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General Training Task 1 — complaint letter: Complaint about hotel service during company conference. This page gives the exam question and a band 9 model answer, with the tone, opening and closing lines that suit the letter. Aim for at least 150 words in about 20 minutes.
You recently stayed at a hotel for a conference with your company and there were several problems with your room. Write a
letter to the hotel manager.
In your letter, you should:
• Describe the problems you experienced
• Explain how these problems affected your stay
• Suggest what the hotel should do to resolve the issue
| Letter type | Complaint |
| Tone | Formal |
| Opening | Dear Sir or Madam, |
| Closing | Yours faithfully, |
Dear Sir or Madam,
I am writing to formally express my dissatisfaction with the standard of accommodation provided during my recent stay at your hotel from 8 to 11 May, when I was a guest as part of a corporate conference delegation.
Upon arrival, I discovered that the air conditioning in my room was not functioning. In addition, the bathroom had not been cleaned to an acceptable standard, with used towels still in the bath. When I contacted reception, I was told that maintenance would attend, but no one arrived that evening.
These problems significantly affected my stay, as I was unable to rest properly before presenting at the conference the following morning. The discomfort left me feeling unprepared for a professional engagement in front of clients.
I would appreciate a written apology and a partial refund for the affected nights, and I suggest that your maintenance and housekeeping teams review their response procedures during busy conference periods.
Yours faithfully,
Strategy
Standard formal complaint. Describe at least 2 specific problems (e.g., broken heating, noisy neighbours, unclean bathroom).
For bullet 3, propose realistic resolution: refund, future discount, or written apology.
Common trap
The context is a BUSINESS conference — this makes the complaint more serious (professional reputation at
stake). Mention the professional context in your letter for stronger impact.
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