Do you reply to your reviews?

[Stephanie]

 Hey there Hosts,

When a guest writes a review about their stay, the host can always reply to it. Do you often reply to your guest’s review? If you do, do you have your own personal guidelines on how you reply?

What are your top tips?

Thanks,

Stephanie

[Gordon0]

Like many of the fellow posters on this thread, I don't respond/thank people for thanking me. As well as making my review page stand out for the wrong reasons IMO, I find some of the host responses a bit toe-curlingly awkward. But hey, we're all different. 

[Sandra126]

When I first joined I replied to reviews, because guests had taken the time to write these enormously detailed and flattering pieces, and I felt I needed to thank them for doing so. And then other guests wrote shorter reviews, and I still replied because it looked odd to ignore some and not others. And then I decided to reply to none at all, for a smoother uncluttered look in the review timeline. Now I will only respond if something is factually wrong, the last one I responded to was someone saying it would have been nice to have tea, and I replied that it was a shame she missed the tea cupboard which is full of various teas. That's enough.

[Susie111]

I personally find it interesting @Stephanie , because when you read the host reply to the guests review you get a strong feeling of who the host are and what hosting style they have.

And I always would choose to stay with a polite and friendly host then some who does not know how to

be diplomatic and lash out in a why that makes you "cringe".

And as @Sandra126 said you need to respond in a dipomatic way when the guest show ignorance or are totally wrong about something.

I personally take time to respond to reviws because it shows hopefully to potential guests who you are as a host and hopefully that gives you bookings in the future.

[Jennifer1421]

As with many hosts, I don't reply to my reviews generally. Once, I had to clarify that we provide "Bubly Sparkling Water" (it's a brand), and not champagne as the guest had simply said we provided "bubbly". Certainly didn't want that expectation set 🙂

[Stephanie]

Haha! The costs would be astronimical if you dished out champagne to every guest! It's still ever so sweet to offer this drink too, in lou of the pricey, alchoholic stuff...

Thanks

[Thomas1033]

I o I have only responded to one review to correct the fact that we do indeed have a washing machine and it is listed on our amenities.  Other than that all reviews have been positive and I privately thank guests who have left our place clean and let them know they are welcome back.  I agree with the “syrupy” review responses statement.  I see that on a listing local to me and it’s always the same weird response by the host.  I don’t want to mention what it is hahaha.  

[Patricia55]

@Thomas1033 

Couldn't agree more 🙂

[Linda108]

As hosts we have different styles of communication that suit ourselves and who we believe are our guests.  I wonder what guests have to say about the role reviews and responses have in their decision making.  I have been a guest and like when I see a response but I have not been a guest all that often.

[Kath9]

@Stephanie, there are some interesting responses here! I do reply to all my reviews because, like @Robin and @Helen, it just feels like a nice bit of closure and I like to thank my guests for their kind words. And, not that I started doing it for this reason, but I really like what @Susie111s said about it giving people an idea of the host - I think if I were a guest, it would appeal to me that the host has taken the time and effort to thank their guests publicly. The other reason I do it is because if I ever have to leave a response to a negative review, it won't stand it and make it look like the only reviews I respond to are the negative ones. However, having said all that, I do appreciate what other hosts have said here and understand their rationale for not leaving responses.

[Keith26]

I also think that if I were a guest, I'd appreciate the host taking their time and effort to thank me publicly.

It says a lot about the host...and as a host I respond to every single review with at least a small thank you.

For me it brings things to a satisfying conclusion.

[J-Renato0]

I go with @Kath9 @Helen and @Robin regardign the motives to answer the reveiws.

Moreover, it can reinforce that the host is attentive and communicative, that we, the hosts pay attention on what the guests say ! We care for the feedback, being it good or bad.

[Paul1255]

Hi @Stephanie I always respond to reviews! I think it's a good way of getting your hosting personaility across to future guests.

I always make sure my reply is 50% less text the original review, I might thanks the guest or summarise a positive point which I feel strengthens the review.

Plus if I got a negative review my response would stand out far far less, as all my reviews have a response (If I have gotten round to writing them!)

Paul 🙂

[Helen427]

@Stephanie @J-Renato0 @J-Renato0 @Kath9 @Suzanne302 
Yes I do reply to reviews, regardless iof a positive or negative experience because I think it's a courteous thing to do.

It's also one way of informing people of what may or may not need to be addressed that other Airbnb Hosts may or may not need to be aware of.

All the Best

Kind Regards

Central To All Home & Location

[Kathy608]

@Stephanie 

I don't reply. But have had a situation where the review was very unfavorable and unfortunately it was the first time we were not here. It left me very disappointed and also angry as I think the guest played on this.  As if I had been here would have been a different story.  We have several rooms and it can be very annoying when guest dont read the descriptions properly 

[Pam323]

As a traveler I do like to see what the host says in reply.  Let’s me see their personality a little.  So as a host I do put a short reply.