How to Create and Automate Airbnb Host Reviews [+ 12 Templates]

Let’s be honest, with the millions of things vacation rental hosts have to worry about in a day, Airbnb host reviews are not very high on the priority list. Though it may seem inconsequential, taking the time to write host reviews could have indirect benefits for your vacation rental business that you may not even be aware of.

Once you get into the rhythm of creating host reviews, it becomes easy to incorporate into the running of your vacation rental. This is especially true if you choose to automate the process with superior all-in-one vacation rental management software like iGMS, an Airbnb Preferred Software Partner.

Read on to find out more about Airbnb host reviews and how to create and automate them.

Airbnb Host Review vs. Airbnb Guest Review

Like a double-edged sword, Airbnb has a two-way review system where guests are able to review hosts and their properties via Airbnb guest reviews. Hosts are then able to review guests in return. 

After each stay, Airbnb hosts and guests have 14 days to review one another. These reviews stay hidden until both hosts and guests have written their reviews. Once both parties have submitted their reviews, Airbnb will publish them on the guest’s profile, the host’s profile, and the host’s listing as well.  

The Unspoken Benefits of Airbnb Host Reviews

While it is not mandatory to write a review after each guest’s stay, including it in the management routine of your vacation rental is good practice and could give your listings a competitive edge.

Here are some of the benefits of leaving regular host reviews: 

1. Increases engagement with guests on Airbnb

Creating Airbnb reviews is another way to interact with your listing and attract travelers to your property. Airbnb creates these opportunities specifically for you to take advantage of them, and participating is a great way to benefit your listing.

Guests who have stayed at your Airbnb will only be too happy to read good reviews about themselves, and this impression may linger long enough to revisit your property once again in the future. 

2. Builds trust

The more you engage with your listing and your guests on Airbnb, the more travelers will trust you. 

Potential Airbnb guests will be able to see that you care enough to review each guest after their stay. They will translate that to how much you care about every aspect of their experience at your property, making them more inclined to make a reservation. 

3. Benefits the Airbnb algorithm to rank listings higher

Any increase in engagement on your listing through opportunities like reviews registers positively with the Airbnb algorithm. 

This is an advantage to hosts because it means that Airbnb will be more likely to rank those listings higher and, therefore, increase the number of bookings you are able to attract. It also won’t hurt on your journey to Superhost status.

4. Helps the hosting community avoid problem-causing guests 

Leaving honest reviews about Airbnb guests helps support your fellow hosts in the community. 

Since all reviews are public, fellow hosts are able to see if a guest has been collecting multiple negative reviews and may decide not to accept their reservation. 

This is especially helpful for hosts to avoid particularly unsavory guests who are known to damage property, break house rules, or throw parties.

In the same way, you will also be able to benefit from the feedback given by other hosts when deciding if you would like to accept a guest’s reservation or not. 

5. Guests are more likely to leave a review in return

The more reviews you leave about your guests, the more likely they will be encouraged to do the same — and this is great for your listing. As a major deciding factor for bookings, listings thrive on glowing Airbnb guest reviews. Therefore, the more you have on your listing, the better. 

How Do Airbnb Reviews Work?

With the two-way Airbnb review system, both host and guest are able to express their feedback. Host and guest reviews are also released publicly at the same time. 

The reviews also cannot be edited afterward. This means that Airbnb hosts and guests are free to be as honest as possible without fear that the other person may change their review after reading yours. However, both parties do have the option to comment on a review in response if they want to.

How to Leave a Review on Airbnb? 

Creating a review is quite simple and intuitive, and enables you to leave as detailed of a review as you would like to.

1. Leave a star rating

Rate your guests on a system of 1 to 5 stars on the basis of:

• Cleanliness – how clean and tidy they left your property.
• Communication – how well did they communicate all important information with you.
• Observance of house rules – how well they followed the house rules you set out.

2. Leave a written review

The written section is where you can write a review specific to each guest and further express your opinion. This part will be made public and should be well thought out and engaging. It is also a good idea to state whether you would recommend guests to a fellow host so that they can be put at ease when accepting a booking. 

3. Add an optional private note

This is private feedback that gets sent straight to your guests. It will not be published anywhere public. Here you could send a personal thank you to your guests for choosing to stay at your Airbnb, or send them constructive feedback.

4. Fill in the ‘Would you host the guest again?” section

This is a simple yes/no response that sums up your review. This section is not published anywhere and guests also do not receive it.

To read past reviews you’ve written or received, select the Reviews option on Airbnb. You’ll also be able to find any private feedback that guests may have left for you there.

How to Write a Great Airbnb Host Review [5 Key Rules to Crack It]

There are many different approaches you can take for writing a great review about your guests. In the end, they all come down to these five rules:

1. Be specific

Writing a vague review, with no specific details, comes across as impersonal. This could have the opposite effect that a review is meant to have.

It could give the impression that you don’t care about the review or the guest, thus wasting an opportunity to praise and engage with your guests.

Pointing out specific things you liked and disliked about a guest is not only beneficial to you, but it is also helpful to those reading it.

2. Be respectful

Sometimes, you may be put in a situation where the review you write about a guest has negative points. This is where you have to strike a balance between honesty and sounding ungrateful or mean.

Be sure to choose your words carefully so that you are being honest, while still respecting the individual you are writing about. Remember, the review will be public and available for anyone to read. It is, therefore, a reflection on you as a host as well.

3. Praise the positives 

Wherever possible, bring more attention and enthusiasm to the positive aspects of the guests. People naturally respond kindly to words of praise. Acknowledging the positive things you noticed in your guests goes a long way in leaving a lasting impression.

If they were polite to your neighbors, left the place exceptionally clean and tidy, or were simply an all-around pleasure to host, pointing out these characteristics will elevate your review. 

Be sure to mention which guests are highly recommended to fellow hosts and are welcome back to your Airbnb in the future too. 

4. Keep it short and simple

There is no need to write long essays about each guest unless you have a lot to say or a specific story to tell. Those reading your reviews will appreciate you keeping what you have to say concise, while still getting your point across. 

5. Add a personal touch 

Make sure you use the specific guest name (spelled correctly) in each review. Also, mention something that stood out to you about the guest.

Noticing and pointing out personal things about each guest will make them feel special and appreciated. 

How to Navigate a Bad Review

It is not always easy to strike a balance between honesty and coming across as rude or ungracious when writing negative reviews. However, because the review reflects on your listing too, it is important to find this balance.

When writing a negative review, try to be as fair as possible. Consider things from your guest’s point of view too, while expressing your own opinion.

It’s a good idea to avoid speaking out of anger or frustration, as this is often the time we tend to write something we may regret later. If you feel your emotions are heightened, it is better to step away from the review and come back to it at a later stage. 

Remember, the review is public, so other guests and hosts will be able to see what you say too.

Airbnb Host Review Templates

Here are a few review examples that you can use to provide feedback on your guests and save time in the process. Feel free to modify any review template to suit your needs.

Positive review examples:

Airbnb review example 1

[Guest name] was such a great guest and a pleasure to host!

They were respectful to our neighbors and our property, leaving our place spotless at the end of their stay.

All communication with [Guest name] was also a joy. There was no need to follow up on any outstanding information or payment.

We would be absolutely thrilled to host [Guest name] again in the future.

Airbnb review example 2

[Guest name] is any host’s dream guest! From beginning to end, they were polite, respectful, and [genuinely lovely people / a genuinely lovely person]. 

They are welcome back any time, and we hope they are able to visit again soon.

Airbnb review example 3

Communication was exceptionally easy with [Guest name]. They were clear from the beginning with their questions, needs, and expectations, which made it extra easy for us to accommodate them.

Ten out of ten would host again! We would highly recommend [Guest name] to other hosts too.

Airbnb review example 4 

[Guest name] was a five-star guest and a pleasure to host. 

During their stay, a [plate/glass/vase] broke, but they notified us immediately and let us know that we should charge their credit card to replace what was broken. 

Accidents are a part of life, and we know they are inevitable, but we appreciated their honesty in the situation.

We definitely would welcome them back to our [house/apartment].

Airbnb review example 5

Their stay was short, but [Guest name] was nevertheless a joy to host for the time they were here. Very polite, caused no problems, and left the place in a very clean and tidy state.

They are welcome back any time, and we hope they book another visit soon. Highly recommended to other hosts!

Airbnb review example 6

I would recommend [Guest name] to any host. Their booking was last minute, but they were very easygoing and pleasant to interact with.

[Guest name], we hope to see you again soon! 

Negative review examples

Airbnb review example 7

What was otherwise a pleasant experience hosting [Guest name] was, unfortunately, let down by them smoking in a non-smoking house. We communicated this house rule clearly in our welcome letter and guest manual, however, our cleaner still walked in to find the house smelling of smoke and cigarette butts hidden in the garden. 

Hosts who value keeping their property smoke-free may need to be wary when accepting [Guest name]’s bookings. 

Airbnb review example 8

While we do not mind cleaning up some dirty dishes after a guest’s stay, we were particularly disappointed with the state in which [Guest name] left our kitchen. There were pots and pans that had burnt food stuck to the bottom of them. There was also discarded food that was left on countertops and the floor, and even food splatters on some walls. Other rooms were left messy too.

At the end of the day, while we love hosting our guests, this is still our home and we put a lot of care into keeping it in a beautiful state. 

Unfortunately, we would not recommend this guest to other hosts.

Airbnb review example 9

Unfortunately, [Guest name] proved to be a difficult guest before and during their stay.

We struggled to communicate with them beforehand and could not confirm their check-in time. Because of this, it was difficult to prepare for their visit.

During their stay, they kept asking for information that was clearly marked out in the guest welcome book and complained when we were not able to accommodate their last-minute special requests. 

We do not highly recommend them to other hosts, which is why we had to give such a low star rating.

Airbnb review example 10

[Guest name] was pleasant to interact with, and we had no problems with any communication or arrangements. 

Our neighbors, however, complained about noise and loud music during quiet hours late at night on more than one occasion, which was disappointing to hear.  

We recommend other hosts be cautious if they are located in an area that observes strict quiet hours and has neighbors that are inconvenienced by noise at night. 

Airbnb review example 11

It was disappointing to see that [Guest name] disobeyed a number of our house rules, including having a birthday party at our place and inviting in unverified guests. 

We set our house rules to avoid risks to safety and damage. This party caused a safety risk to the people on our property and also resulted in a few broken items in the living room and dining room. 

We try to be as accommodating to our guests as possible, especially on special occasions like birthdays. However, [Guest name] chose not to disclose this information before their stay, which was unfortunate.

We would not recommend this guest to other hosts and will not accept their bookings in the future.

Airbnb review example 12

We consider our home to be a family-friendly getaway. Unfortunately, we feel [Guest name] and their family used this as a means to take advantage of us. Our place was left in an extremely untidy state, with our bed linens, towels, and some other possessions strewn across the floor. We also found children’s drawings on our walls and quite a few broken glasses in the trash.
Since their stay, we have not been able to reach [Guest name] for any sort of communication or apology. We will be charging the cost of the damage to their credit card.

Fellow hosts, please be cautious when accepting their future bookings. 

How to Automate Your Airbnb Host Reviews

You now know how to write a review with the best of them and have an arsenal of Airbnb host review templates to put to good use. The next step is to save you tons of time by automating the entire review process. To achieve this, you’ll need guest automation software, like iGMS.

As an Airbnb Preferred Partner, iGMS offers a variety of robust vacation rental automation tools, including review management tools. By using our software you will be able to not only automate your host reviews but also your Airbnb guest reviews management as well. 

Automating reviews will increase how many you are able to publish, and will generate up to 90% more reviews in return.

With the iGMS review automation feature, you will be able to build templates for reviews using predefined elements. Our tools also have the ability to:

• Publish the reviews directly from our software, without you having to log in to Airbnb
• Remind you about how many days you have left to leave a review
• Notify you when a guest has written a review for you.

In addition to automating the review process, you can take your property management to a new level, as iGMS enables you to:

• Manage multiple accounts and listings on the top vacation rental platforms from a single interface
• Synchronize reservations across multiple platforms to eliminate the risk of getting a double-booking
• Use automated triggered messaging and a unified inbox to organize your messages into a single feed and ensure prompt replies
• Streamline your guest communication with PROtrack, a unique add-on functionality for the guest support team productivity tracking
• Receive payouts and create invoices by connecting your Stripe account to iGMS
• Manage direct bookings using a direct booking management toolkit.
• Create essential reports within minutes and track key metrics with our Dashboard feature
• Adjust your pricing in a smart way through integrations with PriceLabs, DPGO, and Wheelhouse.

 

About the Author

Callan Riddles is the Content and Social Media Specialist at iGMS. Callan has a passion for finding new ways to help vacation rental businesses thrive. In her free time, she loves to travel, read, and experience all the new things that life has to offer.