How to Manage Guest Reviews

If you manage short-term rentals, you’ve probably been there: the dreaded notification that a new review just dropped. You hesitate to click. Your brain spirals. What if it’s bad? What if you missed something? What if it tanks your rating?

This emotional cycle is what we call review anxiety, and it’s common. But here's the truth: it’s not the review that defines your business. It’s how you manage what leads to reviews that matters.

In this post, we’ll show you a smarter, more proactive way to handle guest reviews, so you can protect your reputation and your sanity.

The New Playbook: How to Be Proactive About Reviews

1. Ask During the Stay

Most bad reviews come from problems that weren’t caught in time. One message can change that.

Send a simple check-in message the day after arrival:

“Hi there! Just checking in, how’s everything going so far? If anything’s not quite right, let us know and we’ll take care of it right away.”

Why this works:

• You show the guest that you care

• You give them a safe, low-pressure window to raise concerns

• You get a chance to resolve problems before they become public

This one step often diffuses frustration and builds trust.

2. Make Fixing Issues Frictionless

Every host faces maintenance issues, miscommunications, or occasional guest confusion. The key isn’t to avoid problems, it’s to handle them quickly and professionally.

Here’s what that looks like:

• Set up a clear issue resolution process

  • Who handles guest concerns?

  • What’s your average response time?

  • What’s your refund/compensation policy?

• Empower your team (or yourself) to act fast

• Document and track issues to avoid repeats

• Follow up after resolution to confirm satisfaction

  
  

Remember: guests don’t expect perfection, they expect accountability.

3. Follow Up Before They Leave

Don’t wait for the review to surface on Airbnb or Google.

Send a checkout message that opens the door for honest, private feedback:

“Thanks again for staying with us! If there’s anything we could’ve done better, we’d love your feedback. We’re always improving and want future guests to have a great time too.”

This gives guests another opportunity to speak directly to you rather than airing grievances online.

Bonus: It shows maturity and professionalism, two qualities guests love.

Why This Review Strategy Works

1. You Catch Issues Early

The earlier you learn about a problem, the more time you have to fix it, reduce damage, and improve operations.

2. You Lower Public Risk

Most guests will choose private communication over public criticism, if you make it easy.

3. You Improve With Every Stay

Reviews aren’t just grades. They’re data. Use them to:

• Upgrade your onboarding process

• Spot recurring issues with cleaning or check-in

• Refine your communication tone and timing

4. You Protect Your Brand and Revenue

Listings with poor reviews drop in search results, lose bookings, and erode trust. But when you actively manage feedback, you create a feedback loop that fuels growth, not anxiety.

FAQs

Should I respond to every review?

Yes, especially the negative ones. Keep responses polite, professional, and focused on what you did (or will do) to improve.

What if a guest leaves an unfair review?

Use the platform’s review dispute system, but keep expectations realistic. Instead, focus on building a volume of positive, verified experiences.

Do guests expect perfection?

No, but they do expect clarity, honesty, and effort. How you respond matters more than what went wrong.

Conclusion

You don’t have to dread every review. With the right systems in place, you can handle guest feedback confidently, fix issues quickly, and turn even bad reviews into future wins.

So the next time that review notification lands?