Negative hotel reviews can be categorized into 3 categories. Each type requires a tailored and unique resolution strategy.
Negative hotel reviews can be categorized into 3 categories. Each type requires a tailored and unique resolution strategy.
93% of the users believe that online reviews impact their buying decisions. It implies that every potential guest who intends to book a stay with you will certainly check your online hotel reviews.
For instance, once a potential guest has shortlisted your hotel, they will likely read reviews on Google, Tripadvisor, Yelp, etc. before booking their stay. They are also likely to read a dozen reviews, especially negative ones, and evaluate the response style and rate.
Wonder why? Because users are more influenced by bad reviews and ratings than good ones.
But here is the catch! The way you respond to negative hotel reviews signifies that you are not avoiding the situation. It also implies that you are willing to listen and want the guests to be heard.
So, If you are a hotelier looking for ways to learn how to respond to negative hotel reviews, this blog is for you! Read on.
Transparency is a key factor in keeping your hospitality business striving through the years. As a hotelier, you must set realistic expectations by creating an online presence that aligns with your services.
The best way to build that is by requesting guests for a review. Hotel reviews are often real perspectives shared by the guest about their stay. However, hospitality garners both positive and negative hotel reviews. Hence, utilizing positive reviews for marketing while strategically responding to negative ones is essential.
But before we learn how to respond to negative hotel reviews, let’s understand its types.
Negative hotel reviews can be categorized into 3 categories. Each type requires a tailored and unique resolution strategy. You just have to be considerate enough to listen and respond empathetically. So, let’s begin!
Reviews written by guests based on the actual occurrence of the incident are termed justified reviews. Justified reviews could be complaints about uncleanliness, delayed responses, poor management, etc.
Unjustified reviews are subjective. They could either be a misunderstanding or an exaggeration by the guest. As a hotelier, you don’t have control over the situation. You can only empathize by explaining your end of the story. Examples of the same could be bad location, poor cellular network, noise, technical lag, etc.
Few guests generally tend to leave poor ratings without explaining the reason for doing so. This tends to harm your overall combined ratings. Hence, contacting the guest personally is the best way to resolve this type of review.
Let us now uncover the impact, importance, and implementation of negative hotel reviews in further sections.
Reviews are one of the most vital user-generated content that enhances your online presence and credibility. Negative hotel reviews, on the other hand, are considered to have adverse effects such as loss in bookings and revenue, damaged online reputation, increased marketing costs, etc.
But, If you utilize negative reviews in your favor, here’s how it can help you in return.
Let us explore the importance of responding to negative hotel reviews in the following section.
As per a report by Expedia, 91% of travelers want property owners to respond to negative reviews. The purpose of responding to a review is to reassure the guest that you value their feedback and are willing to look into the matter.
Failing to respond to a negative hotel review might create an impression that you are unbothered by the guest’s experience. Hence, unresponsiveness to a negative review is even worse than receiving one.
Here are a few benefits listing the importance of responding to negative hotel reviews.
Now, let’s read on to learn the strategies on how to respond to negative hotel reviews in the section ahead.
Not only is it important to respond to negative hotel reviews, but the way you respond is extremely crucial.
Before we cover an in-depth explanation let us quickly understand a formula for writing a response.
Promptly acknowledge the review as soon as you are notified about it. It assures the guest that you have read it and will take action on the same. In addition, you must fact-check the review internally to understand the other end of the story.
Tip: Personalise your response by greeting the guest using their first name. Additionally, acknowledge them for writing the review. If you have the answer to their response, mention it right away. Otherwise, state that you will look into the matter and get back to them at the soonest possible time.
Communication via text often doesn’t provide much context to the exact concern raised. Additionally, If the discussion requires further probe, it’s better to offer an alternate solution to discuss privately.
Tip: Once you have acknowledged their review. Request them to get on a call at their convenience to understand the situation more clearly.
Once you get more context to the situation after the private discussion, an internal assessment is a must! Internal assessment helps you understand both sides of the story.
Tip: Check your records to see whether the guest raised an escalation verbally or via call, SMS, or other messaging platforms. Check whether the claims put forth were indeed true, were they resolved or was it just a misunderstanding.
After the resolution, write another response stating the guest’s agreement based on the discussion. This not only builds brand loyalty but also creates a positive impression on the potential guest reading the entire conversation thread.
Tip: Don’t mention the entire conversation the second time. Mention only the most important details that you and the guest agreed upon. Bonus Points
An ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure! Addressing a negative experience right at the property is the best way to avoid negative online reviews. This assures guests of your commitment to providing an impressive service.
Tip: Send an automated guest sentiment message to analyse how the guests perceived your service. If it’s negative, act upon it as soon as you can.
Google reported the highest percentage (10.7%) of fake reviews (both positive and negative), followed by Yelp (7.1%), TripAdvisor (5.2%), and Facebook (4.9%). Hence, when it’s about fake negative reviews, ensure that you handle them tactfully.
Tip: Thank them for writing a review. Mention that you have checked your records and haven’t been able to find any details based on their name. Ask them for more details such as Booking ID, email ID, stay dates, etc. for further verification.
According to a report by Accor, 63% of the respondents stated that they look at both positive and negative reviews. Hence, it’s essential to highlight positive reviews to your advantage, while tending to the negative ones.
Tip: If a guest has written a negative review about a certain service. Apologise for the inconvenience they had to face. But at the same time, mention that you never faced such a complaint before (by highlighting several positive reviews about the same service).
Implementing a review management strategy helps to assess your hotel’s weaknesses and strengths. Understanding what the guests are fixating on — whether it’s uncleanliness, delayed response, issues with wifi connectivity, lack of amenities, etc.
Tip: Evaluate the pattern of negative responses in the past 3-6 months. If the guests keep fixating on the same problem. It’s high time you resolve the core issue to avoid any further damage to your online reputation. Now, let’s learn about a few negative hotel review examples.
Unfortunately, there is no one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to addressing a negative hotel review. Each negative review must be probed further both with the staff (internally) and with the guest (externally). Listed below are a few templates for your understanding.
Note: The templates are only for your reference. Each response must be personalised, by addressing the specific issue. Also, you must avoid using generic statements at all costs.
“Dear [Guest Name], Thank you for taking the time to share your experience.
We deeply regret and apologise for the inconvenience caused. We will check the matter internally and get back to you at the soonest possible. Meanwhile, If you wish to discuss anything more, kindly let us know so that we can connect personally.
Moreover, please note that our staff always ensures that the check-in process is done on time. However, generally, If the guests arrive earlier than the standard time, a quick phone call helps us inform the housekeeping to get the rooms ready for check-in.
Nonetheless, we’ll try to incorporate your early check-in request the next time you consider staying with us. We hope to see you soon.”
“Dear [Guest Name], Thank you for taking the time to share your experience.
In response to your review, we apologise for the inconvenience caused. We shall check the matter internally and get back to you as soon as possible.
While we do understand and empathise with your disappointment. Our technical experts always ensure timely updation of our hotel management software to avoid such discrepancies. We would have appreciated If you discussed this personally during your stay. It could have helped us arrive at a solution faster.
Nonetheless, If you wish to discuss anything more, kindly let us know so that we can connect privately. We hope to hear from you soon.”
“Dear [Guest Name], based on the ratings offered, we presume that you were disappointed with your previous stay at our hotel. We would highly appreciate If you could provide more details about your stay and the experience to help us reflect and improve.
Please feel free to reach out to the following [contact number]. We shall look into the matter accordingly.”
“Dear [Guest Name], Thank you for your review. Unfortunately, we haven’t been able to find the details mentioned by you, in accordance with your guest name, in our records.
We would appreciate If you could share more details such as your Booking ID, email ID, stay dates, etc. We hope to hear from you soon.”
You must learn to differentiate between a negative review and a deceptive/ inappropriate review. Negative hotel reviews can be verified and are specifically focused on a bad experience faced by the guests. Whereas, deceptive/ inappropriate reviews, even If verified, include fake engagement, misinformation, hate speech, harassment, etc.
Hence, removing every negative review, because it isn’t serving the purpose violates the review platform guidelines. Guests will certainly write another review stating you’ve deleted their previous review, which could be even more harmful.
Before understanding the process of removing a negative review. Please note there are three main criteria to consider before reporting.
There are two ways you can report a review, either on Google Maps or Google Search.
With the ever-changing industry trends and customer expectations, it becomes difficult for businesses to keep up with everything. It’s especially true with the hospitality industry.
Responding to negative online reviews offers you real-time insights into both trends and customer expectations. So make sure you utilise its truest potential, good luck!
Reviews, whether positive or negative, both offer brilliant insights into understanding what your potential guest really wants. Additionally, prompt response to reviews builds brand loyalty and credibility, assuring the guest that you value their feedback.
Yes. Hotels must respond to every review — positive, negative and neutral. This improves your online reputation by signifying your willingness to improve. It also enhances your brand visibility and engagement rate.
Whether positive or negative, responding to a hotel review implies that you value your guests’ feedback even after their stay. Responsiveness also showcases your active online presence on review platforms.
The ideal way to start is by acknowledging the guest for writing the review and apologizing for the inconvenience caused. You must then personalize each review by stating the commitment to resolve the issue. Lastly, request that they revisit your hotel to experience the improved services.
Before you respond to any negative review, you must cross-verify the details with your internal staff to understand the context. If you truly believe the review to be fake and are unable to find any details in your records. Respond that you are unable to find the same and would like them to share for verification. If you fail to receive a response, it’s likely a fake review.
Negative hotel reviews can be categorized into 3 categories. Each type requires a tailored and unique resolution strategy.
93% of the users believe that online reviews impact their buying decisions. It implies that every potential guest who intends to book a stay with you will certainly check your online hotel reviews.
For instance, once a potential guest has shortlisted your hotel, they will likely read reviews on Google, Tripadvisor, Yelp, etc. before booking their stay. They are also likely to read a dozen reviews, especially negative ones, and evaluate the response style and rate.
Wonder why? Because users are more influenced by bad reviews and ratings than good ones.
But here is the catch! The way you respond to negative hotel reviews signifies that you are not avoiding the situation. It also implies that you are willing to listen and want the guests to be heard.
So, If you are a hotelier looking for ways to learn how to respond to negative hotel reviews, this blog is for you! Read on.
Transparency is a key factor in keeping your hospitality business striving through the years. As a hotelier, you must set realistic expectations by creating an online presence that aligns with your services.
The best way to build that is by requesting guests for a review. Hotel reviews are often real perspectives shared by the guest about their stay. However, hospitality garners both positive and negative hotel reviews. Hence, utilizing positive reviews for marketing while strategically responding to negative ones is essential.
But before we learn how to respond to negative hotel reviews, let’s understand its types.
Negative hotel reviews can be categorized into 3 categories. Each type requires a tailored and unique resolution strategy. You just have to be considerate enough to listen and respond empathetically. So, let’s begin!
Reviews written by guests based on the actual occurrence of the incident are termed justified reviews. Justified reviews could be complaints about uncleanliness, delayed responses, poor management, etc.
Unjustified reviews are subjective. They could either be a misunderstanding or an exaggeration by the guest. As a hotelier, you don’t have control over the situation. You can only empathize by explaining your end of the story. Examples of the same could be bad location, poor cellular network, noise, technical lag, etc.
Few guests generally tend to leave poor ratings without explaining the reason for doing so. This tends to harm your overall combined ratings. Hence, contacting the guest personally is the best way to resolve this type of review.
Let us now uncover the impact, importance, and implementation of negative hotel reviews in further sections.
Reviews are one of the most vital user-generated content that enhances your online presence and credibility. Negative hotel reviews, on the other hand, are considered to have adverse effects such as loss in bookings and revenue, damaged online reputation, increased marketing costs, etc.
But, If you utilize negative reviews in your favor, here’s how it can help you in return.
Let us explore the importance of responding to negative hotel reviews in the following section.
As per a report by Expedia, 91% of travelers want property owners to respond to negative reviews. The purpose of responding to a review is to reassure the guest that you value their feedback and are willing to look into the matter.
Failing to respond to a negative hotel review might create an impression that you are unbothered by the guest’s experience. Hence, unresponsiveness to a negative review is even worse than receiving one.
Here are a few benefits listing the importance of responding to negative hotel reviews.
Now, let’s read on to learn the strategies on how to respond to negative hotel reviews in the section ahead.
Not only is it important to respond to negative hotel reviews, but the way you respond is extremely crucial.
Before we cover an in-depth explanation let us quickly understand a formula for writing a response.
Promptly acknowledge the review as soon as you are notified about it. It assures the guest that you have read it and will take action on the same. In addition, you must fact-check the review internally to understand the other end of the story.
Tip: Personalise your response by greeting the guest using their first name. Additionally, acknowledge them for writing the review. If you have the answer to their response, mention it right away. Otherwise, state that you will look into the matter and get back to them at the soonest possible time.
Communication via text often doesn’t provide much context to the exact concern raised. Additionally, If the discussion requires further probe, it’s better to offer an alternate solution to discuss privately.
Tip: Once you have acknowledged their review. Request them to get on a call at their convenience to understand the situation more clearly.
Once you get more context to the situation after the private discussion, an internal assessment is a must! Internal assessment helps you understand both sides of the story.
Tip: Check your records to see whether the guest raised an escalation verbally or via call, SMS, or other messaging platforms. Check whether the claims put forth were indeed true, were they resolved or was it just a misunderstanding.
After the resolution, write another response stating the guest’s agreement based on the discussion. This not only builds brand loyalty but also creates a positive impression on the potential guest reading the entire conversation thread.
Tip: Don’t mention the entire conversation the second time. Mention only the most important details that you and the guest agreed upon. Bonus Points
An ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure! Addressing a negative experience right at the property is the best way to avoid negative online reviews. This assures guests of your commitment to providing an impressive service.
Tip: Send an automated guest sentiment message to analyse how the guests perceived your service. If it’s negative, act upon it as soon as you can.
Google reported the highest percentage (10.7%) of fake reviews (both positive and negative), followed by Yelp (7.1%), TripAdvisor (5.2%), and Facebook (4.9%). Hence, when it’s about fake negative reviews, ensure that you handle them tactfully.
Tip: Thank them for writing a review. Mention that you have checked your records and haven’t been able to find any details based on their name. Ask them for more details such as Booking ID, email ID, stay dates, etc. for further verification.
According to a report by Accor, 63% of the respondents stated that they look at both positive and negative reviews. Hence, it’s essential to highlight positive reviews to your advantage, while tending to the negative ones.
Tip: If a guest has written a negative review about a certain service. Apologise for the inconvenience they had to face. But at the same time, mention that you never faced such a complaint before (by highlighting several positive reviews about the same service).
Implementing a review management strategy helps to assess your hotel’s weaknesses and strengths. Understanding what the guests are fixating on — whether it’s uncleanliness, delayed response, issues with wifi connectivity, lack of amenities, etc.
Tip: Evaluate the pattern of negative responses in the past 3-6 months. If the guests keep fixating on the same problem. It’s high time you resolve the core issue to avoid any further damage to your online reputation. Now, let’s learn about a few negative hotel review examples.
Unfortunately, there is no one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to addressing a negative hotel review. Each negative review must be probed further both with the staff (internally) and with the guest (externally). Listed below are a few templates for your understanding.
Note: The templates are only for your reference. Each response must be personalised, by addressing the specific issue. Also, you must avoid using generic statements at all costs.
“Dear [Guest Name], Thank you for taking the time to share your experience.
We deeply regret and apologise for the inconvenience caused. We will check the matter internally and get back to you at the soonest possible. Meanwhile, If you wish to discuss anything more, kindly let us know so that we can connect personally.
Moreover, please note that our staff always ensures that the check-in process is done on time. However, generally, If the guests arrive earlier than the standard time, a quick phone call helps us inform the housekeeping to get the rooms ready for check-in.
Nonetheless, we’ll try to incorporate your early check-in request the next time you consider staying with us. We hope to see you soon.”
“Dear [Guest Name], Thank you for taking the time to share your experience.
In response to your review, we apologise for the inconvenience caused. We shall check the matter internally and get back to you as soon as possible.
While we do understand and empathise with your disappointment. Our technical experts always ensure timely updation of our hotel management software to avoid such discrepancies. We would have appreciated If you discussed this personally during your stay. It could have helped us arrive at a solution faster.
Nonetheless, If you wish to discuss anything more, kindly let us know so that we can connect privately. We hope to hear from you soon.”
“Dear [Guest Name], based on the ratings offered, we presume that you were disappointed with your previous stay at our hotel. We would highly appreciate If you could provide more details about your stay and the experience to help us reflect and improve.
Please feel free to reach out to the following [contact number]. We shall look into the matter accordingly.”
“Dear [Guest Name], Thank you for your review. Unfortunately, we haven’t been able to find the details mentioned by you, in accordance with your guest name, in our records.
We would appreciate If you could share more details such as your Booking ID, email ID, stay dates, etc. We hope to hear from you soon.”
You must learn to differentiate between a negative review and a deceptive/ inappropriate review. Negative hotel reviews can be verified and are specifically focused on a bad experience faced by the guests. Whereas, deceptive/ inappropriate reviews, even If verified, include fake engagement, misinformation, hate speech, harassment, etc.
Hence, removing every negative review, because it isn’t serving the purpose violates the review platform guidelines. Guests will certainly write another review stating you’ve deleted their previous review, which could be even more harmful.
Before understanding the process of removing a negative review. Please note there are three main criteria to consider before reporting.
There are two ways you can report a review, either on Google Maps or Google Search.
With the ever-changing industry trends and customer expectations, it becomes difficult for businesses to keep up with everything. It’s especially true with the hospitality industry.
Responding to negative online reviews offers you real-time insights into both trends and customer expectations. So make sure you utilise its truest potential, good luck!
Reviews, whether positive or negative, both offer brilliant insights into understanding what your potential guest really wants. Additionally, prompt response to reviews builds brand loyalty and credibility, assuring the guest that you value their feedback.
Yes. Hotels must respond to every review — positive, negative and neutral. This improves your online reputation by signifying your willingness to improve. It also enhances your brand visibility and engagement rate.
Whether positive or negative, responding to a hotel review implies that you value your guests’ feedback even after their stay. Responsiveness also showcases your active online presence on review platforms.
The ideal way to start is by acknowledging the guest for writing the review and apologizing for the inconvenience caused. You must then personalize each review by stating the commitment to resolve the issue. Lastly, request that they revisit your hotel to experience the improved services.
Before you respond to any negative review, you must cross-verify the details with your internal staff to understand the context. If you truly believe the review to be fake and are unable to find any details in your records. Respond that you are unable to find the same and would like them to share for verification. If you fail to receive a response, it’s likely a fake review.
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