How to Reply to Hotel, B&B and Vacation Rental Reviews (With Examples)

When someone is choosing where to stay, they often read the reviews and then read how the owner or host answered them. A calm, specific reply can reassure a future guest more than the review itself. This guide covers small hotels, inns, B&Bs and short-term rental hosts, with examples you can adapt to your own voice.

The basic shape of a good guest reply

Most good replies follow the same four steps:

Thank the guest by name and mention one real detail from their stay.
Acknowledge the complaint in plain words, without making excuses.
Say what you did or will do about it, if anything changed.
Invite them to contact you privately for anything that needs details, like bookings, charges or deposits.

Keep it short. Three to five sentences is enough for most reviews. A long defense reads as defensive, even when you're right.

Replying to positive reviews

Pick out the detail the guest loved and reflect it back. It shows you read the review and it helps the next guest picture the stay.

"Thank you, Marisol! We're so glad the porch at sunrise was the highlight. The coffee will be ready again whenever you're back."
"Thanks for staying with us, Dev. Happy the early check-in made your conference week easier."
"We really appreciate this, Hannah. Ruth will be thrilled you loved her blueberry scones."

Vary your wording from reply to reply. A page full of identical "Thanks for staying!" replies looks automated.

Replying to cleanliness complaints

Cleanliness is one of the most damaging complaints in hospitality, so don't ignore it and don't argue. Acknowledge it, say what you checked or changed, and move the rest offline.

"Hi Jordan, thank you for telling us about the bathroom. That isn't the standard we hold ourselves to, and I'm sorry it wasn't right when you arrived. We've gone over that room with our cleaning team and added it to our check before every arrival. If you'd like to talk it through, please reach out to us directly."

Avoid blaming a named housekeeper in public. Handle staff matters privately.

Replying to noise complaints

Noise is often outside your control (a street, a neighbor, a wedding next door), but the guest still had a bad night. Show empathy and give future guests useful information.

"Hi Sam, I'm sorry the street noise kept you up on Friday. The front rooms do get more weekend traffic, so we've added that to the room description, and we're happy to place light sleepers in the quieter garden rooms if they mention it when booking."

That last sentence quietly helps the next reader choose the right room.

Replying to check-in or access problems

Late arrivals, missing codes and lockbox trouble make for frustrated reviews. Own your part and explain any fix.

"Hi Priya, I'm really sorry you had trouble getting in after your late flight. That shouldn't happen. We've updated our arrival instructions and now send the door code again on the morning of arrival. Thanks for your patience that night."

If the guest made a mistake (for example, they missed a message), don't point that out publicly. You can gently clarify the process for future guests instead: "For anyone arriving late, the code is sent by text and email the day before."

Replying to "it didn't look like the photos"

This complaint hurts trust, so answer it seriously.

If the listing really was out of date, say so and update it: "You're right that the photos showed the old furniture. We've replaced them with current photos. Thank you for pointing it out."
If you believe the listing is accurate, stay calm and factual: "I'm sorry the space felt smaller than you expected. The listing shows the room as 220 square feet with one queen bed, and we've added a floor plan to make that clearer."

Never call the guest dishonest, even if you disagree.

Replying to complaints about fees, deposits or charges

Keep money details private. In public, acknowledge the frustration and invite a direct conversation.

"Hi Chris, I understand the cleaning fee was a surprise, and I'm sorry it felt that way. Please message us directly and we'll go over the charges with you."

Don't post amounts, booking numbers, damage details or anything personal in a public reply. And never offer a refund or discount in exchange for changing or removing a review.

Replying to mixed reviews

A three- or four-star review usually has both praise and a complaint. Thank them for the good part first, then address the issue briefly.

"Thanks, Elena! So glad you enjoyed the breakfast and the walk to the lake. You're right that the Wi-Fi was spotty in the upstairs rooms. We've added a second router and it's much better now."

For more on this, see how to reply to three-star reviews.

What to avoid

Arguing about details in public. Even if the guest got a fact wrong, a long correction looks defensive. State the fact once, calmly.
Sharing guest information. No room numbers, dates, booking details, or what they did during the stay.
Asking for a review to be changed or removed. Fix the problem and let the guest decide.
Copy-paste replies. Guests notice. See what not to say in review replies.

A quick checklist before you post

Did you use their name and mention one real detail?
Did you acknowledge the complaint without excuses?
Did you mention a fix, if you made one?
Did you keep fees, deposits and personal details out of the public reply?
Would a future guest feel more comfortable booking after reading it?

If you've got a pile of unanswered guest reviews and a full house to run, that's what we do: we write replies in your voice that you can copy and paste. For more examples, see how to reply to positive reviews and how fast you should reply to reviews.