How to reply to a bad hotel review (without making it worse).

Why does your reply to a bad review matter?

Because the reviewer is not your only reader. Every guest who looks at your hotel after that day sees the complaint and your answer side by side.

In a 2019 survey commissioned by Tripadvisor and run with Ipsos MORI among 23,292 Tripadvisor users in 12 markets, 77% said they are more likely to book when a property owner leaves personalised responses to reviews, and 67% said they find it helpful to see the context of negative reviews and apologies from management (Tripadvisor).

Replying also seems to change the reviews you receive. A study of hotel reviews published in Marketing Science found a 0.12-star increase in ratings and a 12% increase in review volume for hotels that started responding, and that those hotels then received fewer but longer negative reviews (Proserpio and Zervas, Boston University).

What should a good reply include?

Google's own advice for business owners is a useful checklist (Google Business Profile Help). In practice, a good reply to a negative review has five parts:

1. Thank the guest and use their name. Google suggests addressing the reviewer by name and acknowledging their specific feedback.
2. Name the actual problem. "We're sorry the air conditioning in your room failed on the second night" shows you read the review. "We're sorry for any inconvenience" shows you didn't.
3. Apologise where you were at fault. Google notes that a genuine apology "can go a long way in rebuilding trust", and that you should acknowledge mistakes but not take responsibility for things outside your control.
4. Say what you did about it. One sentence on what has changed is worth more than a paragraph of regret.
5. Take it offline. Give a direct email or phone number and invite the guest to continue the conversation privately.

Keep it short. Google's advice is that customers value direct and honest responses, and that people may stop reading a reply that is too long.

What should you never write in a reply?

• The guest's personal details. No room numbers, dates of stay, booking details or anything else that identifies them. Google says never to share a reviewer's private information, and its content policy does not allow posting personal information without consent (Google Maps User Generated Content Policy).
• Arguments or accusations. Even if the review is unfair, a defensive reply reads worse to the next guest than the review itself. Correct a factual error once, calmly, and stop.
• Promotions. Google advises being "conversational, not promotional" and not using replies to offer deals.
• A copy-paste answer. The same text under every review tells readers nobody is listening.
• Offers in exchange for removing the review. Google does not allow merchants to offer payment, discounts or free services in exchange for removing a negative review (same source).

What does a good reply look like?

An example for a typical complaint about noise and a slow check-in:

"Dear Anna, thank you for taking the time to write this. You're right that check-in on a busy Saturday took far too long, and we're sorry your first evening started that way. We have since added a second person at reception on changeover days. We're also sorry about the noise from the road. Rooms on the garden side are quieter, and we now offer them first to guests who ask for a quiet room. If you'd like to tell us more, please write to me directly at our reservations email. Maria, Guest Relations"

The hotel, the guest and the changes are invented for the example. The reply thanks, names both problems, apologises without excuses, says what changed and moves the conversation to email. It is around 90 words.

How fast should you reply?

As soon as you can reply calmly. Google notes that a prompt response shows you value customer feedback (Google Business Profile Help). In practice: read the review, check the facts with the team, then reply within a day or two. A reply written in anger in the first ten minutes is the one most likely to make things worse.

On Google, your reply is checked before it appears. Google says this usually takes up to 10 minutes but can sometimes take up to 30 days, and once approved, the reply is posted publicly under the review (Google Business Profile Help).

Can you get a bad review removed?

Only if it breaks the platform's rules. On Google, you can report any review, but only those that violate Google's policies are eligible for removal. Google says not to report a review just because you disagree with it, and that it doesn't get involved in conflicts between businesses and customers (Google Business Profile Help).

Reviews worth reporting are, for example, fake reviews, reviews from people with a conflict of interest such as former employees, or reviews with offensive or personal content. Everything else is answered, not removed.

European law points the same way from the other side. Since 28 May 2022, the EU's consumer rules treat commissioning false reviews to promote products as always unfair, and a business that shows reviews must say whether and how it checks that they come from real customers (EUR-Lex, Directive (EU) 2019/2161). Buying good reviews to bury a bad one is not an option.

Should you reply to positive reviews too?

Yes. The same Tripadvisor survey found that 63% of respondents would be more likely to book a hotel or restaurant if the owner responded to the majority of reviews (Tripadvisor). A short, personal thank-you under good reviews also makes your reply to a bad one look like part of a habit, not damage control.

Reviews are part of the same picture as your website and your listings. If guests read your reviews before they visit your site, it is worth checking why hotel websites lose direct bookings too.

Vibrande is a digital marketing agency in Rhodes, Greece, working mostly with hotels and hospitality brands across Rhodes and the Dodecanese. If you want reviews and messages answered every day in your voice, our Social Media service includes community management. Tell us where you're at.