Hotel or Short Stay Not as Described

Services must be performed with reasonable care and skill (Consumer Rights Act 2015). If a stay is not as promised, you can ask for the problem to be put right or for a price reduction, and go straight to a price reduction if putting it right is impossible, takes too long or causes significant inconvenience. source

Tell the hotel or host about the problem as soon as it happens. Citizens Advice warns that if you say nothing until you get home you might get less compensation or none at all. source

For an independent booking, write to the hotel or service provider directly, not a travel operator. Include your booking reference, what went wrong, evidence such as photos, receipts, and the compensation you want. Email is fine, and registered post is a good option. source

A hotel stay or holiday rental you book on its own is usually an independent booking, not a package, so package holiday protections do not apply. Claims are harder, and a company based abroad may not be covered by UK law. source

If you booked the hotel and travel together from one company, you may actually have a package holiday with much stronger rights. Check what you booked. source

If you paid by credit card and the hotel or host will not put it right, ask your card provider about a Section 75 claim (for items costing over 100 pounds and up to 30,000 pounds) or a chargeback. source

If the hotel is based in an EU country, the UK International Consumer Centre (UKICC) can help, according to Citizens Advice. source

Travel insurance may cover cancelling for personal reasons, so check your policy. source