Cancelling My Hotel Booking: A B1 Writing Challenge

Okay, so things are… intense. Moving to Berlin was amazing, truly. The culture, the food, the sheer energy of the place – it’s brilliant. But let’s be honest, settling in has been a lot of paperwork, bureaucracy, and figuring out the best way to say “Where’s the bathroom?” (Seriously, I still get that wrong sometimes!). And right now, I’m wrestling with a particularly frustrating situation: cancelling my hotel reservation. It’s part of the TELC B1 Writing exam, and I’m using this whole experience to practice.

Why This Matters for the Exam

The TELC B1 Writing exam is all about being able to communicate clearly and effectively in written German. They’ll give you a scenario – like this one – and you need to write a letter or email to achieve a certain goal. This isn’t about fancy vocabulary; it’s about being able to clearly and politely explain why you need to cancel something, and asking for a refund or confirming the cancellation. I’m trying to build the skills to handle this kind of situation confidently.

The Initial Problem: The Booking

I booked a lovely little hotel in Prenzlauer Berg, “Zum Goldenen Löwen” (The Golden Lion), through their website. It seemed great online, but when I arrived, it was… well, a little basic. The room was small, and the shower only had lukewarm water. Honestly, it wasn’t what I’d hoped for. I had booked three nights, from the 15th to the 18th of October.

My First Attempt (And Why It Didn’t Work)

I immediately emailed them. I used phrases like “Ich bin sehr unzufrieden” (I am very dissatisfied) and “Ich möchte eine Stornierung” (I would like a cancellation). My email looked something like this:

• Betreff: Stornierung

• Sehr geehrte Damen und Herren,

• Ich bin äußerst unzufrieden mit meinem Aufenthalt in Ihrem Hotel. Die Zimmer sind sehr klein und die Dusche hat kaltes Wasser! Ich möchte daher meine Buchung vom 15. bis 18. Oktober stornieren und eine Rückerstattung meines Geldes.

• Mit freundlichen Grüßen,

• [Mein Name]

I sent it off, feeling pretty justified, and waited. Two days later, I received a response – a very frosty email from the manager. It basically told me I was being demanding and that they “would consider” my request. Ugh! Clearly, my initial approach wasn’t the right one. The problem wasn’t that the hotel was bad; it was that I hadn’t been polite enough.

The Correct Way: A Polite Cancellation

After a bit of a panic (and a quick Google search for “Wie man eine Hotelbuchung storniert” – How to cancel a hotel booking), I realized I needed to tone it down. I remembered hearing people say things like “Es tut mir leid” (I’m sorry) and “Ich verstehe, wenn…” (I understand if…). Here’s the email I actually sent:

• Betreff: Buchungsänderung / Stornierung

• Sehr geehrte Damen und Herren,

• ich schreibe Ihnen, um meine Hotelbuchung vom 15. bis 18. Oktober zu stornieren. Ich bedauere, dass meine Erwartungen an das Zimmer nicht erfüllt wurden, aber ich verstehe, dass dies manchmal vorkommen kann. Ich bitte Sie freundlich, meine Buchung zu stornieren und mir den Betrag von 210 Euro zurückzuerstatten.

• Vielen Dank für Ihr Verständnis.

• Mit freundlichen Grüßen,

• [Mein Name]

Key Vocabulary & Phrases:

• Es tut mir leid – I’m sorry
• Ich bedauere – I regret
• Ich verstehe, dass… – I understand that…
• Ich bitte Sie freundlich – I kindly ask you
• Den Betrag zurückzuerstatten – To refund the amount
• Vielen Dank für Ihr Verständnis – Thank you for your understanding

Dealing with the Response

This time, I got a much better response. They quickly confirmed the cancellation and explained that they were looking into improving the rooms. They even offered a small discount on a future stay! It was a relief, and a good reminder that politeness goes a long way.

Applying This to the TELC B1 Writing Task

The TELC exam will probably give you a similar scenario. They’ll likely ask you to explain why you’re cancelling the booking, and what you want to happen (a refund, confirmation, etc.). Remember to:

• Be polite! Always start with “Sehr geehrte Damen und Herren.”
• Clearly state your reason for cancellation (without being overly critical).
• Clearly state what you want (e.g., “Ich möchte eine Rückerstattung” – I would like a refund).
• Use phrases like “Ich bedauere…” and “Vielen Dank für Ihr Verständnis.”

Practicing this type of email will definitely help me with that B1 Writing exam. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to go find a decent shower in Berlin!