Airbnb Review Management

How To Respond to a Guest Review on Airbnb

STR Assistance Team

December 17, 2024

According to TrustYou, 80% of travelers believe a host’s response to reviews enhances their trustworthiness. Airbnb’s research also shows that hosts who reply to reviews often see more bookings. These statements show you must respond to your Airbnb guest. But how do you do it?

Airbnb’s algorithm favor hosts who stay active with guests.

First thing first stay polite and keep the warm for any type of guest review whether negative or positive. There can be other situations where guest become irrelevant with their complain, or some may overpraise you. You need to respond all of these with professionalism.

Lets talk today how you can respond to your Airbnb guest review, that will gradually increase the likelihood of more bookings and positive reviews.

If you can not manage review of your own, we have the solution with STR Assistance. At the end we will show you how.

Why Quickly Responding To Airbnb Guest Reviews Are Important?

Airbnb has always been a platform that prioritizes reviews more. This OTA platform focuses more on the quality of guest stays and wants to build a community of trust. Responding quickly means you are reliable and professional.

Reviews help attract new guests, build trust with first-time visitors, and improve your reputation. Replying quickly to Airbnb reviews also makes your listing more visible and can improve your ranking in search results. Hosts who stay active and consistent have a better chance of getting on Airbnb’s top-rated list.

There are some solid statistics on why responding to Airbnb guests can impact list ranking and more bookings,

Listings that respond to reviews get 5.6% more reviews on average.
Properties that reply to reviews are 22% more likely to receive bookings.
74% of guests expect a response to their review within 24 hours.
Hosts who reply to 30% or more of reviews can see up to a 12% increase in overall ratings.
Responding to reviews can lead to more detailed and constructive feedback from guests.
52% of guests feel more valued when a host replies to their review.

Airbnb says that if you take more than 24 hours to reply, it’s considered a late response. This can lower your response rate and increase your response time. Your response rate is important because it can affect where your listing appears in search results.

Airbnb describes “response rate” as the percentage of new inquiries or booking requests you reply to within 24 hours over the past 30 days, whether you accept, decline, or pre-approve them.

So, whether you are a property owner, a host, or thinking of starting a new rental business, get to this point straight: that quick response to your guest is the top priority. Only then can you prove yourself as authentic to Airbnb and always have the calendar filled with potential guests.

How To Respond To A Guest Review On Airbnb Different Situations

Reviews do not always have to be positive; there are negative reviews, too, and some stay neutral. You need to know how to respond perfectly based on the situation because it is your step toward better credibility, solving negative reviews, and converting them into more positive ones.

Here are some common situations we are highlighting that hosts or property owners face with the solution of how you should respond.

How To Respond To Positive Reviews

When your guest leaves with a happy face and are satisfied with their stay, they give positive reviews. This makes it more important to show gratitude and make them feel valued. They are sparing their valuable time to praise your hospitality, so take time to respond to them with a warm message.

Mention their name to make it sound personalized.
Always thank your guest for their feedback and for choosing your place.
Mention something specific they appreciated to show you’ve read and valued their review.
Invite them back and make them feel welcome.
Be friendly, and keep the tone warm, inviting, and professional.
Keep it thoughtful because a simple, sincere response goes a long way.

For example, The guest praised your service with some nice words. In response you can answer like this,

“Thank you so much for your nice words! We’re so happy you enjoyed your stay and liked the place. It was great having you as guests, and we really appreciate your review. We’d love to host you again, feel free to reach out anytime!”

How To Respond To Neutral Reviews

Neutral reviews on Airbnb are feedback from guests who had an overall okay or average experience, neither exceptionally good nor bad. These reviews don’t have the strong praise of positive reviews or the criticism of negative reviews. Rather, it reflects a middle ground where the guests’ expectations were met but not exceeded.

For example, Some may praise about your apartment but is not satisfied with the WiFi.

“The apartment was okay. It was clean and in a decent location. However, the Wi-Fi was a bit slow, and the check-in process could have been smoother.”

Follow these tips,

When responding to neutral reviews, stay positive and show that you’re open to feedback.
Also, appreciate the guest taking the time to leave a review.
If they mention an issue, acknowledge it. Also, mention any steps you’re taking to improve those areas.
Invite the guest to return and ensure there will be no such complaints in the future. The guest will understand that you value their feedback and want to provide a better experience next time.

How To Respond To Negative Reviews

Negative reviews on Airbnb are feedback from guests who had a poor experience during their stay. These reviews may highlight specific issues, such as any discomfort or dissatisfaction. There can be several issues, such as cleanliness problems, maintenance issues, or poor communication.

Here are some tricks,

Stay calm and professional. There is no need to take it personally. Respond respectfully and avoid getting defensive.
Acknowledge the guest’s concerns and express empathy.
You can offer a sincere apology without making excuses.
Also, explain any actions you’re taking to resolve the issue.
A solution-oriented approach is more effective and gives you quick results. So, focus on what’s being done to improve.
Try to show you’re committed to improving their experience and invite them back.
Be concise and respectful in your reply.

For example, Maybe your guest was not satisfied with cleaning service. Try to answer the review like this,

“Thank you for your feedback, and I’m sorry to hear that your experience wasn’t as expected. I take cleanliness and communication seriously, and I’ll make sure to address these issues right away. I apologize for the delay in responding and will work on being quicker next time. I hope you’ll give us another chance in the future."

It’s important to remember that Airbnb hosts can’t remove or delete negative guest reviews. Rather, you need to handle it with professionalism. If you find the review irrelevant or violates Airbnb review policy, or there is prohibited content, you can directly report it to the Airbnb support team.

When The Guest Complained About Something That Wasn't Your Fault

Even if the issue wasn’t your fault, show that you understand their frustration. This helps maintain a positive and respectful tone.
Let them know you’re taking steps to prevent similar issues in the future. An alternative solution is also fruitful if applicable.
Since you are the host or the property is yours, you can not lose your temper, which will definitely impact your business. So keep the tone polite and professional, even if the guest’s complaint wasn’t entirely justified.

Even if the issue wasn’t your fault, show that you understand their frustration. This helps maintain a positive and respectful tone.
Let them know you’re taking steps to prevent similar issues in the future. An alternative solution is also fruitful if applicable.
Since you are the host or the property is yours, you can not lose your temper, which will definitely impact your business. So keep the tone polite and professional, even if the guest’s complaint wasn’t entirely justified.

How To Deal With Fake Or Biased Reviews

Dealing with fake or biased reviews on Airbnb is frustrating. But there are many ways you can handle it.

First, always read reviews carefully. There may be overly positive or negative reviews that seem too extreme or inconsistent. If you suspect a review is fake or biased, report it to the Airbnb support team. They take these issues seriously and can investigate further.

Another tip can be to focus on recent reviews, as they tend to be more relevant and accurate. Lastly, if you’re a host, respond professionally to reviews (whether positive or negative). This shows you’re engaged and care about your guests’ experiences and helps maintain trust.

For example,

“A review that says, “I loved everything, the host was perfect,” but doesn’t explain what made it great could be biased. Real reviews usually mention specifics, like "The host gave us great local tips" or "The place was clean and well-located."

When The Guest Complained About An Issue That Has Already Been Resolved

It can happen that the guest does not notice that the issue they are complaining about has already been resolved. Or they may forget simply. On your behalf, it’s your duty to let them know about the solution again. With a warm tone, politely explain that the problem has been taken care of, so it won’t happen again.

How To Manage Lengthy Guest Reviews With Multiple Points

Many Airbnb guests take the time to comment and highlight multiple points. It can be positive when he mentions many points to praise your hospitality. Or a negative or neutral one, and show many points where the guest did not feel good.

The best is you breakdown the review and try to solve each problem part by part. But do not be very descriptive; instead, talk to the point, so the guest can understand you are concern and work on it immediately.

Here is a step-by-step tip you can follow,

Break Down the Review into Key Points
A Thoughtful Response
Acknowledge Multiple Points One by One
Focus on Solutions
Stay Professional Even When Reviews Are Difficult
Consider Private Messages for Sensitive Matters
Follow Up After the Response

How To Politely Ask For Reviews From Your Airbnb Guests

The core secret of review management is that you respond by being very polite and respectful, with a light tone, even when you are asking for reviews from Airbnb guests. At the same time, you need to understand that not everyone may feel inclined to leave a review.

If the guest does not know how to give reviews on Airbnb, you can offer guidance. Show the process of how to leave a review. Again, do not force positive reviews. Ask for genuine reviews of what the guest actually experienced.

For example,

“I hope you had a wonderful stay! It was a pleasure hosting you. If you have a moment, I’d really appreciate it if you could leave a review about your experience. Your feedback helps me improve and also helps future guests make informed decisions.” You can finish by expressing your gratitude again, such as, "Thanks again for staying with us, and we’d love to host you again in the future!"

You can ask for a review by sending emails, which is also an effective way of 32%. Or text message, phone or automate a chatbot other way you can go for which is comfortable for you.

When Not To Respond

Airbnb always encourages hosts to respond to reviews no matter what type of it is. However, there can be some situations where someone is trying to defame you or break the Airbnb policy. In these situations, it is better you do not respond.

There are some more other situations where you better stay quiet.

When the Review Is Clearly Vindictive or Unjustified
When the Review Is Extremely Negative but Unfair
When the Review Is Too Generic or Doesn’t Provide Actionable Feedback
When You Have Already Addressed the Issue in a Previous Response
When It’s Too Close to Another Response
When It’s a Minor Issue That Doesn’t Require a Detailed Response
When You’re in the Process of Disputing the Review with Airbnb
When It Could Harm Your Brand or Reputation
When the Review Doesn’t Include Specific Points or Information You Can Address

How To Craft The Perfect Response To Reviews

The first rule of answering a good response of review is staying polite and respectful. No matter whether the guest gives a fake or negative review, when you stay calm, another guest will be more impressed by you and get you more Guest Favorite badges.

Try to be very specific on the point instead of using long review answers. You can directly mention details to show you paid attention to the guest’s query and appreciate their feedback.

Another trick is to avoid using generic phrases like “Thanks for your review” rather than personalize it!

Something to resolve negative reviews hosts become over-apologize or try to make excuses. This can worsen the situation and show you as unprofessional in front of Airbnb. So, it’s better that you just accept your mistake and promise to solve it as soon as possible.

Lastly, always double-check your review answer for grammar and spelling. This is a very simple yet very ignored fact that many do when replying to reviews. A well-written response shows you care and are professional. Even a small mistake can leave a bad impression.

How Does STR Assistance Help You To Manage Airbnb Review Management?

Review management takes time, effort, and, most importantly, a lot of patience because you can not react badly to any of your guest reviews. Also, there are tricks to use to calm your angry guest or when someone tries to defame you. With tons of other rental management tasks, do you have time for smooth review management? We know you don’t, and hence STR Assistance comes to help you with Airbnb review management to make each of your guests satisfied and happy.

Our top priority is your priority, which is your guest, and with our experience in handling every type of Airbnb guest review, we know exactly how to tackle them. Whether you have one listing property or multiple, our short-term rental virtual assistants handle each of the reviews you get and apply strategies to get more positive reviews.

Want more help with your property management tasks that are drawing you into the vast ocean of workload? Again, STR Assistance is dedicated here to help you with any of your Airbnb management tasks. Contact us today.