What are hotel reviews?
Hotel reviews are feedback guests leave after their stay, offering insights into their experience - from the quality of services to various aspects of the property. These reviews can be positive or negative and may be solicited or shared voluntarily.
Reviews appear across multiple platforms, including OTAs, social media, your hotel's Google Business profile, your website or dedicated review sites like TripAdvisor. Typically, a review includes a rating, written feedback, and sometimes photos or videos, providing potential guests with a fuller understanding of the property.
Why are good hotel reviews so important?
In today's digital world filled with endless options, reviews help guide travelers toward confident booking decisions. They are crucial for both guests and hotels, shaping online reputation and helping properties stand out in a competitive market.
For hotels, positive reviews can inspire bookings, reinforce your value proposition and boost credibility. Claiming, "We're the best hotel" is one thing - but having real guests confirm it is far more persuasive. For hoteliers, there's nothing more rewarding than knowing your work is appreciated and shared with future guests.
Build trust and credibility
The more people share positive experiences on hotel review sites, the more trust and credibility your property gains. Potential guests comparing options often rely on reviews about cleanliness, location or service quality to make decisions.
Increase online visibility
Online visibility requires strong hotel reputation management strategies. By monitoring what your guests are saying about you in reviews and social media mentions, you can gain insights into guest perception, allowing for targeted improvements and stronger online presence.
Turn guests into marketers
Reviews provide free marketing for your hotel. Positive feedback from guests encourages others to book and essentially turns your satisfied guests into advocates for your brand. Verified reviews strengthen trust, as potential visitors see authentic confirmation of your service quality.
The beauty of it is that while satisfied guests actively promote your hotel brand, you can focus your effort on maintaining the reputation that earned those great reviews in the first place.
Engage guests and encourage loyalty
Guest reviews on platforms like TripAdvisor or Google also offer an opportunity to for you to engage with them and maintain a connection after their stay. Responding to reviews shows guests that their feedback matters, helping foster hotel guest loyalty and encouraging repeat visits.
How to get good hotel reviews: 5 proven strategies
1. Deliver exceptional service
To get great reviews, the most important step is to deliver exceptional service. As a hotel, you can leverage hotel management software to create a seamless experience that sets you apart from the competition.
Offering online guest services to handle requests 24/7 or proving an online check-in option that allows guests to check in before they arrive are just a couple of ways you can enhance the stay and increase the likelihood of positive feedback.
2. Ask guests at the right time
Timing is crucial when it comes to asking hotel guests for feedback. Request reviews during checkout or shortly after the stay. Post-stay emails or surveys are effective ways to remind guests to share their experience. Incentives such as loyalty points or discounts can also increase participation.
3. Simplify the review process
Make leaving a review as simple as possible. Use QR codes, direct links and short forms instead of in-depth questionnaires to reduce friction.
You don't want guests to struggle with leaving a review. The feedback process should be simple and straightforward - without making guests feel confined to multiple-choice responses. Also, be sure to get their permission to share their feedback across channels.
While reviews on TripAdvisor and Google are vital, don't forget to use your own surveys to gather testimonials for your website and social media. Apply the same tips for gathering reviews to drive engagement on your platforms as well.
4. Incentivize feedback
Non-monetary incentives like loyalty points, social recognition or small perks can motivate guests to leave feedback. Tailor these incentives to your property type - luxury resorts, boutique hotel, or national park lodges can customize rewards to appeal to their guests.
5. Respond to every review
Every review matters. Train your hotel staff to respond professionally to both positive and negative feedback. Acknowledge praise, address complaints constructively and offer practical resolutions to show your hotel values guest input.
Top hotel review sites every hotel should be listed on
Take a look below at the best hotel review websites where your brand must be.
Google Reviews
Google reigns supreme as the Queen of review sites. Most travelers rely on Google Hotel Search and Google Maps to find accommodation, making it essential to have a strong strategy for capturing Google reviews. With Google being the top search engine, maintaining a solid presence boosts your chances of being found by potential guests.
Responding to all feedback, both positive and negative, demonstrates attentiveness and a willingness to improve. The more stars and reviews you accumulate, the more trustworthy your brand will appear.
TripAdvisor
TripAdvisor is the go-to platform for travel reviews. It's community-driven, allowing travelers to submit photos, reviews and ratings. Many travelers rely on TripAdvisor when deciding where to stay and its Q&A section even lets potential guests ask questions to those who have previously stayed at the hotel - making it an essential platform for credibility and trustworthiness.
Booking.com
As one of the leading OTAs worldwide, Booking.com is crucial for hotels working with multiple metasearch platforms. What sets it apart is that reviews are verified - only guests who have stayed at the hotel can leave feedback, making the reviews truly authentic. Its global reach and credibility make it crucial for hotels aiming to build trust and attract international bookings.
Expedia
Expedia is another leading OTA, offering user-generated reviews from verified guests who booked through the platform. Reviews on Expedia cover specific categories like cleanliness, service, and facilities, adding an extra layer of detail that travelers find helpful. Since only actual guests can leave reviews, it's considered a highly reliable source for prospective customers.
Hotels.com
Hotels.com is an aggregate site that is popular in the U.S. and allows users to leave reviews after their stay. Strong ratings on this platform appeal to American travelers and can increase direct bookings.
Trustpilot
Trustpilot provides a broader perspective on guest satisfaction and reliability. While not hotel-specific, guests will still consult this site for detailed reviews of the reliability of your hotel and overall customer satisfaction. It can be a good tool to collect reviews from guests upon checkout.
Yelp
Yelp remains a key platform in the U.S., particularly for hotels targeting domestic travelers. Its reviews, photos, and local recommendations help build trust and attract bookings.
While Facebook may be losing some ground in the social media landscape, it remains a key platform where guests leave reviews, share pictures from their stay, and voice complaints they want addressed quickly. As an experience-based platform, it's valuable to be listed here, as conversations and comments about your hotel are public and visible to potential guests.
Facebook also offers a great opportunity for social proof, allowing friends and family to see firsthand experiences from those who have stayed at your hotel. Plus, your team can easily engage with comments, feedback, and user-generated posts, strengthening your online presence and guest relationships.
How hotel reviews drive revenue and visibility
Boost bookings with higher ratings
Better reviews = more bookings, and more bookings = more revenue, so reviews are not only a "nice-to-have," they're a must. Guests are more likely to book at hotels with high ratings.
Improve search visibility across platforms
A strong review profile increases rankings on OTAs and Google, making your hotel more discoverable, visible and credible.
Encourage direct bookings
Written reviews and word-of-mouth reviews are vital for encouraging direct bookings and reducing reliance on third-party platforms.
Enhance perceived value
High ratings justify premium pricing, as guests are willing to pay more for a hotel with proven quality.
Build long-term brand loyalty
Satisfied guests are more likely to come back, and reviews are part of this feedback loop. When you ask for reviews, you can determine your weak points and make constant improvements. Guests like to see a hotel that is proactive in resolving issues, as it demonstrates commitment to guest satisfaction, fostering loyalty and repeat stays.
10 tips for maintaining good hotel reviews
- Regularly monitor reviews
- Encourage honest guest feedback
- Train staff using review insights
- Showcase positive reviews on your website
- Deliver exceptional service consistently
- Personalize guest experiences
- Implement improvements based on feedback
- Communicate proactively with guests
- Maintain high standards of cleanliness
- Practice preventative maintenance
Conclusion
Reputation management is a crucial aspect of running a successful hotel. By setting clear steps to capture positive reviews, you increase the likelihood of gathering valuable feedback that can be leveraged to market your business and drive direct bookings, increasing revenue. It's one of the most effective-and free-ways to promote your hotel.
You don't have to handle it all on your own either. Leveraging hotel tech solutions like those in our marketplace can help you collect and manage guest reviews efficiently.
FAQs: hotel review sites
1. What is the best review site for hotels?
The more popular review sites are TripAdvisor, Google and Booking.com due to their user base, visibility and trustworthiness.
2. How many people look at reviews before booking a hotel?
81% of travelers read reviews before booking, and 52% wouldn't book a hotel if it didn't have any reviews.
3. How can hotels encourage guests to leave reviews without violating policies?
There are many ways to encourage reviews without violating policies, like sending post-stay emails or push notifications with direct review links, using QR codes in rooms or at checkout and offering non-monetary incentives like being entered into a drawing for a prize or even a shoutout on your social media channels.
4. How should hotels respond to negative reviews effectively?
The key to handling negative reviews is to respond quickly within 24-48 hours, apologize sincerely, remain professional, and offer solutions such as complimentary services or future stays.
5. Why are hotel reviews important?
Hotel reviews build trust, influence booking decisions, improve service and boost revenue.
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