Review Response Templates & Best Practices: A Practical Guide

You know you need to respond to guest reviews - but how exactly should you craft those messages? Let's dive into some real-world examples and best practices that you can start using today.

Review response templates and best practices guide

The 24-Hour Rule

Here's a startling fact: only 29% of managers respond to reviews within 72 hours. Want to stand out? Make it your goal to respond within 24 hours. Think of it like a guest texting you about a maintenance issue - the faster you respond, the more they (and future guests) will trust you.

Response Templates That Work

For Those Glowing 5-Star Reviews:

The Review: "What an amazing weekend getaway! The beach house was perfect - the views were even better than the pictures, and the kitchen had everything we needed. Sarah was so responsive with local recommendations. We'll definitely be back!"

Your Response: Hi [guest name],

Reading about your family weekend at [property name] brought a smile to our faces! We especially appreciate you highlighting the kitchen amenities - we recently upgraded all our cooking equipment to ensure our guests can enjoy home-cooked meals.

We'll make sure to pass your kind words along to Sarah, and we'd love to welcome you back anytime!

Why This Works:

When Things Aren't Perfect (4-Star Review):

The Review: "Good stay overall. House was clean and comfortable, great location. Only issue was spotty WiFi upstairs. Would still recommend it!"

Your Response: Hi [guest name],

Thank you for your thoughtful review. We're glad you enjoyed the location and comfort of the house. About the WiFi - we've scheduled an upgrade next week to install additional access points upstairs.

Should your travels bring you back to [rental location], we'd love to host you again!

Why This Works:

Handling Negative Reviews:

The Review: "Disappointed with our stay. The pool heater wasn't working for two days. For the price we paid, this was unacceptable."

Your Response: Hi [guest name],

Thank you for bringing this to our attention. We're truly sorry about the pool heater issues. We've implemented weekly maintenance checks and installed a monitoring system to prevent similar problems.

I'd appreciate the chance to discuss this further - please reach out to me directly at [manager contact info].

Why This Works:

Best Practices for Every Response

Do:

  • Name-drop (but double-check the spelling!)
  • Reference specific details they mentioned
  • Keep it brief (2-3 paragraphs max)
  • Respond to every review, even the short ones
  • Include a call-to-action for future stays

Don't:

  • Copy-paste generic responses
  • Get defensive or make excuses
  • Include private booking details
  • Write lengthy explanations
  • Use industry jargon guests won't understand

Making It Manageable

Managing reviews across Airbnb, VRBO, and Booking.com can be overwhelming. Here's how to streamline it:

  1. Set aside dedicated "review response time" each day
  2. Create a property-specific quick reference guide with:
    • Common amenities and features
    • Recent upgrades or improvements
    • Standard solutions for common issues
  3. Use a review management platform that:
    • Aggregates all your reviews in one place
    • Helps you track response times
    • Lets you respond directly to OTAs

Ready to start leveraging your reviews?

After years of trying to manage tens of thousands of reviews, we built Reva to help others aggregate, report and share their reviews. If you're interested in transforming your guest review strategy, giving our tools a test drive, or you just want to chat.

Drop us a line