afraid…” or “I hate to complain, but…” is common and signals you are reluctant but serious. In the US, being more direct is generally fine: “I have a problem with my order.”
Common Travel Complaints
| Situation | What to say |
|---|---|
| Hotel room problem | ”The room is very noisy/dirty. Could I be moved to a different room?” |
| Wrong order | ”Excuse me — I ordered the [X], but this is [Y].” |
| Overcharged | ”I think there’s an error on my bill — could you check it?” |
| Flight delay | ”Could you tell me what the current delay is and when we’re expected to depart?” |
| Broken item | ”The [TV/shower/heating] in my room isn’t working. Could someone fix it?” |
Escalating a Complaint
If the first response is unsatisfactory:
“I appreciate your help, but I’m not satisfied with this solution. Could I speak with a manager?”
“I’d like to put this complaint in writing — could you give me the complaints procedure or a form?”
If dealing with a company after the trip:
“I’m writing to complain about [X]. I was a guest/customer on [date] and I would like [specific action].”
Shouting or becoming aggressive almost never improves the situation — it often makes staff less willing to help and can lead to you being asked to leave. Stay calm, be specific, and focus on solutions.
Useful Complaint Vocabulary
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Faulty / defective | Not working properly |
| Unacceptable | Not good enough |
| Misleading | Not as described or advertised |
| Compensation | Payment or other remedy for poor service |
| Refund | Getting your money back |
| Gesture of goodwill | A small compensation offered freely |