Before making the decision to book, most guests read reviews to ensure they’ll get the most out of their stays.
NB: This is an article from Revinate
While reviews are written by and for guests, you also have an opportunity to join the conversation. It’s important for hoteliers to not only encourage guests to write a review so others can read them, but also respond to reviews so past guests will feel heard.
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Many hoteliers are already quick to address negative hotel reviews and mixed hotel reviews, but it’s also key to respond to a positive hotel review – there are actually some benefits that you can gain from doing so. Below, you’ll find some best practices on how to respond to hotel reviews.
General tips for responding to reviews (not just positive hotel reviews)
Before we dive into the best practices for responding to a positive review, let’s quickly go over the general response tips:
- Responses should come from the general manager or management team
- Respond to negative feedback within 24 hours
- Be sincere, polite, and professional
- Put yourself in the guest’s shoes
- Make sure to personalize every response
4 best practices on how to respond to positive reviews
Now that you’re caught up on some overarching tips for responding to a guest review, it’s time to focus specifically on replying to positive hotel reviews. Check out these 4 best practices.
1. Be personal and genuine
This guest took the time to write a glowing review for your property. That’s a high compliment. So, be sure to address them by their name and express genuine gratitude in your response. You can also keep it pretty short.
2. Highlight some of the positive comments
Did the guest’s positive hotel review mention anything specific about their stay? Whether it was the delicious meal they had at your hotel restaurant or the stunning view from their room, the guest likely highlighted something in particular.
Consider this your chance to highlight some of those positive comments. This way, you’re also helping to turn the enthusiastic guest into a loyal promoter. And it gives future guests something special to look into when they’re doing their own research.
3. Give credit to your excellent staff
You already know that nothing is possible without your staff. So, when guests include something specific in their reviews, it also gives you the opportunity to shine a spotlight on your team members both in the response and during internal meetings.
If a guest highlighted a delicious dinner at your hotel restaurant, be sure to mention your restaurant in the response. And make sure to mention this during an internal meeting as well. Give your staff the appreciation that they deserve in front of their peers — you may make their day.
4. Know which reviews you need to respond to
Our recommendations for responding to hotel reviews include that you respond to 50% of the 5-star reviews and 4-stars reviews within a 2-day period. It’s not just that managers lack the time to respond to all positive hotel reviews, either. Responding to all positive reviews may come across disingenuous and repetitive. You should allocate more time responding to the negative and mixed reviews as they have more points that you should address publicly.
Positive hotel review response example
Here’s an example of a response to a glowing review that highlighted some of the unique aspects of the hotel. It’s a good reminder that if you’re not able to respond to all of your positive reviews, you should select the ones that really stand out.
A manager might respond like this:
Hello awwasti,
Thank you for choosing our hotel, and for taking the time to write a review! We are so glad to hear that you enjoyed your accommodations, as well as the guided docent tour through our museum galleries. Our hotel aims to provide a truly unique experience, and we are thrilled that we were able to exceed your expectations. We look forward to welcoming you back to our hotel in the future.
Sincerely,
Gerry L | General Manager
Ready to start responding to positive hotel reviews?
Positive hotel reviews are exciting. They’re tangible proof that you’re doing a great job of making sure that your guests have the best experience possible at your property. So, make sure that you allocate enough time to address them and express your gratitude.
It’s also helpful to have a guest feedback solution that aggregates all your online reviews onto one platform. This way, you only have to go to one place to respond to everything.
