Sample IELTS GT Task 1 letter: complaint about poor hotel service
Band 6.5 and Band 8 model answers for this IELTS question — see what raises the band, then get your own graded by AI.
Band 6.5
Prompt: You recently stayed at a hotel and were unhappy with the service you received. Write a letter to the hotel manager. In your letter: • explain why you were staying at the hotel • describe the problems you experienced • say what you would like the manager to do (Begin your letter 'Dear Sir or Madam,'. Formal register.)
Dear Sir or Madam,
I am writing to complain about the poor service that I received during my recent stay at your hotel. I stayed at the Grand Palace Hotel from 12th to 15th May, room 308.
I was staying at your hotel because I came to the city for an important business conference. I needed a quiet and comfortable place to rest after the long meetings, so I booked a room in your hotel because it had good reviews on the internet.
Unfortunately, I experienced several problems during my stay. Firstly, my room was not cleaned properly. There were dirty towels in the bathroom and the bed was not changed. Secondly, the air conditioning in my room was broken, so the room was very hot and I could not sleep well. I called the reception many times, but nobody came to fix it. Also, the staff at the reception were not polite when I asked for help.
Because of these problems, I was very tired during my conference and I could not perform well. I am very disappointed because I paid a lot of money for my room.
I would like you to give me a refund for at least one night of my stay. I would also like you to train your staff so that other guests do not have the same bad experience in the future.
I look forward to hearing from you soon.
Yours faithfully, John Roberts
Band 8.0
Prompt: You recently stayed at a hotel and were unhappy with the service you received. Write a letter to the hotel manager. In your letter: • explain why you were staying at the hotel • describe the problems you experienced • say what you would like the manager to do (Begin your letter 'Dear Sir or Madam,'. Formal register.)
Dear Sir or Madam,
I am writing to express my dissatisfaction with the standard of service I encountered during my recent stay in room 308 of the Grand Palace Hotel, from 12th to 15th May.
I had chosen your establishment because I was attending a three-day business conference in the city and required somewhere quiet and comfortable to recover between sessions. Given the hotel's excellent online reputation, I had every reason to expect a restful stay.
Regrettably, my experience fell well short of these expectations. To begin with, the room was clearly not serviced before my arrival: the bathroom contained used towels and the bedding had not been changed. More seriously, the air conditioning was faulty, leaving the room uncomfortably hot and making it almost impossible to sleep. Although I reported the fault to reception on several occasions, no one was sent to address it. To compound matters, the front-desk staff were noticeably curt and unhelpful whenever I requested assistance.
As a result of these failings, I was exhausted throughout the conference and unable to perform at my best, which I find particularly frustrating given the considerable sum I paid for the room.
In light of this, I would be grateful if you could refund the cost of at least one night of my stay. Furthermore, I would urge you to review your housekeeping procedures and provide additional customer-service training, so that future guests are spared a similar ordeal.
I look forward to your prompt response.
Yours faithfully, John Roberts