No, home-stay reviews open only after a booked stay or a host cancellation on check-in day.
Wondering if you can post feedback on a place you never actually slept in? On Airbnb, reviews are tied to real reservations. The system opens the review window after checkout, and in one special case when a host cancels on the calendar date the stay would have begun. Everything else sits outside the rules. This guide breaks down what counts as a qualifying experience, when the review clock starts, and smart ways to share feedback when you didn’t end up staying.
How Airbnb Reviews Work For Stays
Airbnb designed reviews to reflect real stays. Guests and hosts write feedback in a two-sided system. Each side gets a limited window to submit, and both publish together. The idea is simple: feedback should describe what happened with that booking, not hearsay or unrelated complaints.
What Triggers The Review Window
For homes, the window opens after the reservation reaches checkout. If the host cancels on the day of check-in, the guest can still post a review based on what they experienced up to that point, like messages, access issues, or a last-minute cancel notice. If a guest cancels before the date flips to check-in, no review window opens for that guest for that booking. Hosts can review guests after a confirmed stay reaches checkout; if the guest never checks in and cancels early, the host review window does not open.
Fast Reference: Who Can Review When?
The table below gives quick yes/no answers for common situations. It lives up top so you can confirm your case at a glance.
| Scenario | Guest Can Review? | Host Can Review? |
|---|---|---|
| Completed stay reaches checkout | Yes (within review window) | Yes (within review window) |
| Host cancels on check-in date (after 12:00 AM host time) | Yes (limited to what actually happened) | No (no guest stay occurred) |
| Guest cancels before check-in date | No | No |
| Guest no-shows; reservation still reaches checkout | No | Yes |
| Reservation altered to new dates and then completed | Yes | Yes |
| Third party who never booked tries to review | No (no review access) | — |
Posting An Airbnb Review Without A Stay: Rules That Apply
Airbnb wants reviews tied to genuine bookings. That means you can’t post a home review unless the platform recognizes a finished reservation or a check-in-day host cancellation. You can’t leave feedback on a listing you only messaged about, toured, or considered. You also can’t post a review for a place your friend booked under their account unless you were the official guest and that booking reached the required milestone.
What Counts As Experience You Can Rate
When a host cancels on the calendar date the stay begins, you may still rate aspects you actually encountered. That could be message response times, clarity of directions, or a sudden cancel that upended your plan. You can’t rate a bed you never slept in or amenities you never used. Keep the comments on what happened during the lead-up to arrival and the check-in process that never materialized.
Experiences And Services Are Different
Airbnb also lists services and experiences. For those, only guests leave reviews and they do so after the session ends. If a session gets canceled outright with no attendance, reviews usually don’t open. That separate track doesn’t change the rules for homes, where both sides review only after a qualifying trigger.
Timing, Windows, And Deadlines
The review window opens after checkout (or after a check-in-day host cancel) and stays open for a short period. Both sides can submit during that time. Once both reviews are in, they go live together. If only one side writes, it publishes when the window closes. Miss the window and you can’t add a review later.
What Happens If You Never Checked In
If you canceled before the calendar reached check-in, the system will not invite you to leave a review. If the host canceled on the date of arrival, you will see the option to rate your experience. If you didn’t arrive but the booking still counted as a stay through checkout (a no-show), the host can review you, but you cannot review the place.
How To Share Feedback If You Didn’t Stay
No review window? You still have ways to give input without posting a public star rating.
Message The Host
You can send a brief, constructive note. Keep it specific. Point to the issue you faced, such as late access info or unclear directions. Good hosts log this and adjust their prep for the next guest.
Contact Airbnb Support For Policy Issues
If something crossed a line, like misleading listing details or a safety problem, contact support through the app. Use screenshots and precise timestamps. If the host canceled on the date of arrival and you did not see a review option, support can confirm whether your case qualifies.
Report A Review That Doesn’t Belong
Hosts who receive a rating from someone who never stayed should request a check. Reviews need to match a real reservation. If the feedback doesn’t link to an eligible booking or strays into areas that break content rules, Airbnb can remove it after review.
Mid-Trip Issues: Leaving Early Or Moving Out
Sometimes guests leave after the first night because of an issue and move elsewhere. As long as the booking reached checkout or the host canceled on the arrival date, you can submit a review. Keep your comments tied to what you used and saw. If you left before using certain amenities, skip rating those parts.
What You Can And Can’t Say In A Review
Airbnb expects reviews to be honest, based on personal experience, and free of threats or off-platform demands. Keep your language factual, avoid private information, and stick to what happened with that booking. Hosts can reply publicly, so clarity helps readers understand both sides.
Policy Links You May Need
Two resources are worth a quick read if you want the official wording. The first explains when feedback is allowed and what belongs in it. See the Reviews Policy. The second covers the special case when a host cancels on the date the stay would have started. See leaving a review after a host cancellation. Both pages come straight from the Help Center.
Real-World Scenarios With Clear Answers
I Messaged A Host, Then Booked Elsewhere. Can I Review?
No. Messaging doesn’t create a review window. Reviews require a qualifying reservation.
The Host Canceled The Night Before Arrival. Is A Review Possible?
If the cancel hit after the date rolled to check-in (12:00 AM host time), yes. If it was earlier, no.
I Canceled A Week Before Arrival. Can I Post My Thoughts?
No. Early guest cancellations don’t open reviews for homes.
I Showed Up, But Access Info Never Arrived. What Then?
If the host cancel happened on the date of arrival, you can review. If not, contact support for help with the booking and refund path.
The Listing Wasn’t As Described, So I Left. Can I Review?
Yes, if the booking progressed to checkout or the host canceled on the date of arrival. Comment only on what you actually used or saw.
For Hosts: Keeping Reviews Fair
Hosts can reduce messy edges by sending access steps well before arrival, keeping calendars synced, and avoiding day-of cancels. When a guest cancels early, no review window opens, which avoids mismatched feedback. If a guest fails to arrive and the calendar carries through checkout, the host can leave a factual note for other hosts, but the guest cannot rate the place.
When To Ask For Removal
Request a removal when a posted review is about a stay that never happened, includes private data, uses threats to gain refunds, or strays off the booking. Link your request to the reservation record and quote the parts that break the rules.
Tips For Writing A Helpful Review
When you do have a valid window, aim for clarity and specifics. Short, punchy lines help readers make a decision. Mention timing, cleanliness, noise, temperature control, mattress comfort, and accuracy of the listing photos. If you had to contact the host for help, note the response time and whether the fix worked. Skip topics you can’t personally confirm.
Star Ratings That Map To Reality
Use five stars when the place met or exceeded expectations for the price and location. Four stars fit minor hiccups that didn’t affect sleep quality or safety. Three stars and below are for stays where problems affected rest, access, or basic function. Pair the stars with one or two crisp sentences that explain why.
Edge Cases You Might Wonder About
Not every case fits neatly into a rule, so here are quick calls on tricky corners.
- Third-party bookings: If someone else books under their account, only that account gets review access.
- Altered dates: If you move the stay by agreement and the revised booking completes, reviews open as usual.
- Partial refunds or credits: Refunds don’t change review eligibility. Only the booking status matters.
- Account issues: If an account gets suspended or a booking is voided by support before check-in day, reviews don’t open.
- Group trips: Only the traveler who booked can submit the guest review.
What To Do When A Review Feels Off
Hosts and guests can write a short public reply to give context. That reply sits under the original review. If the content crosses policy lines, file a removal request with the reservation code and a clear note about which rule is in play. Keep copies of message threads and time stamps to help the review team connect the dots.
Table: Actions After A Disputed Review
Use this second table when a review appears and something feels wrong. It maps common next steps to the right path.
| Action | Who Can Do It | What It Does |
|---|---|---|
| Post a public response | Host or guest | Adds context under the review so readers see both sides |
| Request removal for a policy breach | Host or guest | Flags content that breaks review rules for team review |
| Report private info or threats | Host or guest | Triggers a policy check for privacy or extortion issues |
| Ask support about eligibility | Host or guest | Confirms if a review should exist based on booking status |
| Edit before publishing | Original author | Allows small fixes only until the review goes live |
Bottom Line For Travelers
Public ratings shape trust only when they reflect real stays. If your trip reached checkout or the host canceled on arrival day, you can weigh in. If you canceled early, save your feedback for a private note or a message to support. Keep comments tight, stick to facts you saw with your own eyes, and skip ratings for things you never used.
Bottom Line For Hosts
Keep calendars accurate, send clear check-in steps ahead of time, and avoid day-of cancels. That protects your ratings and keeps the review flow clean. When you see a review tied to no stay, ask for a policy check. When you receive fair but tough feedback, reply with calm facts and show what changed for the next traveler.
Quick FAQ-Style Clarifiers (No Extra Pages Needed)
Can Someone Review A Listing They Only Toured?
No. Tours or pre-booking visits don’t create a review option.
Can A Co-Traveler Post A Separate Review?
No. Only the account that booked can submit the guest review for homes.
Do Experiences Follow The Same Rules?
No. For experiences and services, only guests review, and only after the session ends.
Final Checks Before You Hit Post
- Confirm your booking reached checkout or the host canceled on the arrival date.
- Stick to what you actually used or saw. Skip speculation.
- Use short sentences with clear details like times, steps, and outcomes.
- Avoid private data, threats, or off-platform disputes.
- Submit within the review window so your feedback counts.
That’s it. If your case fits the allowed windows, add your voice. If not, use messages and support to share feedback and keep travel safer for the next person.