Hotel laundry lost one shirt from a labelled bag — accept a vague shop voucher or keep asking for a real make-good?
Handed over a counted bag with a list. One shirt never came back. Desk said they are 'very sorry' and offered a vague credit at the hotel shop. The shirt was not designer, but it was mine, and the shrug feels cheap. I do not want a screaming match at breakfast. What actually works here — a written note, a specific amount we agree, or just take the voucher and buy a replacement in town?
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4 Answers from travellers
Stay calm and be specific. Bring the original list, say which item is missing, and ask for a written acknowledgement plus a make-good you can actually use — a room credit, a stated cash figure you both accept, or a shop voucher with a number on it, not a vague 'something from the shop.' I will not invent a nationwide compensation tariff; it is a conversation, not a police form. Photograph items next time before you hand the bag over. One polite follow-up with the manager usually works better than a lobby scene. If they stall forever, pay the rest of the bill, note the missing piece on the checkout folio, and move on with a replacement from town.
We got a written note and a numbered shop credit. Not the shirt, but it was usable. The shrug alone would have annoyed me more.
Asking for the credit to have a number on it and a one-line note. Buying a plain replacement in town either way.
Same rule as deposits — vague promises are how small disputes linger. Get the number in writing, then drop it.
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