By Sumit Manwal, Founder, Hospitality Vacancy
I tell every hotel owner I work with: your reviews are your new front desk. Long before a guest meets your team, they have read what other guests say about you.
Both positive and negative reviews can work for you. Positive reviews build trust; negative ones, handled well, show future guests that you listen and care. Here is how to earn more good reviews, put them to work and respond to the difficult ones.
Running a hotel or restaurant? Book a one-to-one Hotel Hiring Consultation to review your team and processes, or see my consulting and training options on my LinkedIn Services page.
How to earn more positive reviews
Ask at the right time
The best time to ask is shortly after the stay, while the experience is fresh. A friendly email a few days after check-out, with direct links to your Google, Facebook or other review pages, works well.
Ask in person
At check-out, ask guests how they enjoyed their stay. If they are happy, tell them you will send a short email showing how to leave a review.
Make it easy
One clear link and one clear request. Do not make guests search for where to post.
How to showcase your reviews
- On your booking pages: show genuine reviews at each step of the reservation process.
- Review widgets: display reviews from platforms such as Google, Tripadvisor and Facebook on your website.
- On social media: share a few reviews each week, ideally with a photo or short video.
- In email marketing: add one or two short reviews to promotional emails.
How to respond to negative reviews
1. Pause before you reply
Never reply in anger. Take a moment, understand the complaint and check the facts with your team.
2. Respond promptly
A timely reply shows the guest, and every future reader, that you care. Some guests even update their review after a good response.
3. Take it offline when appropriate
If you can identify the guest, a phone call can calm the situation. Still post a short public reply so readers can see you acted.
4. Apologise and offer a solution
This is not the moment to prove the guest wrong. Thank them, apologise for their experience, explain what you are doing to fix it and, where suitable, invite them back.
5. Use feedback to improve
Share recurring issues with your team, retrain where needed and fix the cause. That is what earns better reviews over time.
Mistakes to avoid
- Replying defensively or arguing in public.
- Copy-pasting the same generic reply to every review.
- Thanking only the positive reviewers and ignoring the rest.
- Offering incentives in exchange for positive reviews, which many platforms do not allow.
FAQ
Should hotels reply to every review?
Ideally, yes. Reply to all negative reviews and as many positive ones as you reasonably can, in a personal tone.
Can a hotel remove a negative review?
Generally, no. Most platforms only remove reviews that break their content policies. A calm, helpful reply is your best response.
How quickly should I respond to a negative review?
As soon as you have checked the facts, ideally within a day or two.
Inspired by an article from Hotel Propeller; rewritten with my own perspective.
Your next step
- Hotels, resorts and restaurants: Register as an employer on Hospitality Vacancy and put your vacancies in front of hospitality professionals.
- Want expert eyes on your operation? Book a Hotel Hiring Consultation (45 min) or explore my consulting, coaching and training services.
- Hotel professionals: Create your free candidate profile and browse the latest hotel jobs.
Related reading on this blog
- Why Hotels Should Embrace Local Culture in Design and Marketing
- How to Optimise Your Hotel Website for More Bookings and Revenue
- How to Handle the Most Common Hotel Guest Complaints
About the Author
Sumit Manwal is the founder of Hospitality Vacancy (since 2017) and has 20+ years of experience in hospitality. He received the "Excellence in Hospitality Sector of Uttarakhand" award, presented by Shri Dhan Singh Rawat ji (January 2023), and the Dainik Jagran inext Uttarakhand Ratan Samman for Excellence in Hospitality & Education, presented by Shri Bhagat Singh Koshyari ji (2023). He helps hotels build reliable teams and professionals grow their careers.
📧 Contact: manwal@hospitalityvacancy.com | 🔗 LinkedIn
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