The structures of 2-phenylethanol and its 1:1 water complexes have been investigated by UV-UV holeburning and IR-UV ion-dip spectroscopy, coupled with ab initio computation. The most populated molecular conformer is stabilized by an intramolecular pi-type H-bond and its rotational band contours suggest the incidence of vibronic coupling involving motion of the side chain. Its 1:1 water complexes are associated with two distinct structures - water binds either as a proton donor or an acceptor. In the latter, the intramolecular H-bond is disrupted and the water molecule inserts between the OH and the aromatic ring. A second, extended anti conformer can also be detected. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.