Airbnb Review Templates for Hosts: What to Write About a Guest

"Airbnb review templates" means two different things depending on which side of the conversation you're writing. Most guides cover asking guests to review you — we've got that covered in our guide to getting more 5-star reviews. This page is the other direction: what to actually write when you're reviewing a guest.

Below are templates for the four situations that come up most — including the one nobody wants to write, the honest review of a guest you wouldn't host again.

The rules worth knowing before you write anything

• You have 14 days after checkout. Airbnb's review system is double-blind: both sides have 14 days to submit, neither can see the other's review until both are in (or the window closes), and then both publish at once. Miss the window and your review doesn't post.
• Keep it concise. Airbnb caps guest reviews of listings at 1,000 characters; treat that as the ceiling for host reviews of guests too, though 2–4 honest sentences read better than a review that uses the full limit.
• Public review and private feedback are separate. The public review is what future hosts see on the guest's profile. Private feedback is visible only to the guest — use it for anything constructive you'd rather not put on their public record.
• The double-blind system exists to stop retaliation. You can't see what the guest wrote about you before you submit, so write what actually happened.

Template 1 — Great guest, no notes

When to use: the easy case — clean, on time, communicative, no issues.

{guest_name} was a fantastic guest — communicative before arrival, left the place spotless, and followed the house rules without any issues. {Optional specific detail}. Would host again without hesitation.

Template 2 — Good stay, one minor note

When to use: nothing serious enough to mention publicly, but worth flagging privately so the next host knows.

Public review:

{guest_name} was a good guest overall — respectful of the space and easy to communicate with. Would host again.

Private feedback (guest sees this, no one else does):

Everything about your stay was great — just one small note for next time: {checkout was a bit past the agreed time / a couple more dishes than usual were left in the sink}. Not a big deal at all, just flagging it. Thanks again for staying!

Customization tip: This split is the single most underused feature of the review system. A minor gripe doesn't need to follow a guest publicly forever.

Template 3 — Long-term or monthly stay

{guest_name} stayed with us for {duration} and treated the place like their own home — respectful of the space, low-maintenance, and a pleasure to have as a longer-term guest. Left everything in great condition at move-out. Would happily host again for another extended stay.

Template 4 — A guest you wouldn't host again

When to use: real issues — house rule violations, damage, unauthorized guests, disrespect toward you or neighbors. Write it factually, not angrily.

{guest_name}'s stay had some issues we want to be transparent about: {specific factual issue — e.g., "the group exceeded the listed occupancy without notice" or "checkout was several hours past the agreed time despite a reminder message"}. {Optional neutral close}. We wouldn't host this guest again.

Customization tip: Stick to what happened, not how it made you feel — "exceeded occupancy" holds up as fact; "terrible guest" reads as opinion. If something rose to the level of property damage or a safety issue, that belongs in an Airbnb resolution case first — the review documents the outcome, it isn't the venue for resolving it.

What not to put in a review

• Don't negotiate. Offering a guest a better review in exchange for something violates Airbnb's review policy.
• Don't include personal or discriminatory comments. Keep it to the stay.
• Don't threaten a bad review mid-stay. Using a future review as leverage during the stay is against Airbnb's guidelines. Handle the issue directly instead — see our guide to the messages hosts dread.

What about asking guests to review you?

That's a genuinely different message — our message templates library has that exact script (Template 11), along with a follow-up thank-you for guests who leave a great review. The short version: review the guest first, then ask — since reviews are hidden until both sides submit, going first is free goodwill.

Writing thoughtful reviews (of guests) and getting thoughtful reviews (from guests) both take a few minutes per stay, multiplied by every booking you take. HostReply doesn't write your guest reviews for you — that judgment call stays with you — but it does handle the routine messaging around a stay (check-in, mid-stay, checkout, review requests) so reviewing the guest is the only step left on your plate. It connects live via Hospitable or OwnerRez, costs $19/property/month, and has a 14-day free trial.

FAQ

How long do I have to review a guest on Airbnb?

14 days from checkout. Reviews are double-blind — you and the guest each have 14 days to submit, neither sees the other's review until both are in or the window closes, and then both publish at the same time. There's no extension after the window closes.

Is there a character limit on Airbnb reviews?

Airbnb has confirmed a 1,000-character cap on guest reviews of listings; host reviews of guests are similarly bounded in practice. Either way, 2–4 specific, honest sentences read better than a review padded out to the limit.

What's the difference between a public review and private feedback?

The public review shows on the guest's profile for future hosts to see. Private feedback is visible only to the guest — it's the right place for a minor note that isn't worth following someone's profile around forever.

Can I write a negative review of a guest?

Yes — reviews are meant to be honest, and future hosts rely on accurate ones. Stick to specific, factual issues rather than characterizations, and route anything that needs a resolution (damage, safety) through an Airbnb case rather than trying to settle it in the review text.

Should I ask a guest to review me before I review them?

Review them first. Since the system is double-blind, submitting your review doesn't reveal it to the guest or affect what they write — it just means you've already extended the goodwill when you do ask.

Can I edit or delete a review after I submit it?

Airbnb allows very limited post-submission changes and generally won't remove a review just because a host reconsiders its tone — which is exactly why it's worth writing calmly the first time, ideally a day after checkout.