Hotel review reply guides, templates and samples
Guides for answering guest reviews on Google, Booking.com, Expedia and Tripadvisor, plus three real sample replies to the same three-star review and a Truth Check example.
Basics
How should a hotel reply to a guest review?
A good reply thanks the guest, responds to the specific points they raised, and says what happens next. It is written for the next guest who reads the whole thread, not only for the reviewer. Name the real issue where the guest named it, keep the tone calm even when the review is harsh, and avoid promises the review text does not support.
Most replies land between two and five sentences. Anything longer often repeats the review. Negative reviews deserve a reply most of all, because a measured answer shows future guests how the property handles problems. Review Reply drafts the first version so the blank page is not the hard part; you still edit the wording and make the final click.
Negative reviews
How do you reply to a negative hotel review?
- Acknowledge quickly. Reply within a few days, while the stay and the details are still fresh.
- Thank the guest and be specific. Reference the issue they described — a damp room, a slow check-in — instead of a generic apology.
- Say what you are doing. A short, concrete next step ("our maintenance team has been asked to check the room") reads better than a grand promise.
- Take compensation private. Invite the guest to email or call, and avoid committing to a refund in the public reply.
- Keep it brief and human. Two to five sentences, no defensiveness, no copy-paste phrases.
When you use Review Reply, Truth Check reviews the draft for unsupported concrete details, unverified promises, and missed clear complaints. If findings remain, posting needs a second Post anyway click, so you never publish a promise by accident.
Google reviews
How do you reply to Google reviews?
Sign in to Google Business Profile, open the reviews for the location, and choose the review you want to answer. Write the response in the Reply box and publish it; the reply appears publicly under the review. On Google you can also answer from the Search owner dialog when it is open.
Google reviews are public and often surface high in search results, so the reply is worth the same care as any other guest communication. Keep the tone professional, use the guest's name when it is shown, and never include personal or payment details. With Review Reply installed, click the RR icon beside the review's Reply action to draft, edit, and Truth Check before you post.
Other platforms
How do you reply on Booking.com, Expedia and Tripadvisor?
Each platform has its own review area and its own reply form, so the mechanics differ but the writing rules are the same. On Booking.com Extranet, open the guest review and use the Reply action. On Expedia Partner Central, open the review and use the Respond control. On Tripadvisor for Business, expand an unanswered review first, then respond.
Review Reply adds the same RR button beside each platform's native action, so the draft, the tone and language settings, Truth Check, and the final Post reply click work the same way everywhere. Booking.com even requests no emoji and tidies the response of unsupported symbols and contractions. See the step-by-step workflows for each platform.
Samples
What do good review replies look like?
Three tones, one review. Review Reply can draft any of these; you choose what fits your property.
3 / 5 — harbour-view room
"Stayed three nights in the harbour-view room. Staff at check-in were kind, but the room smelled damp and the wifi dropped constantly. Breakfast was fine. For the price I expected better."
Professional
Tone: ProfessionalThank you for staying with us and for taking the time to share this feedback. I am sorry the harbour-view room felt damp and the Wi-Fi was unreliable during your three nights; that is not the standard we want. Our maintenance and network teams have been asked to check both. I am glad the check-in team and breakfast met part of your expectations, and I hope we can host you again and do better.
Friendly
Tone: FriendlyThanks so much for the honest review, and for the kind words about our check-in team. I am really sorry about the damp smell and the Wi-Fi dropouts — that is frustrating, especially over three nights. We are looking into both right away. Breakfast being a bright spot made us smile. If you give us another chance, we would love to get the room and the connection right.
Casual
Tone: CasualThanks for the review, and sorry the room and Wi-Fi let you down. Damp rooms and patchy internet over three nights are not what we want anyone to deal with, so we are on it. Glad check-in and breakfast were good. Come back and let us make it right.
Truth Check
How does Truth Check flag an unsupported claim?
Truth Check compares the draft against the review text. If the draft makes a concrete claim the review does not support, it flags that sentence rather than letting you publish it unnoticed. Here is the same three-star review drafted with an overreaching promise.
Draft with a Truth Check finding
FlaggedThank you for your feedback. We have fully renovated every room and guarantee fast Wi-Fi throughout the property. We are glad you enjoyed breakfast and hope to welcome you back soon.
Truth Check flagged: "We have fully renovated every room and guarantee fast Wi-Fi" — the review text does not support a renovation claim or a speed guarantee. Consider a supported alternative such as "our maintenance and network teams have been asked to check the room and the connection."
This is the difference between a draft and a decision. The extension surfaces the problem; you decide the wording and make the final click. On the Chrome Web Store, where no extension can script the page, the reply is copied out and pasted by hand.
FAQ
Review reply questions
Should you reply to every hotel review?
Reply to negative reviews and to reviews that ask a direct question or praise a specific person. You do not need to answer every brief five-star comment with the same energy, but a short, warm reply still helps future guests. Consistency matters more than volume.
How long should a review reply be?
Two to five sentences is usually enough: thank the guest, name the specific issue, and say what you are doing about it. Keep it under 90 words so it reads quickly on a phone. Long replies often repeat the review and can introduce claims the review text does not support.
How fast should a hotel respond to a negative review?
Aim to reply within a few days, while the stay is still recent and the details are fresh. A fast, calm reply signals that you listen. Review Reply speeds up the drafting, but you still edit the tone and make the final click before the reply is posted.
Should a hotel offer a refund or discount in a review reply?
Be careful. A specific promise in a public reply can be treated as a commitment, and Truth Check flags unverified promises for that reason. Thank the guest, acknowledge the issue, and move the compensation conversation to a private channel such as email or the reservation system.
Prefer to watch? The Review Reply tutorial on YouTube walks through drafting, Truth Check and posting with your own final click.
Get started
Turn these guides into replies you can post
Install Review Reply to draft each reply on the page, run Truth Check, and post with your own final click.