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How to answer a bad hotel review on Google
A bad review is not a verdict on your hotel. It is a question the next guest is asking: how do they handle it when something goes wrong? This is how to answer a bad hotel review so that the next guest likes the answer.
Why the reply matters more than the review
The guest who wrote it has already left. The people who read your reply have not booked yet. They are comparing you with the hotel down the street, and a reply is where they see how you deal with a problem. Google puts it simply in its own advice to businesses: replying to reviews shows that you value your customers' feedback.
The shape of a reply that works
- Thank the guest, by name if they gave one.
- Name the actual problem in their words: the noise, the slow check-in, the cold breakfast.
- Say sorry for their experience, without arguing about it.
- Say what you are doing about it, but only if it is true and you will really do it.
- Invite them to contact you directly, and sign with a real name.
Dear Laura, thank you for your stay and for the kind words about the room and our breakfast. I am sorry the noise from the street kept you awake, that is not the night we want for you. We hope to welcome you back. Anna
Four things never to write
- Anything about the guest's booking, room number or personal details. A public reply is public.
- An offer of money, a free night or a discount. If you want to make something good, do it privately.
- An argument about who was right. Even when you are right, the next guest only sees a hotel that argues.
- A template. Guests recognise the same three sentences under every review.
When the review is not true
Sometimes a review describes a stay that never happened, or is plainly about another hotel. Answer calmly and briefly, for the readers, without accusing anyone, and report the review to Google from your Business Profile. Google removes reviews that break its rules; a review you simply disagree with usually stays.
Only Google reviews are answered on Google
A hotel's Google profile also shows scores and reviews from sites like Booking.com and Tripadvisor. Those you answer on those sites, not on Google.