| If you are an international visitor or student traveling | | | | If the problem is still not resolved, you could say to |
| in Canada and the U.S., you may at some time need | | | | the manager, "I am very sorry, but without a clean |
| to lodge a complaint at a hotel where you have | | | | room I will have to ask my credit card company to |
| booked a room. | | | | stop payment. For the record, your name is Mary |
| In the U.S. and Canada, if you are too polite or | | | | Cafaro, the manager? I will also need to report what |
| submissive, your request may be ignored. If you are | | | | has happened to American Express and to your head |
| too assertive or angry, you will also probably not | | | | office. I do not want to do that." |
| succeed. | | | | When you say, "I do not want to do that," you |
| So, to lodge a successful complaint, you should: | | | | leave an opening for the hotel to move toward |
| 1) Describe your problem calmly and with dignity. 2) | | | | resolution. |
| Use a modulated tone of voice. You will always have | | | | Being treated fairly |
| more success in North America if you control your | | | | Don't give up too easily. |
| temper. 3) Throughout the negotiation, remember | | | | Suppose a hotel tells you it cannot honor your |
| that you want to resolve a problem, not win a | | | | reservation because it has overbooked. This is not a |
| skirmish. Always take your complaint to the front | | | | situation you should have to endure. So, stay in front |
| desk clerk first. Note, too, that hotel clerks are not | | | | of the check-in queue until you are offered a fair |
| considered servants in North America, so be sure not | | | | solution. |
| to talk down to them. | | | | Expect a good hotel to find you an alternative room |
| How to phrase a complaint | | | | at a similar hotel, immediately refund your full deposit, |
| Suppose you check into your room and discover that | | | | pay for a taxi to the new hotel, and pay for a call to |
| it's not clean. Here's an ineffective way to | | | | your friends or relatives to let them know your new |
| communicate this problem to the hotel clerk: | | | | location. |
| [yelling] "You gave me a filthy room! I want another | | | | A few hotels might claim they do not have a |
| room immediately, or I will report you to the | | | | reservation in your name. If you have brought along |
| manager!" | | | | a written confirmation of your booking, you are in a |
| Now here is an effective way to lodge this complaint: | | | | far better bargaining position. |
| [spoken in a controlled tone of voice] "Excuse me, | | | | The 3 best strategies for avoiding problems at hotels |
| but my room was not cleaned after the last guest. | | | | 1) Check into a hotel as early as you can. Remember |
| May I have another room?" | | | | that most hotels overbook to protect themselves. 2) |
| Escalating a complaint | | | | Carry written confirmation of your room reservation. |
| If your initial request brings no result, say, "May I | | | | 3) And, when you must lodge a complaint, remember |
| speak to the manager, please?" and start over in the | | | | to speak firmly but calmly. Keep your dignity and |
| same calm way. Continue to be polite and reserved. | | | | your cool! |