On Airbnb, leave a guest review from your Trips > Past stay, add star ratings and a short comment within 14 days of checkout.
Hosts want clean, safe stays and clear records. Reviews help other hosts decide fast and keep guests accountable. This guide shows the exact screens, timing, and wording that make a fair assessment without drama.
Reviewing A Guest On Airbnb: Step-By-Step
Here’s a quick path that works on both the website and the app. Follow these steps right after checkout while details are fresh.
- Open Trips on the website or app.
- Tap the Past tab and choose the finished reservation.
- Select Leave a review.
- Give star ratings for categories, then write a concise public comment.
- Add private notes to the guest if you’d like.
- Submit. You can edit only while the 14-day window is open.
Where You Click To Leave The Review
The paths differ a bit by device. Use this table to jump straight to the right spot.
| Platform | Menu Path | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Website | Menu > Trips > Past > Reservation > Leave a review | Works on desktop and mobile browsers. |
| iOS App | Profile > Trips > Past > Reservation > Leave a review | Keep the app updated for the latest screens. |
| Android App | Profile > Trips > Past > Reservation > Leave a review | Menu labels can vary by device model. |
Deadlines, Visibility, And What Guests See
You get 14 days after checkout to submit. Your words stay hidden until both sides post or the window closes. After that, both reviews publish together.
Guests see your star ratings and public comment on their profile.
Airbnb explains the timing and release rules on how reviews work.
What To Write In The Public Comment
Two or three short lines are enough. Stick to clear facts that would help another host make a booking decision. Keep it calm, specific, and neutral in tone.
Good Comment Template
“Stayed two nights, easy check-in, left the studio tidy. Followed house rules, quiet after 10 p.m., quick replies. I’d host again.”
Words And Details That Help
- Arrival timing and communication speed.
- Rule awareness: smoking, pets, parties, visitor count.
- Care of the space: dishes, trash, linens, thermostat.
- Noise, parking, shared-space manners.
- Any damage and how it was resolved.
What To Avoid In A Review
Keep out private data, hate speech, threats, and content about ongoing legal issues. Skip personal digs. Focus on the stay and facts you can back up with messages or photos. Airbnb’s rules list what is and isn’t allowed on the content policy page.
Tone: Fair, Brief, And Useful
Write for other hosts first. They don’t need a story; they need facts that predict a smooth stay. Be brief, but include the key details that drive your rating. Long rants push readers away and can lead to disputes.
Balance When Things Went Wrong
If a stay had issues, lay out what happened in clear order. State the rule, the slip, and the fix. Keep names and phone numbers out of it.
Sample Wording
“Party noise on the first night. We sent a message at 10:15 p.m.; music stopped at 10:28 p.m. No more issues. Would host again with a reminder on quiet hours.”
Private Feedback: When And How To Use It
Private notes go only to the guest. Use them when you want to help them earn better stays next time. Keep it kind and direct. One or two sentences is enough.
Ideas: remind about parking signs, trash day, or how to use the lockbox. Praise also belongs here; guests read it and learn what matters to hosts.
Editing, Removing, And Disputing Reviews
Edits are open during the 14-day window. After that, only Airbnb can remove text that breaks policy. If a review crosses a clear line, flag it from the reservation page. Use calm, factual notes and upload proof. The content team checks it against the written rules linked above.
Protecting Yourself Before You Ever Need To Write
Good prep leads to good stays and easy reviews. Send a short pre-arrival message with house rules and parking. Add photos to your listing that match the space. Leave a printed checklist on the counter. Those steps cut confusion and help you rate guests fairly.
Before You Write: Proof To Save During The Stay
Facts beat opinions. Save a clean-room photo set before each arrival. Keep message threads inside Airbnb so timestamps and read status sit on record. Snap quick photos of any issue the moment you find it. Keep screenshots with dates attached for clarity.
- Pre-arrival photos: kitchen, bath, living area, beds, thermostat.
- Arrival note: lock code, parking map, quiet hours, trash plan.
- Checkout: photos of the same angles you took before arrival.
Damage Claims And Reviews: Different Paths
Payment issues go through the Resolution Center. Reviews are not the place to argue about money. You can still leave clear facts in the public comment while you run a claim. Keep both lanes clean and calm.
How To Phrase It
“Broken lamp reported at checkout; claim filed in the Resolution Center. Guest replied fast and paid the invoice.”
Handling Edge Cases Without Guesswork
Noisy Neighbors, Not The Guest
Pin the source. If the building was loud but the guest followed rules, say so: “Street noise on Friday; guest was quiet and courteous.”
Guests New To The Platform
New profiles can still be great. Rate the stay you had, not the lack of prior reviews. If you coached them on check-in, mention the result.
Third-Party Bookings
Only the person who books should stay. If someone else arrives, state it in the review and message Airbnb through the trip page.
Saved Reply Snippets For Faster Reviews
Speed matters when you host often. Keep a few short blurbs ready and paste them into the review box, then tailor a line or two.
- “Polite and tidy, followed house notes, simple checkout.”
- “Late arrival, shared updates by message, smooth handoff.”
- “Extra visitor joined; rule link sent and followed.”
- “Trash and dishes left; added a cleaning fee per listing terms.”
Star Rating Calibration For Hosts
Use the same yardstick for every trip. Here’s a simple scale that keeps ratings steady across stays.
- 5 stars: spotless, quick replies, all rules followed.
- 4 stars: minor slips fixed fast.
- 3 stars: repeat reminders or extra cleaning needed.
- 2 stars: rule breaks or damage that needed claims.
- 1 star: unsafe behavior or major breach.
How Star Ratings Work For Guests
Star ratings give a quick snapshot. Use the same standard for every guest so your profile stays consistent. These notes show what each area covers and the kind of proof that helps.
| Category | What To Check | Host Tips |
|---|---|---|
| Cleanliness | Left the place tidy, dishes washed, bins used, sheets in good shape. | Keep a pre-clean photo set to compare after checkout. |
| Communication | Replied fast, read instructions, asked clear questions, shared ETA. | Note message timestamps to back up your rating. |
| House Rules | No smoking where banned, no extra guests, pet rules followed. | Link rules in the message thread before arrival. |
When You Should Skip Hosting Again
You control future bookings. If a guest left damage, broke safety rules, or was abusive in messages, it’s fine to pass on future requests. Keep your message short: “Thanks for reaching out. I’m not able to host again.” No more detail is required.
Wording Swaps That Keep You Out Of Trouble
Strong claims can create friction. These swaps keep the tone calm and factual while still clear to future hosts.
- Swap “trashy and loud” for “food left out; late noise on night one, stopped after message.”
- Swap “lied about guests” for “three visitors joined; booking was for two.”
- Swap “ignored rules” for “smoked on patio; rule link was sent at booking.”
Timing And Edit Window At A Glance
- Reviews open after the stay ends.
- You can edit during the 14-day window, unless the other side posts first.
- If a stay wasn’t canceled and shows as completed, you can still post.
- Private notes go only to the guest and stay off profiles.
Airbnb also emails a reminder on checkout morning, which starts the clock. Post soon while details are fresh. Set a calendar note on checkout day.
A Quick Checklist You Can Save
- Open Trips > Past > reservation.
- Rate cleanliness, communication, and rule fit.
- Write two to three lines with facts.
- Add a short private note.
- Submit within 14 days.