Arriving to find your hotel is not what was promised, dirty, in the wrong location, or missing advertised facilities, is dispiriting, but acting promptly and correctly gives you the best chance of putting it right or getting redress. This guide explains what to do if your hotel is not as described. Staying calm and methodical, raising the issue properly and keeping evidence, is the key to resolving the problem effectively rather than simply enduring it.
Act straight away
If your hotel is not as described, act promptly rather than waiting, as raising the problem immediately gives the best chance of resolving it and is often required for any claim. Do not simply put up with a serious problem in silence and complain only afterwards. Addressing the issue as soon as you discover it, while you are there and it can potentially be fixed, is far more effective than saying nothing during the stay and trying to seek redress later once you have left.
Raise it with the hotel first
Start by raising the problem politely but firmly with the hotel, explaining clearly what is wrong and how it differs from what was advertised or booked. Give them the chance to put it right, as many issues can be resolved on the spot. Approaching the hotel calmly and explaining the discrepancy, rather than getting angry, makes a constructive resolution more likely. The hotel is your first port of call, and a reasonable, clear complaint often leads to the problem being fixed or addressed.
Ask to be moved or for it to be fixed
Depending on the issue, ask for a specific remedy, such as being moved to a different room, having a problem fixed, or a different solution that addresses what is wrong. Being clear about what would resolve it helps. If a room is dirty or faulty, request a clean or working one; if facilities are missing, ask how it will be addressed. Asking for a reasonable, specific remedy, rather than just complaining vaguely, gives the hotel a clear way to make things right.
Document the evidence
Gather evidence of the problem, such as photographs of the room or issue, notes of what is wrong and when, and copies of your booking showing what was promised. This documentation is vital if you need to pursue a complaint or claim later. Taking clear photos and keeping records at the time, while the evidence is available, strengthens your position enormously. Without evidence, a later complaint is much weaker, so capturing proof of how the hotel differs from its description is an important early step.
Contact your booking provider or agent
If the hotel will not resolve the issue, contact whoever you booked through, such as the booking site, travel agent or tour operator, as they may be able to help, move you or offer redress, particularly if you booked a package. Our guide on booking sites versus booking direct covers who you deal with. Escalating to your booking provider when the hotel does not put things right brings in another party who may have more power or obligation to resolve the problem.
Know your rights
Your rights depend partly on how you booked. Package holidays come with certain protections, as the operator is responsible for the holiday being as described, while independently booked accommodation may be governed by the booking terms and consumer rights. Understanding which applies helps you know what redress to seek. Knowing whether you have the stronger protections of a package booking or the terms of an independent one, and what consumer rights apply, helps you pursue the appropriate remedy for a hotel that is not as described.
Keep records of everything
Throughout, keep records of everything: your complaint, who you spoke to and when, any responses, your evidence, and any costs you incur. A clear record supports any later claim or complaint and shows you raised the issue properly. Documenting the whole process, not just the original problem, gives you a strong, organised case if you need to seek compensation or escalate. Good record-keeping turns a frustrating situation into a well-evidenced complaint that is far more likely to be taken seriously and resolved.
Escalate or complain formally
If the issue is not resolved during or after your stay, you can escalate by making a formal complaint to the hotel, operator or booking provider, and if necessary using consumer redress schemes or dispute resolution. Set out the problem, your evidence and what you are seeking clearly. Our guide on getting a refund for a cancelled holiday touches on redress routes. Pursuing a clear, evidenced formal complaint, and escalating to the appropriate body if needed, is how you seek compensation when a hotel falls seriously short.
Leave a fair review afterwards
After your stay, leaving an honest, fair review helps other travellers and can prompt the hotel to respond. Describe the problem factually and accurately rather than venting, as a measured review carries more weight. Our guide on how to read hotel reviews explains why honest reviews matter. Sharing a truthful account of your experience, good and bad, contributes to the reviews that help others choose well, and may encourage the hotel to address the issue for future guests.
Prevent it by researching first
The best protection is to reduce the risk before you book by researching thoroughly, reading recent reviews, checking photos and the location, and booking through reputable channels. Our guide on finding the best hotel for your money helps. While you cannot avoid every disappointment, careful research beforehand greatly reduces the chance of a hotel being badly not as described, so investing time in checking a hotel properly before booking is the most effective way to avoid the problem in the first place.
Stay calm and reasonable
Throughout any complaint, stay calm and reasonable, as a measured, polite approach is far more effective than anger in getting a problem resolved. Hotel staff respond better to a guest who explains an issue clearly and courteously than one who is aggressive. Keeping your composure, even when frustrated, and treating staff with respect while being firm about the problem, makes a constructive resolution much more likely. A calm, reasonable manner also strengthens your position if you later need to escalate, as it shows you behaved appropriately throughout.
When to seek compensation
If a significant problem could not be resolved and affected your stay, you may be entitled to some compensation or a partial refund, particularly for serious or persistent issues or a package holiday not as described. Our guide on getting a refund for a cancelled holiday touches on redress. Judging whether the problem was serious enough to warrant compensation, and pursuing it with your evidence through the hotel, operator or a redress scheme, is reasonable when a hotel genuinely failed to deliver what was promised and could not put it right.
In short
If your hotel is not as described, act straight away, raise it politely but firmly with the hotel, and ask to be moved or for it to be fixed. Document the problem with photos and notes, contact your booking provider if the hotel will not help, and know whether package or independent booking protections apply. Keep records, escalate formally if unresolved, and leave a fair review. Researching thoroughly before booking is the best way to avoid the problem altogether.
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