A recent article in the Washington Post drew the following comment from a reader:
After recent stays in mid-level to upscale chain hotels, and finding issues in all rooms (such as a room door that required excess force to open or close), I am now committed to sending follow-up emails to the managers of the specific hotels noting the issues (most of which could easily be fixed with minor effort). The text of the messages will go something like this:
“I know you are committed to a pleasant, high-quality experience for all your guests. I recently stayed at your hotel [room #], and there were a few items that could be easily remedied in order to make their stay even-more satisfying and to maintain your hotel’s reputation as a first-class business:
“[Bullet points of issues, with photos if appropriate.]
“I know that you will want to fix these things as soon as possible. Again, I enjoyed my stay at your hotel.
This is an excellent example of how to file a formal complaint:
1. Put a positive spin on the issue; give the vendor the benefit of the doubt.
2. Provide specifics. Pics are always best.
3. Try to resolve the issue privately before taking things public.
