IELTS Essay Bank · GT Task 1 letters · Complaint letter
Hotel Complaint Letter: Band 7 Sample Letter
197 words · Topic: Tourism ·
The question
You recently stayed at a hotel for a short holiday and were very unhappy with the service you received. Write a letter to the manager of the hotel.
In your letter:
- explain why you were staying at the hotel and when
- describe the problems you experienced during your stay
- say what you would like the manager to do about it
Write at least 150 words. You do NOT need to write any addresses.
Begin your letter as follows: Dear Sir or Madam,
Band 7 sample letter
Highlighted = useful vocabularyDear Sir or Madam,
I am writing to express my disappointment with the service I received during a recent stay at your hotel. My husband and I booked a three-night break from 4 to 7 July to celebrate our tenth wedding anniversary, and we specifically chose your hotel because of the sea-view rooms advertised on your website.
Unfortunately, our stay did not meet our expectations. When we arrived, we were told that our room was not ready, and we had to wait for almost two hours in the lobby. The room we were eventually given overlooked the car park rather than the sea, and the receptionist was unwilling to offer an alternative. In addition, the air conditioning was not working properly, which meant we slept badly on both of the first nights. Although we reported the problem twice, it was never repaired.
Considering that we paid the full price for a premium room, I would be grateful if you could refund the difference between the sea-view room and the standard room we actually recieved. I would also appreciate an explanation of why our complaints was ignored.
I look forward to your prompt reply.
Yours faithfully,
Laura Kemp
Word count: 197
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The same question is ready on its practice page, with a Band 8–9 model answer to compare.
Why this is Band 7: criterion by criterion
Task Achievement
Band 7All three bullet points are covered and the purpose — a complaint with a specific request for compensation — is clear from the first sentence. The tone is consistently formal and appropriate for a hotel manager ("I would be grateful if you could…", "I would also appreciate…"). The reason for the stay is well explained, and the request is precise ("refund the difference"). However, the problems are listed rather than extended: the writer does not say how the unrepaired air conditioning affected the anniversary itself, which is what separates this from a Band 8 letter where each bullet is fully developed.
Coherence and Cohesion
Band 7The letter is logically organised, with one clear purpose per paragraph: context, problems, request. A range of cohesive devices is used appropriately ("Unfortunately", "eventually", "which meant", "Although", "Considering that"), and the problems follow the order in which they happened, which makes the progression easy to follow. There is a slight reliance on the list-like "In addition" to join the air-conditioning point, but overall cohesion is well managed — a solid Band 7.
Lexical Resource
Band 7The vocabulary is sufficient to allow some flexibility and precision, with appropriate collocations for a complaint such as "express my disappointment with", "did not meet our expectations" and "overlooked the car park". The writer shows awareness of register, choosing "premium room" and "unwilling to offer an alternative" rather than informal equivalents. There are occasional errors: "recieved" is misspelt (received), and "both of the first nights" is an awkward choice where the first two nights was meant. These occasional slips are consistent with Band 7.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
Band 7A variety of complex structures is used with good control: a non-defining relative clause ("which meant we slept badly"), a concessive clause ("Although we reported the problem twice…"), a reduced relative ("the sea-view rooms advertised on your website") and polite conditional requests. Most sentences are error-free. There is one noticeable agreement error — "our complaints was ignored" should be were ignored — which, together with the frequent error-free sentences, fits the Band 7 descriptor of good control with a few errors.
Useful vocabulary and collocations
- express my disappointment with
- a formal, measured way to open a complaint; more precise than complain about.
- did not meet our expectations
- a standard collocation for service that fell short.
- overlooked the car park
- the correct verb for what a room or window faces.
- refund the difference
- a precise, reasonable request; far clearer than give some money back.
- I look forward to your prompt reply.
- a formal closing that politely signals urgency.
How this letter could reach Band 8
- 1Extend each problem with its consequence — for example, how the two-hour wait and the lack of sleep affected the anniversary celebration — so the manager understands why compensation is justified.
- 2Proofread for the small slips that cost a band: received, our complaints were ignored, the first two nights.
- 3Vary the cohesion between problems; instead of "In addition", link ideas through consequence (To make matters worse…, This was compounded by…).
This is an original sample letter written by IELTS-Bank to illustrate Band 7 against the public IELTS Writing band descriptors. The band scores are our assessment, not an official IELTS result. IELTS-Bank is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to the British Council, IDP: IELTS Australia, or Cambridge University Press & Assessment. "IELTS" is a registered trademark of its respective owners and is used here for descriptive purposes only.