Why reviews matter

Reviews are essential to the Airbnb community, helping guests choose their travel plans wisely and enabling Hosts to open their homes with confidence.

Your hosting business is based on reviews. Each review helps guests decide whether to book with you—and Airbnb data suggests that a guest browsing a listing page is more likely to book the place if it has a higher star rating.*

In addition to writing a review, guests can rate their overall experience with one to five stars. Your overall star rating appears on your listing after three guests have posted reviews.

This is an important factor for guests evaluating whether to book your space, and for earning Superhost status. Superhosts must have an average overall rating of at least 4.8 stars over at least 10 trips or three reservations that total at least 100 nights.

Guests can also add a star rating in specific categories, and specify what went well or could have gone better. For example, if your place is super clean, a guest might choose five stars and select “squeaky-clean bathroom.” These category star ratings do not impact Superhost status or your overall rating.

The specific categories available to guests when they leave a review are:

• Check-in: A clear and simple check-in process sets the tone for a positive guest experience.
• Cleanliness: Guests will expect the clean and tidy space they found in your listing photos.
• Accuracy: Accurate listing details help travellers decide whether your space meets their needs.
• Communication: Proactively messaging with guests and responding promptly are critical to ensuring guests’ needs are met.
• Location: Guests can provide feedback on whether your location was accurately depicted in your listing.
• Value: Guests rate your space on their perception of whether your pricing was a fair reflection of your offering.

To encourage positive reviews, Hosts generally suggest communicating with guests regularly—at booking, throughout their stay, and at checkout. It’s easy to stay in touch by using Airbnb’s in-app messaging. If you turn on your notifications, you’ll be alerted whenever your guest sends you a message.

Sometimes, guest reviews can be negative. This can be frustrating, but it can also be an opportunity to make improvements to your place or the hospitality you provide. Guests can offer perspectives you might not have considered.

You always have the option to reply to reviews publicly on your listing. If you respond constructively, you can show that you take your guests’ feedback and satisfaction seriously.

Guests can provide private feedback via Airbnb, which will only be shared with you. This is a great opportunity—especially for new Hosts—to receive constructive input that doesn’t get posted publicly. You can also leave your guests a private note, which can enable you to leave more detailed, candid feedback.

Leaving a review for your guests is a chance to express your gratitude and provide helpful feedback. This also reminds guests to review you.

Here are some tips to remember when reviewing guests:

• Be honest and respectful
• Include specific examples whenever possible
• Address sensitive issues with kindness and courtesy, or save them for a private review

*Based on internal Airbnb data on active listings as of November 2022.

Information contained in this article may have changed since publication.