Reply to your guest reviews

Replying to the guest review, no matter if they are good or a bad, increases guest satisfaction and gives you a better ranking on the channel!

To reply to a guest review, click on a review in Smily to access the review detail from the tab "All Reviews from the Guests" or "Reply to your Guest Reviews".

At the bottom of the page, you'll see the space to answer.

When can I respond to a review?

Airbnb allows you to reply within 30 days after the review was submitted by the guest.

There is no deadline for Booking.com but the guest must have left a comment (not only a rating).
Note that the reply will not instantly appear on Booking.com, it will take some time for their internal moderation to approve the reply.

How should I respond to a review?

Here are some great recommendations from our partners

[Source Booking.com]

Responding to Positive Reviews:

1) Give unique responses

Guests appreciate personal responses. Show that you read their review and are grateful for their feedback by repeating something they mentioned in your response. This lets other guests know that you value feedback and encourages them to leave a good review too.

For example: "Thank you very much for taking the time to review our property. It's always heartwarming to hear that our cooking was appreciated.”

2) Highlight your property’s strengths

When a guest mentions something they appreciated about your property, you can highlight this for other guests by elaborating on it in your response.

For example: “I'm really glad that you liked our swimming pool. We recently renovated it and are happy to hear that our work paid off!”

Responding to Negative Reviews:

1) Don’t take it personally

Even the best properties have guests who will find something to complain about. Remember, vacations can be stressful, especially since they have a time limit. Usually your guests want everything to be just right.

2) Keep calm and stay polite

By being polite and courteous, you can turn a negative review into a positive display of your professionalism for your future guests, which can actually encourage people to book with you.

Objectivity over emotion

If guests misread or ignored important information (for example, related to renovations) mention that the information was shown on Booking.com at the time. That way, you can stay objective and acknowledge the inconvenience without taking the blame.

For example: “I'm really sorry that your stay was compromised by noise from the renovations. We're doing everything we can to minimize the inconvenience, and the dates of the renovations are listed on Booking.com.”

Keep it constructive

Criticism can be turned into something constructive. If a guest complains about something, acknowledge their disappointment and investigate to see if you can make improvements. Thank them for the feedback and mention if you're taking action.

For example: “We're sorry to hear that you were disappointed with the breakfast. We're currently looking into working with a local bakery to provide a better selection of fresh pastries daily.”

Acknowledgement, not blame

Guests writing a negative review often just want to be heard. To defuse their anger or frustration, acknowledge their negative experience. This doesn't mean that you're taking responsibility for upsetting them, but that you're listening to their complaint.

For example: “It's really unfortunate that you were disappointed by the size and general layout of the rooms at our property. Sorry that you weren't satisfied. We're a small, family-run Bed & Breakfast and can't always match the standards of a hotel. We sincerely hope you found accommodations which met your expectations on the rest of your trip.”