Airbnb Review Request Message Template: What to Send and When to Send It

Key Takeaways

A well-timed, friendly review request message can meaningfully increase your review rate on Airbnb without annoying guests. The goal is to feel like a genuine follow-up from a host who cared about their stay, not a automated nudge from a faceless system. Timing, tone, and brevity all matter more than you might think.

• Send your review request within 24 hours of checkout, before the post-trip glow fades.
• Keep it short, personal, and specific to their stay — generic messages get ignored.
• Leave your review of the guest first to encourage reciprocity.
• Airbnb only shows reviews after both parties post, so prompting guests matters.
• You can automate this message through tools like Hospitable or your Airbnb scheduled messages feature.

Why Your Review Request Message Actually Moves the Needle

We manage our own properties on Airbnb and Vrbo, and we used to just hope guests would leave reviews on their own. Some did. A lot didn't. Once we started sending a simple, friendly post-checkout message asking for a review, our review rate went up noticeably — not because the message was clever, but because most guests genuinely mean to leave a review and just forget. Life gets busy. Your message is a helpful reminder, not a sales pitch. The difference between a property with 12 reviews and one with 80 reviews is real money, because more social proof means more bookings at higher rates. That gap usually comes down to whether you asked or not.

The Template We Actually Use

Here is a post-checkout review request that feels human, stays short, and works. You can copy it directly or tweak it to match your property and voice.

Post-Checkout Review Request Template

Subject / Message Preview: Thanks for staying, [First Name]!

Hi [First Name],

It was great having you at [Property Name]. I hope the drive home was easy and that you got some rest after the trip.

I just left you a five-star review — you were exactly the kind of guest we love hosting.

If you have two minutes, we would really appreciate a review from your end. Reviews help other guests know what to expect, and they mean a lot to small, owner-operated properties like ours.

Thanks again, and I hope we see you back sometime.

[Your Name]

A few things worth noting about why this template is written the way it is. First, it mentions that you already reviewed them. Guests are more likely to return the favor when they know you went first. Second, it frames the ask around helping future guests and supporting a small operation, which is true and makes the request feel less transactional. Third, there is no pressure. You are not telling them what to write or asking for five stars explicitly, which would violate Airbnb's review policy.

When to Send It and How to Automate It

Timing makes a real difference here. Airbnb gives guests and hosts 14 days to leave a review after checkout, but the sweet spot for sending your request is within 12 to 24 hours of checkout. That is when the stay is still fresh and guests are most likely to act. Wait three or four days and the window starts closing fast.

Using Airbnb's Built-In Scheduled Messages

Airbnb has a built-in scheduled messaging feature inside the host dashboard that lets you trigger a message automatically after checkout. You set it once per listing and it fires on its own. It is not as flexible as third-party tools, but it works for hosts with one or two properties who do not want to manage extra software.

Using a Tool Like Hospitable or Hostfully

If you are running multiple listings or want more control over message sequencing, tools like Hospitable or Hostfully let you build full message flows. You can set a checkout message at the 20-hour mark, and if a guest has not reviewed by day seven, you can send a gentle follow-up. That second touchpoint alone can recover a meaningful number of reviews from guests who read the first message but got distracted. For more message types and scheduling strategies, check out our full guide on Airbnb automated messaging templates.

Common Mistakes That Kill Your Review Rate

We have seen hosts sabotage their own review rates with messages that are technically asking for a review but doing it in a way that puts guests off. Here are the patterns worth avoiding.

Asking Before You Review Them

Leave your review of the guest before sending the request. It takes 30 seconds and it signals reciprocity. When guests get a message that says "I just left you a great review," they feel a social nudge to do the same. If you ask without reviewing first, you lose that dynamic entirely.

Sending a Wall of Text

Nobody reads a seven-paragraph post-checkout email. The message above is intentionally short. Three short paragraphs is the ceiling. If you are including property tips, a discount code for next time, and a review request all in one message, break those into separate messages. The review request should stand alone so the ask is clear.

Being Overly Formal or Corporate

Messages that sound like they came from a hotel chain get skimmed and ignored. Guests stayed at your property because it was personal. Your message should sound like it came from a real person. Use the guest's first name, mention something specific about their stay if you can, and write the way you actually talk. "It was great having you" lands better than "We hope your stay met your expectations."

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I ask guests to leave a five-star review specifically?

No. Airbnb's review policy prohibits asking guests to leave a specific star rating or positive review. You can ask them to share their honest experience, but you cannot coach them on what to write or what rating to give. Violating this can result in review removal or account penalties. Keep your ask open-ended and genuine.

What if a guest had a minor issue during their stay?

Still send the message, but acknowledge the issue first if you handled it during the stay. Something like "Thanks for being patient about the WiFi hiccup on day two" shows you remember and care. Guests who felt heard often leave fair reviews even after small problems. Ignoring the issue and asking for a review anyway can feel tone-deaf.

How many review request messages should I send?

One message within 24 hours of checkout, and one gentle follow-up around day seven if they haven't reviewed yet. Two is the max. More than that crosses from friendly reminder into pressure, and it can actually hurt your relationship with the guest and your property's reputation.

Should I send the same template to every guest?

The template is a starting point, not a final draft. Personalize the first line with something specific to their trip when you can. Even one detail like "Hope you enjoyed the hiking trails near the property" makes the message feel real. Fully generic messages have lower open and response rates across the board.

Does leaving a review for the guest first actually help?

Yes, and there is research behind it. A 2022 study published in the Journal of Marketing found that reciprocity is a reliable driver of online review behavior. When one party acts first, the other is more likely to follow. In practical terms, hosts who review guests first consistently report higher return review rates than those who wait.

Can I use the same message on Vrbo?

You can adapt it, yes. Vrbo has its own review system and guests interact with it differently than Airbnb users. The core structure of the message works on either platform, but reference the right platform by name and make sure the timing fits Vrbo's review window, which is also 14 days post-checkout.

Will automated messages feel impersonal to guests?

They can if they are written poorly. The key is writing the template the way you would actually write it if you typed it by hand. Guests can't tell whether you scheduled a message or sent it manually as long as it sounds like a real person wrote it. Automation handles delivery; your writing handles the relationship.

Start Collecting More Reviews From Your Next Checkout

You put real work into your property. You made sure the bed was comfortable, the kitchen was stocked, and the WiFi password was posted somewhere obvious. A good review request message is just the last piece of that same effort. It closes the loop with guests and helps your listing get the visibility it deserves. As property owners ourselves, we know that five-star reviews are not just vanity metrics — they directly affect your search ranking on Airbnb and the rates you can charge. The template above takes two minutes to set up and can run automatically from your first booking forward. If you want to see what your property could earn with a full review strategy behind it, get a free income estimate from our team.