Before you reply
Give yourself time to calm down. A defensive reply looks worse than the review. Read it again and pick out what's fair, even if most of it isn't.
Five steps to a good reply
- Thank them for staying. Keep it short and genuine.
- Acknowledge the specific problem. Name it, so future guests can see you listened.
- Explain briefly, without blaming. One sentence of context is enough.
- Say what you've changed. This is the part future guests care about most.
- Keep it private where it should be. Never share the guest's personal details, house rule breaches in detail or anything about refunds.
Example
Review: "The flat was nice but it was freezing and nobody answered when we asked about the heating."
Thank you for staying with us, and I'm sorry the flat was cold on your first evening. The heating is on a timer that was set incorrectly after a recent service. It's now fixed, and we've added simple heating instructions to the welcome guide and check-in message. We've also extended our messaging hours so guests get a reply quickly. We hope to welcome you back.
What not to do
- Argue point by point or call the guest unreasonable.
- Write a long reply. Three to five sentences is plenty.
- Copy and paste the same reply on every review.
If a review breaks the rules
If a review contains things like abusive language or details unrelated to the stay, check Airbnb's review policy in your account and contact Airbnb support. Reply calmly in the meantime, if you reply at all.
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Zay&Co writes and sends these messages for hosts every day, in your voice.