TASK EXAMPLE

You recently stayed at a hotel while on holiday. Unfortunately, you were dissatisfied with some aspects of your stay.

Write an email to the hotel manager:

• explaining the problems you experienced

• describing how they affected your stay

• saying what action you would like the hotel to take

Write your answer in 140-190 (B2)/ 220–260 (C1) words.

PLANNING

Keywords:

• hotel

• complaint

• staff

• noise

• reservation

• customer service

• uncomfortable

• refund

• facilities

• holiday

Good Grammar and Use of English Structures:

• Formal email openings - I am writing to express my dissatisfaction regarding...

• Present perfect - I have recently stayed at your hotel

• Past simple - The staff ignored my complaints

• Passive voice - The room was not cleaned properly

• Polite requests - I would appreciate it if... / I would like to request...

• Formal linking expressions - One issue I encountered was...

• Complex sentences - Although the hotel was advertised as quiet, the room was extremely noisy

Cohesive Devices and Connectors:

• (Dear Sir or Madam,)

• (To begin with,)

• (In addition,)

• (As a result,)

• (However,)

• (Finally,)

• I would appreciate it if...

• because

• although

• therefore

EMAIL

Dear Sir or Madam,

I am writing to express my dissatisfaction regarding my recent stay at your hotel last weekend. Although the hotel was advertised as comfortable and relaxing, my experience was extremely disappointing.

(To begin with,) the room I was given was not properly cleaned when I arrived. The bathroom was dirty, and several facilities in the room were damaged. In addition, the air conditioning did not function correctly, which made the room very uncomfortable during the night.

(Another issue I encountered was) the excessive noise coming from nearby rooms. I contacted reception twice to complain; however, no action was taken by the staff. As a result, I was unable to sleep properly and my holiday experience was negatively affected.

(Finally,) I was disappointed with the level of customer service provided throughout my stay. I believe guests should receive quicker assistance when problems occur.

I would appreciate it if you could investigate these issues and consider offering a partial refund or another form of compensation.

I look forward to your response.

Yours faithfully,
Daniel Brown