As a short-term vacation rental host, guest reviews are the best way to determine if all the hard work you’ve put into your property is paying off. Oftentimes reviews are honest, kind, and appreciative — and can feature small nuggets of information you can use to improve your property. Sometimes you just need to see your rental through the eyes of your guests!
And with platforms like Airbnb putting reviews at the forefront, understanding and leveraging this feedback can make all the difference in the success of your rental property.
Let’s take a closer look at how you can turn guest reviews into valuable opportunities for improvement so you can enhance your guests’ experience, boost your property’s performance, and get more 5-star reviews.
Why Reviews Are So Important
Guest reviews offer valuable insights into what your guests loved about their stay — and where improvements can be made. What’s more, positive reviews can attract more bookings, while negative reviews will deter potential guests.
As a host, you have to embrace the praise and criticism and use both to determine ways you can upgrade your property. You won’t be able to please everyone all of the time, but you can work toward it!
To get started, you need to begin looking at your reviews with a more discerning eye. Determine whether there are any common themes or recurring issues: is there consistent feedback about cleanliness? Do people love the location but mention noise issues? When you can identify these patterns, you can pinpoint specific areas for improvement and prioritize your efforts.
How and When to Implement Changes
Now that you’ve analyzed your recent reviews it’s time to identify what you can actually start improving on.
Pay attention to feedback that has the greatest impact on your guests’ experience and can be realistically addressed. This could mean upgrading amenities, handling maintenance issues, or bettering your communication. Your best bet is to focus on complaints you see coming up consistently — if two or three people mention the same thing, start there.
Now that you’ve identified the things you need to change, it’s time to come up with a plan to tackle them. Outline the steps to implement your desired changes — you may need to bring on the help of a trusted service provider (like us!) or a property manager if you have one. Remember to set realistic timelines and goals so that you don’t overwhelm yourself or your team.
Then, once you’ve made the changes, let former and future guests know! Add a note in your STR listing about the recent improvements. It’s a great way to show them you care and are paying attention to their reviews.
Examples of Improvements to Make
All of this talk about reviews, changes, and improvements, you’re likely wondering what exactly to look out for when analyzing your reviews.
- Cleaning standards: Some guests have mentioned that they found the property to be not as clean as expected upon arrival. This is a great opportunity to take a second look at your cleaning protocol. If you haven’t already, consider hiring professional cleaners who specialize in vacation rentals. Provide them with detailed checklists so that every aspect of your property is thoroughly cleaned and sanitized between guest stays. Regularly look in on the property yourself, or enlist the help of a property manager to ensure that cleaning standards are consistently maintained.
- Noise concerns: You can’t control your neighbors, but you can control how you combat noise disturbances. If reviews consistently mention noise concerns, invest in soundproofing like double-glazed windows or heavy curtains. You could also provide a white noise machine or earplug in the bedroom to help your guests sleep better. You may also want to have a chat with your neighbors about quiet hours if you feel comfortable approaching them.
- Communication: If you’ve seen that some guests are frustrated with slow response times, you need to work on your communication. There are easy ways to set up automated messages to take care of common questions about check-in instructions or Wi-Fi passwords. Otherwise, it’s up to you to respond to quest messages promptly — this small change can go a really long way!
- Amenities: These must-haves and extras will make or break your guest experience. If guests mention a missing coffee maker or hairdryer, take these suggestions as cues to invest in them. Look into the best amenities to have in a STR vacation rental then stock up.
- Local recs: Your property’s location may be top-notch, but have you shared specific things to do in the area with your guests? Your local perspective can quickly take your property from ordinary to extraordinary. Add a comprehensive “locals only” guidebook to your welcome basket, and encourage your guests to reach out with any questions.
When you embrace guest feedback and identify areas for improvement, you’ll differentiate your vacation rental from the competition and make your property an overall better place to stay. Make it your goal to consistently upgrade your STR and watch as the bookings roll in!
This content originally appeared in our twice-monthly Guest Book newsletter.
