Airbnb is a platform that is built on reviews, so if your review game isn’t that strong, you might struggle when it comes to bookings. According to recent studies, 92% of people check reviews before making a purchase. Guests care highly about the reviews given by fellow guests, and it can work like a charm if you’ve managed them in the right way. Good reviews are a natural indication of the quality of your short term rental and the chance of your success is higher. However, it’s the bad reviews that can potentially screw up your Airbnb business.
Airbnb allows both the guests and the hosts to leave a review, but as a host, your reputation depends highly on your reviews as it influences your bookings, and guest experience. Responding to reviews on Airbnb play a vital role in your Airbnb success, and one wrong response or review means your business is in shackles. For your ease, we have gathered a few tips and tricks that can help you learn how to respond to reviews on Airbnb. So, keep reading to find out some impressive responses!
Why are Airbnb reviews important?
Airbnb reviews act not only as a backbone of short-term rental business, but also play a huge role in ensuring the trust and transparency for your guests. Reviews are something that your guests will see right after they have landed your listing, so its important that you keep a check on them. Like google reviews, Airbnb also gives an option to the guests and hosts to view the reviews by filtering from worst to best. Good reviews can lead to more booking as it can appear higher in the search filters, increasing the visibility of your listing. Not only that, positive reviews can also help you achieve superhost status. The Airbnb superhost status comes with a lot of perks and privileges such as increased visibility, priority customer support and much more.
Guest feedback can be really valuable for your business because it also allows the hosts to address any issues as well and see if there is room for any improvement. Let’s say you have gotten a bad review, or a guest had some issue during their stay. You can take their response as a constructive criticism and make a few changes so your next guest can have a quality experience in your rental.
Why responding to Airbnb guest reviews matters?
As we have already talked about the crucial contribution of Airbnb reviews for your business’s success, lets discuss why responding to Airbnb guest reviews matter. First things first, to keep your impression game strong, your responses need to be well-thought and well-written. If you have actively responded and engaged with a guest, this leaves an impact on a potential customer as it means that you value their feedback, and you are highly committed to addressing the concerns and queries of your guests.
Let’s say you come across a few listings that are similar in their pricing/location etc. As you scroll through, you see listing 1 with a lot of responses from the host – thanking the guests for their feedback, and listing 2 is also great but it has no replies to the guest reviews. Which one would you end up booking? Its highly likely that you would select the first one. Why? Because it shows how much you care about the guest experience and it builds a trust between you and the guest that even if any issue arises during their stay, you would be active and would respond to the queries right away.
Responding to Airbnb reviews is quite an art in itself and you can use it for your full advantage as well. For instance, if a guest has left a positive lengthy review on your Airbnb, you can cherry-pick the positive aspects and boast about them in your response. Highlighting the good traits of your rental would entice your customer into booking. Did your guest just praise the cleanliness of your property? Use it in your response by saying:
“Thankyou for your review, ____ (name). We are glad to know that the cleanliness of our apartment met your expectations. We care highly about the guest satisfaction and cleanliness is our number 1 priority”.
Learning such tactics of responding to Airbnb guest reviews can improve your reputation as a host, and it can be appealing for the future guests as well.
Steps to respond a recent review
Although Airbnb allows the host to respond to a review within 30 days, but its best if you respond to the review within 24 hours. Quick responses leave a long-lasting impression on the guest that stayed and the future customers as well.
so there are 2 ways to respond to a review, one is to go directly to this link: Airbnb User Reviews and scroll through reviews to respond or go to
Menu > Insights > Quality
From Insights:
Click on show reviews or click on read more on any of the review:
Then on the right pane, click reply:
A public reply can be submitted:
Yes, it’s that easy! Your response will be posted immediately, and you can’t edit it after that—so take your time and really think about what you want to say.
Why host should respond to Airbnb reviews?
As a host, it is your utmost responsibility to show your guests that you are highly committed to their satisfaction. There are more than 7 million listings on Airbnb, so to stand-out from the crowd, you not only have to provide the best, but also build a relationship that benefits you, as a business owner, and the guest as well. Responding to reviews is an impeccable way to strengthen and maintain a relationship with your guests. Replying to the reviews builds a rapport in front of your potential guests. Trust and transparency is something that every customer is looking for on Airbnb, when you respond to a review, it shows how reliable you are as a host. Not only does it show that you actively engage with the guests, but it reflects your professionalism as well.
If any of your guests leaves a negative review, or have had a bad experience with their stay, you can respond to them in a polite way, address their concerns, apologize for any inconvenience so they may consider you for future bookings. When potential guests scroll through your reviews and they encounter how seriously you have taken the complaints of the guests, and how sophisticatedly you have responded to them, the potential customer might think that their concerns would also not be taken lightly and that you are completely hell-bent on providing an excellent experience for your customers.
Not only does the reviews lead to improved visibility on Airbnb, but also the responses and engagement can play a cardinal role in the ranking game. Promptly responding to reviews basically signals Airbnb that this host is active, approachable and attentive and this might just get you more and more bookings.
To simply put, responding to the Airbnb reviews would get you more bookings, more visibility, and the relationship between you and your guests would be strengthened. It would help you acknowledge the issues your previous guests had, and a reputation in front of your next guest would also be built.
Airbnb reviews policy
90% of booking decisions are made through the influence of reviews. Airbnb review policy keeps a check and balance on the genuineness and trust-worthiness of the reviews by the hosts and guests. As Airbnb prefers high transparency and honesty, it has set some standards that ensures that reviews that are given and taken are authentic, real and useful.
Let’s have a look at Airbnb review policy so you know all the do’s and don’ts of Airbnb reviews:
1. Reviews should be unbiased:
Airbnb is highly conscious and critical when it comes to reviews and can detect if there is some manipulation involved. Such as bribing or threatening the other party into getting good reviews is strictly prohibited. Promising compensation such as refunds, discounts in exchange of reviews is also forbidden. It is also against the policy to get false reservations just for the sake of reviews.
2. Relevance:
Reviews should be relevant and honest that reflect the guests or hosts real experience of the stay. Reviews are there to help potential guests make informed decisions so the relevancy is crucial while leaving a review that provides value to the hosts as well as the guest.
3. Airbnb Content Policy:
The content of the review should follow the Airbnb content guidelines and must not have any harmful, illegal or deceptive data.
4. Reporting Reviews:
Failing to adhere to these rules and regulations can lead your account to get restricted by Airbnb, or your account can get suspended if any of the mentioned rules are violated.
5. Responding to Reviews:
Responses to the reviews can be posted within 30 days where you can share your authentic stay experience. It encourages honesty but doesn’t get involved in the disputes or resolving any disagreements on the reviews.
6. Review Removal:
If you want to remove the review you’ve written, you can contact Airbnb support right away and they will remove it.
Where to see Airbnb reviews?
- Click your profile icon in the top right corner
- Select Profile from the dropdown menu
- Reviews left about you will appear under your bio
- To see reviews you’ve written, scroll down and click Reviews by you
To see reviews: Navigate to the listing’s “Reviews” section and browse through recent feedback from guests.
To read full reviews: Click on “Show more” or similar prompts within each review to expand and view the complete guest feedback.
To reply to a guest: As a host, open your Airbnb dashboard, select the review you’d like to respond to, and click “Reply” to add your comments.
Where to see Airbnb reviews?
Feeling overwhelmed with that positive Airbnb review you just got? And, now you don’t know what to say in return? I mean, just a simple “Thankyou” might be alright but you might want to add a bit more value to your response. Something meaningful can go a long way. You might feel that all the words have just escaped from the dictionary of your mind, so let us give you a bit of advice on how can you respond to a positive Airbnb review:
- Start with a Friendly Greeting: Greetings in your reviews can really make the guest feel important, so you can start with:
“Hi Mark, Hope you’re well. We are glad that you enjoyed the stay at our property and I appreciate your feedback”.
- Highlight Positive Aspects: Boasting about the positive aspects of your review is an excellent tactic to strengthen your rapport as a host. Mentioning it in your response will create a long-lasting impression on your guest’s mind and they will be reminded of it when they are looking for a Short Term Rental again. For instance, if they have talked about cleanliness, you can say
“Thank you for noting how clean and comfortable the space was! We take pride in maintaining a welcoming environment for our guests.”
This way, they will naturally associate cleanliness with your apartment. If they have praised the scenic view from the apartment, say:
“We’re thrilled that you enjoyed the scenic views and the nearby hiking trails—it’s one of the reasons we love hosting here!”
- Welcome Them Back: Remember that your Airbnb business is something more than just a source of generating income, it is also a way to make strong connections with your guests so it becomes more like a family-stay for them. Inviting them back shows gratitude and fosters positive feelings towards the guest. You can say:
We’re thrilled you had a great stay! The area is beautiful all year round, so come back soon to explore even more!” or “Thank you for the kind words! It would be wonderful to host you again—you’re always welcome back!
How to respond to negative Airbnb reviews?
Let us address the elephant in the room; the negative Airbnb reviews. We are scared of them like that introverted kid in the class who’s afraid of the teacher pointing at him. We run away from them as if we are being chased by a thief who is just going to snatch away our purse & we can’t do anything but hide. But let me tell you, folks, negative reviews cannot harm your Airbnb business unless you have responded to them in an articulated way, you can actually turn those bad reviews into your own favor. But can you really do that? Well, yes!
Here are some tactics to address negative Airbnb reviews:
1. Apologize:
Lets face it, there is nothing wrong with taking accountability, and when it comes to something as big as Airbnb business, you should be able to take constructive criticism and improve for the better. Remember to always use the pronoun “I” as it shows that the individual has taken responsibility for their mistakes. If the guest has complained about the maintenance issues of your property. You can say “Thank you for bringing this to our attention, and we’re truly sorry for any inconvenience caused. Guest comfort is our top priority, and we’re already addressing the issue to ensure it’s resolved for future stays.”
2. Value Their Feedback:
If you don’t respond to a negative review, it gives off a rude vibe to the guest who stayed and they might not consider you for the future stays. Also the potential guest might also see it as if there is something fishy because you haven’t addressed the problems in the reviews. By replying to the feedback, you are actually representing your commitment to their stay-experience. Rather than being offended and taking it personally, see it as a part of your business and strive for improvement. You can say “We genuinely apologize that you experienced pest infection during the stay, thankyou for bringing this to our attention. We have taken specific measures and have called the pest control cleaners to properly inspect our property”.
3. Keep it Positive and Professional:
Bad Airbnb reviews should not be taken as something personal but as constructive feedback that should nudge you to significantly improve the experience of future guests. Keeping a positive attitude towards even the bad Airbnb reviews can signal the guest that you have the ability to handle the issues and challenges with grace. This way, you can ease the frustration your guest might have felt during the stay.
4. Address The Issue Properly:
Make sure you are actually addressing the problem that the guest has mentioned in their review. Talk about the issue specifically. For instance, if they have mentioned Poor Wi-Fi Connection – You can say “We understand how important an internet connection can be, especially when one is away from home. For your better experience, we have updated our internet system so our guests can have a smooth and uninterrupted Wi-Fi connection”.
How to ask for Airbnb guest reviews?
You should feel no shame in asking for Airbnb reviews from your guests. Also, getting more reviews can help you acquire “guest favorite” status. Having good reviews can make your listing more visible. Guests can filter the search engines for “Guest Favorites” and that can get you to have more bookings.
- Send a post-stay message: A simple message like “I hope you had a five-star experience” can remind guests of their stay. Send a second request If 12 days have passed without a review, you can send a second request. You can say something like “Sorry to bother you but if you have a second, could you write us a review?”.
- Leave a review for your guest: If your guest was a good visitor, you can leave them a positive review and include a request for a review in it. Provide a great guest experience. Make sure your guests have a great stay so they’re motivated to leave a good review. You can do this by providing great customer service, being clean, and having clear house rules.
- Personalized Thank-You Message: Send them a personalized message thanking them for their stay and how much you value them as they chose your rental. Appreciate them for being a good guest and remind them to leave a review.
- Reminder At Checkout: Call or text them as a sweet gesture saying goodbye while also reminding them to leave a review and how helpful it would be for your business.
Airbnb reviews examples
Though each review is tailored and customized depending upon the stay experience, here are a few Airbnb review examples that you can use as a template. Even if you have no idea how to effectively respond to Airbnb reviews, both good and bad, these templates can help come up with a response in a smoothest way possible:
Cleanliness issue:
“Dear (Guest Name), Thankyou for sharing your feedback with us. We sincerely apologize for the uncleanliness that you faced during your stay. Please note that we have taken effective measures against this issue. Additionally, we are implementing proactive cleaning solutions to ensure this doesn’t happen in future.”
“Your feedback is incredibly valuable to us as it allows us to improve our guest experience. We aim to provide the best to our guests. We hope you will get in touch with us in future as well and give us a chance to meet your expectations. Thankyou for choosing us, Best regards, (your name). “
Communication Issue:
“Dear (Guest Name), Thankyou for sharing your feedback with us. We sincerely apologize for the lack of communication you faced during your stay. We understand how important it is to stay active and alert during guest stay. Please note we are implementing effective communication strategies so our guests don’t face this issue any further.”
“Your feedback is incredibly valuable to us as it allows us to improve our guest experience. We aim to provide the best to our guests. We hope you will get in touch with us in future as well and give us a chance to meet your expectations. Thankyou for choosing us, Best regards, (your name). :
Furnishing Issue:
“Dear (Guest Name), Thankyou for taking time out and leaving a review for our rental. We are truly sorry if our furnishing did not meet your expectations. We understand how crucial it is to provide an enjoyable and comfortable stay to our guests. We have noted the issue and we are currently working on better furnishing options.”
“We appreciate your feedback as it allows us to improve our guest experience. We aim to provide the best to our guests. We hope you will give us a chance in the future as well. Thankyou for choosing us, Best regards, (your name).”
Maintenance issues:
“Dear (Guest Name), Thank you for letting us know about this issue. We’re sorry for any inconvenience it may have caused during your stay. Guest comfort is very important to us, and we’ve already scheduled a repair to ensure this is addressed promptly.”
“We appreciate your feedback as it allows us to improve our guest experience. We aim to provide the best to our guests. We hope you will give us a chance in the future as well. Thankyou for choosing us, Best regards, (your name).”
How can DOSbnb help in review management?
Review management can be an absolute hassle. Along with managing the listings, guest needs and other concerns, handling reviews timely and professionally is no less than a tedious task. That’s where Dosbnb comes in, we specialize in Airbnb review management, improving not only the host reputation but also the guest engagement. Not everyone can come up with effectives responses that maintain that professional yet polite tone. Quick responses are what guests need, and we can automate replies instantly that suit their needs. Whether it’s a bad review or a good review, we can tackle all-types of responses ensuring guest satisfaction as well as the hosts.
