A useful Airbnb review for guests gives the next host a fair account of the stay. Keep it brief, describe behaviour you can verify and adapt any template to the actual reservation. A warm review does not need a string of superlatives; a critical one needs facts rather than labels.
This guide is for London hosts writing a review about a guest after a home stay. If you need to reply to feedback about your property, see our separate guide to handling a bad Airbnb review.
Start with a simple three-part structure
For an uneventful booking, two or three sentences are usually enough:
- Communication: mention a relevant, observed detail, such as clear arrival updates.
- Care and house rules: describe how the flat was left and whether agreed instructions were followed.
- Closing: say whether you would welcome the guest again, if that reflects your experience.
Do not fill every section if you lack evidence. A host who did not meet the guest can still use reservation messages and a confirmed checkout report. Avoid claiming that someone was quiet, spotless or respectful of neighbours simply because nobody complained.
Five Airbnb guest review templates to adapt
These are fictional examples, not accounts of StayinLondon guests. Use only the statements that match your own booking. Replace the bracketed name before submitting.
1. A straightforward positive stay
[Guest name] communicated clearly before arrival and followed our checkout instructions. The flat was left tidy, and we would be happy to welcome them again.
This works when both your message history and the checkout report support it. Replace “tidy” with a more specific observation if that would help another host.
2. You hosted remotely
Although we did not meet in person, communication with [Guest name] was straightforward. Our checkout check confirmed that the keys were returned as arranged and the flat was left in good order.
For a London flat managed by an owner, cleaner and co-host, make sure someone has actually completed that check. A scheduled cleaning visit is not a completed inspection.
3. The guest reported a small issue helpfully
[Guest name] let us know promptly about a small maintenance issue and communicated clearly while we arranged a repair. They followed the checkout arrangements, and we would welcome them back.
Use this only where the account is accurate. A guest reporting a fault is not evidence that they caused it. Leave out details that are unnecessary to explain the hosting experience.
4. The stay had a confirmed checkout problem
Communication before arrival was clear. However, the keys were not returned to the agreed place at checkout, and we needed to arrange their collection. Future stays would benefit from closer attention to the departure instructions.
Check that the guest received clear instructions and that the key-return route worked. If the host sent conflicting directions, address that operational failure before attributing the problem to the guest.
5. A rule breach affected the stay
The booking was for two guests, but four people stayed overnight without an agreed change to the reservation. We discussed the occupancy limit during the stay. I would not host this booking again.
This example requires confirmed facts, not a guess based on extra towels or a neighbour's unverified impression. Describe what happened without insults, speculation about motives or sweeping claims about someone's character.
Check the evidence before choosing your wording
Use a short internal handover so the person submitting the review does not rely on memory:
- Reservation messages: were arrival, access and departure arrangements clear on both sides?
- Checkout report: what did the cleaner or inspector actually observe, and when?
- Agreed rules: which relevant instruction was communicated before the problem occurred?
- Uncertainty: is a missing item still being checked, or has the team confirmed what happened?
- Review owner: who will approve the wording and submit it before the deadline?
Keep normal turnover work separate from a genuine problem. Used bedding, towels and ordinary cleaning are expected after a stay. Compare any concern with your communicated checkout instructions and house rules, rather than inventing a stricter standard afterwards.
Keep ratings, public feedback and private notes consistent
Airbnb's guide to reviews from hosts explains that hosts can rate guests for cleanliness, house rules and communication. A public review appears on the guest's profile; a direct note is visible to the guest and Airbnb.
Read the wording alongside the ratings before submitting. If a material problem affected your assessment, explain it proportionately rather than writing enthusiastic praise that contradicts a low score. Private feedback can carry a practical suggestion, but the public review should still give a fair account.
Know the review deadline and publication timing
For home stays, Airbnb gives hosts and guests 14 days from checkout to write a review. Reviews become public when both sides have submitted, or when that window ends, whichever happens first. Use the deadline shown in the reservation rather than leaving the task to a last-minute diary reminder.
Set an internal reminder after the checkout report is available, with enough time to clarify uncertainties. Withholding your review does not stop the guest's submitted review appearing when the period ends.
Avoid pressure, private details and unresolved accusations
Airbnb's Reviews Policy prohibits manipulating or pressuring people over reviews, including exchanging a review for a discount, refund or reciprocal positive feedback. Handle any complaint or reimbursement request on its own merits; do not use your review as bargaining power.
Its Content Policy also prohibits publicly disclosing private information. Leave addresses, access codes, contact details and unrelated personal circumstances out of the review. If damage is suspected, preserve the evidence and use the appropriate support process. A public review is not a substitute for investigating what happened.
Make guest reviews part of a reliable handover
Keep a template library for structure, then have a person check each review against the reservation. Automatic praise written before the flat has been checked can misrepresent the stay. Assign one review owner so a co-host and an owner do not assume the other has dealt with it.
StayinLondon's Airbnb management service in London brings guest communication, cleaning and day-to-day property operations together. If you are considering professional management, request a property assessment to discuss the support your home needs.
Platform guidance checked on 22 October 2026. Follow the current Airbnb review form and Help Centre guidance if the process changes.
