Why replies matter as much as the review
A review is written by one guest. Your reply is written for every guest who reads it later.
Think of it like this. A future guest sees a 6/10 review that says, "The hot water stopped on day two." Under it, they see your reply: "Thank you for telling us. We replaced the water heater the next week." Now the guest learns two things. Problems can happen, and you fix them. That is often enough to make them book.
Replies also help in other ways:
- They show you are active. A page where the owner replies looks cared for.
- They correct facts. If a guest says there was no parking and you have parking, you can say so politely.
- They thank loyal guests. A warm reply to a 10/10 review makes that guest more likely to come back.
Booking.com's partner help also says that recent reviews now carry more weight in your review score. So the way you handle this month's guests matters more than what happened years ago.
Booking.com vs Airbnb: the reply rules
Each platform has its own rules. Here are the main ones, taken from their own help pages.
| Topic | Booking.com | Airbnb |
|---|
| Who can reply | The property, through the Extranet or Pulse app | The host, through the listing reviews page |
| When the reply shows | After Booking.com checks it, which can take a few days | Right away, as a public response |
| Language | Reply in the review's language, or in English (check current help) | No language rule stated |
| Editing a reply | Manage it on the Extranet | Check the current help page before editing |
| Review window | Set by Booking.com | Guests and hosts have 14 days to write a review |
| Removing a review | Report a review that breaks the rules | Ask for removal if a review breaks the review policy |
Booking.com rules in plain words
The Extranet is the website where you manage your Booking.com property. According to Booking.com's partner help on responding to reviews (opens in new tab), your reply goes through moderation before it shows. Moderation means Booking.com checks it first. At the time of writing, its help page said this can take up to 72 hours. Rules change, so check the page yourself, and do not panic if you do not see your reply at once.
The help page also said to write in the same language as the review, or in English. If a guest wrote in German, a reply in German or English should be safe. Keep personal details out of your reply, such as the guest's room number or phone.
Airbnb rules in plain words
On Airbnb, both the guest and the host can write a review after the stay. Airbnb's help on how reviews work (opens in new tab) says you each have 14 days after checkout. Reviews are shown once both have written one, or when the 14 days end.
You can then post a public response to a review. Airbnb's help on responding to reviews (opens in new tab) explains how. Your response appears under the review for everyone to see.
If a review breaks Airbnb's review policy, for example it is about something that has nothing to do with the stay, you can ask for it to be removed. Airbnb's help on review removal (opens in new tab) explains which reviews can be removed. A review that is simply negative is usually not removed.
Reply templates you can copy
Here are 12 copy-paste replies: good, mixed and unfair reviews, each in English and Bahasa Indonesia. Never paste them unchanged. Add one detail from the review every time, because guests can tell when a reply is a copy.
A good reply has four parts: thank the guest, name one specific thing, say what you did (only if it is true), and invite them back.
Good reviews (5 stars or 9-10/10)
1. a 5-star stay (English): "Hi Maya, thank you so much for your kind words. We are very happy you loved the sunrise from the balcony and Wayan's banana pancakes. We hope to welcome you back to Ubud soon."
2. a 5-star stay (Bahasa Indonesia): "Halo Maya, terima kasih banyak atas ulasannya. Kami senang Anda menikmati matahari terbit dari balkon dan pancake pisang buatan Wayan. Semoga kami bisa menyambut Anda lagi di Ubud."
3. a guest who praises a staff member (English): "Hi Sophie, thank you for staying with us. We shared your message with Komang, and he was very happy the scooter tips helped. See you next time!"
4. a guest who praises a staff member (Bahasa Indonesia): "Halo Sophie, terima kasih sudah menginap bersama kami. Pesan Anda sudah kami sampaikan kepada Komang, dan dia senang sekali tips sewa motornya membantu. Sampai jumpa lagi!"
Mixed reviews (praise plus a complaint)
5. a noisy room (English): "Hi Tom, thank you for your honest feedback. We are glad you enjoyed our team, and sorry the road noise kept you awake. We have added thicker curtains in the front rooms, and we now offer quieter garden rooms on request."
6. a noisy room (Bahasa Indonesia): "Halo Tom, terima kasih atas masukan jujurnya. Kami senang Anda cocok dengan tim kami, dan mohon maaf suara jalan mengganggu tidur Anda. Kami sudah memasang gorden yang lebih tebal di kamar depan, dan sekarang menawarkan kamar taman yang lebih tenang jika diminta."
7. a problem you already fixed (English): "Thank you for pointing this out. You were right about the slow Wi-Fi. We installed a new router in every room last month, and guests now tell us it works well."
8. a problem you already fixed (Bahasa Indonesia): "Terima kasih sudah memberi tahu kami soal Wi-Fi yang lambat. Anda benar. Bulan lalu kami memasang router baru di setiap kamar, dan sekarang tamu bilang koneksinya lancar."
A Bali example, filled in (made up). A guest at a guesthouse in Ubud leaves 7/10: "Lovely staff and great breakfast. But it rained every afternoon, and there was loud music from a temple ceremony one night."
Reply: "Hi Anna, thank you for staying with us and for your kind words about our team and breakfast. Afternoon rain is common in the wet season, and we are sorry it cut into your plans. The music came from a ceremony at our village temple, which is part of daily life in Ubud. Next time, we will tell you about ceremony nights at check-in and offer a room at the back of the garden. We hope to welcome you back in the dry season."
Unfair reviews (wrong facts or things you cannot control)
9. wrong facts about check-in (English): "Hello, thank you for your review. We are sorry your stay did not go as you hoped. For future guests: our check-in time is 2 pm, as shown on the booking, and our team offered to store your bags from 10 am. Please contact us directly any time."
10. wrong facts about check-in (Bahasa Indonesia): "Halo, terima kasih atas ulasan Anda. Mohon maaf masa menginap Anda tidak sesuai harapan. Untuk calon tamu: check-in kami pukul 14.00, sesuai info di pemesanan, dan tim kami menawarkan penitipan tas sejak pukul 10.00. Silakan hubungi kami langsung kapan saja."
11. blaming you for the weather (English): "Hello, thank you for your review. We understand the heavy rain made your holiday harder. The weather is outside our control, but our team is always happy to suggest indoor activities. We hope the sun shines for you next time."
12. blaming you for the weather (Bahasa Indonesia): "Halo, terima kasih sudah menulis ulasan. Kami mengerti hujan deras membuat liburan Anda kurang nyaman. Cuaca memang di luar kendali kami, tetapi tim kami selalu siap menyarankan kegiatan di dalam ruangan. Semoga lain kali cuacanya lebih bersahabat."
Rules for unfair reviews:
- Wait an hour, then stay calm. Write for future guests, not to win the argument.
- State facts, not feelings. "Check-in is at 2 pm" works better than "You are wrong."
- Do not share private details. No names of staff who were blamed, no booking numbers.
- Report it if it breaks the rules. Use the platform's own reporting tool, and still reply politely.
If a guest names a staff member in a complaint, do not repeat the name. Talk to that person in private first, then reply for the team as a whole.
Do this inside Kiyo. On Pro and Business, the reviews dashboard shows reviews from your connected OTAs in one place, so you can see which ones still need a reply. You can paste these templates and reply inside Kiyo to reviews from Booking.com, Airbnb and Expedia (Pro and Business plans).
A 15-minute weekly review routine
You do not need to check reviews every hour. A fixed weekly time works well for most small properties. Pick a quiet morning, for example Monday at 9 am, and follow these steps.
- Open every review platform (3 minutes). Booking.com, Airbnb, and any other site you sell on. Note the new reviews since last week.
- Reply to every new review (7 minutes). Start with the lowest scores. Use the templates above, with one personal detail each.
- Write down repeat problems (3 minutes). If two guests mention the same issue, like weak showers, add it to a short list.
- Give one fix to one person (2 minutes). Tell your team what to fix this week and who owns it.
For step 3, read our guide on fixing recurring review complaints (opens in new tab).
If a very bad review comes in mid-week, for example about safety or cleanliness, reply sooner. Check the facts with your team first.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Arguing in public. Even when you are right, a long fight in the reply looks bad to future guests.
- Copy-paste replies. "Thank you for your feedback" on every review tells guests nobody read it.
- Ignoring good reviews. Happy guests deserve a thank-you too, and it helps your page look active.
- Promising fixes you will not make. Guests who come later will check.
- Offering money or gifts for better reviews. Most platforms ban this. Fix the problem instead.
- Asking guests to change their review. It can feel like pressure. Focus on the next guest.
How to get more good reviews
The best way to get good reviews is a good stay with no surprises. Clear messages before arrival help a lot. When guests know the check-in time, the address and the Wi-Fi password before they arrive, there is less to complain about.
A quick check on the first morning helps too. Ask, "Is everything OK with your room?" A broken fan fixed on day one rarely becomes a bad review. Our guide on hotel guest communication (opens in new tab) gives a simple message plan for the whole stay.
You can also read our wider guide to hotel reputation management (opens in new tab). That post covers your whole online image. This post focuses only on replying to reviews. For ways to raise how happy guests feel, see hotel guest satisfaction (opens in new tab).
How Kiyo helps with review management
Kiyo is a PMS and channel manager for independent hotels, villas, guesthouses and hostels. A PMS (property management system) is the software where your bookings, rooms and guest details live. Kiyo connects to 75+ OTAs, so your rooms and prices stay in sync.
- Reviews dashboard on Pro and Business. The reviews and reputation feature (opens in new tab) shows reviews from your connected OTAs in one place.
- Reply to reviews in Kiyo. You can reply inside Kiyo to reviews from Booking.com, Airbnb and Expedia (Pro and Business plans), so you don't need to open each OTA's own site.
- Guest messages in one inbox. On Pro and Business, the guest inbox (opens in new tab) brings WhatsApp, Instagram, email and OTA messages together, so small problems get answered fast.
- Pre-arrival emails on every plan. Guest email automation (opens in new tab) sends booking confirmations and a pre-arrival email two days before check-in, which helps prevent many common complaints.
Your next step: pick a set time each week for reviews, and see them in one dashboard instead of three logins.
Plans start from Rp40k per room per month (opens in new tab), with Payment links & guest emails included. Free setup, pay from go-live, 14-day money-back guarantee.
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