High-resolution microwave spectra of the monohydrate and dihydrate of acetic acid were recorded using a pulsed nozzle Fourier transform microwave spectrometer. The rotational and centrifugal distortion constants of these species were determined, which confirms the structures predicted by ab initio calculations that the H(2)O molecules bind to the carboxylic group to form hydrogen-bonded ring complexes. The dependence of the intensity of the rotational transitions on the power of the microwave pulses suggests that both hydrates have small a-and b-dipole moments of less than 0.3 Debye. All rotational transitions were split into two by internal rotation of the methyl group. Analysis of the splitting using both the PAM and the CAM methods allows the orientation and the height of the three-fold barrier to internal rotation (V(3)) of the methyl group to be determined accurately. A consistently declining trend of V(3) from the acid monomer [168.16 cm(-1), B. P. van Eijck, J. van Opheusden, M. M. M. van Schaik and E. van Zoeren, J. Mol. Spectrosc., 1981, 86, 465] through the monohydrate (138.396 cm(-1)) and the dihydrate (118.482 cm(-1)) was observed, which suggests that the amount of decrease of V(3) may be correlated with the strength of hydrogen bonding in these complexes.