How to Respond to Hotel Google Reviews (With Examples)
Short answer: Reply to hotel Google reviews from your verified Business Profile. Thank happy guests by name and mention something specific from their stay. For complaints about rooms, noise or check-in, apologize, explain what you've changed, and invite the guest to contact the front desk or manager directly. Never share booking or stay details in public.
Why hotel reviews need their own approach
Hotel reviews are different from most local business reviews. A guest might mention the room, the bed, the breakfast, the parking, the staff and the neighborhood all in one review. Future guests read those reviews closely when they're deciding where to stay, and they read your replies too.
Google says that when you reply to reviews, you show customers "that you value their feedback" (Manage customer reviews), and that your replies "are public and help you build good relationships with customers" (Tips to write better review replies). For a hotel, every reply is also a note to the next person comparing you with the place down the street.
How to reply to a hotel review on Google
The steps are the same for any business on Google (Manage customer reviews):
- Make sure your hotel's Business Profile is verified. Google says you must verify your business before you can reply.
- Go to your Business Profile and select Read reviews.
- Next to the review, select Reply, enter your reply, and select Reply again.
Google checks each reply against its content policies before it's posted, and the guest is notified when you reply. For the full walkthrough, see how to respond to Google reviews.
One thing to know: Google says your profile may also show reviews "from trusted, non-Google sources, such as travel or local review sites." You reply to those on the site where they were written, not in your Business Profile.
What to say to happy guests
Good reviews deserve more than "Thanks for staying!" Google suggests making replies count instead of "sending the same 'thank you' to everyone."
- Use their name and the detail they mentioned, like the view, a staff member, or the breakfast.
- Pass on praise. If they named a team member, say you'll share it with them.
- Keep it short. Two or three sentences is plenty.
- Skip the sales pitch. Google advises against using replies "to offer deals or promotions."
How to handle complaints
The most common hotel complaints are about cleanliness, noise, check-in waits, the room not matching the photos, and charges or fees. However you handle them:
- Apologize for the experience, not with a vague "sorry you feel that way."
- Say what changed if you fixed something, such as a housekeeping check or a repair.
- Be honest about limits. If the noise came from a city event outside your control, explain that politely. Google's advice is to "acknowledge if any mistakes were made, but don't take responsibility for things outside your control."
- Move it offline. Give a direct way to reach the general manager or front desk.
- Protect the guest's privacy. Don't confirm room numbers, stay dates, rates or anything from the booking. Google says to "never share a reviewer's private information."
Example replies for hotel reviews
Placeholders are in brackets. Swap in real details from each review.
| Review type | Main goal of the reply |
|---|---|
| 5★ stay | Thank them, mention their detail, pass praise to staff. |
| 4★ with a small issue | Thank them and say what you're doing about the issue. |
| 3★ mixed stay | Acknowledge the good and the bad, invite them back. |
| 1–2★ complaint | Apologize, don't argue, give a direct contact. |
5★ review, praised the staff
Thank you, [First Name]! We'll make sure [staff member] sees your kind words about [what they did]. We're glad you enjoyed your stay and hope to welcome you back. – [Your Name], General Manager
4★ review, mentioned slow check-in
Thanks for staying with us, [First Name], and for the honest note about the wait at check-in. We've shared it with our front desk team. We're glad you enjoyed [detail they liked]. – [Your Name]
3★ review, liked the location but not the room
Thank you for the feedback, [First Name]. We're glad the location worked well for you, and we're sorry the room didn't meet your expectations. We've passed your comments to our housekeeping and maintenance teams. – [Your Name]
1★ review, noise complaint
I'm sorry your stay was disrupted, [First Name]. A good night's sleep is the most important thing we offer. I'd like to hear more about what happened. Please contact me at [phone or email]. – [Your Name], General Manager
1★ review, billing complaint
I'm sorry for the frustration, [First Name]. I'd like to look into this with you directly. Please reach out to me at [phone or email] so we can review it together. – [Your Name], General Manager
More ideas are in our Google review response examples.
Mistakes hotels make with review replies
- One template for every guest. Guests notice when every reply says the same thing.
- Defending the property in public. Arguing about whether the room was clean rarely helps.
- Sharing booking details. Never confirm who stayed, when, or what they paid.
- Only replying to bad reviews. Happy guests deserve a thank-you too, and they're the ones most likely to come back.
- Letting reviews pile up during busy season. A backlog is hard to clear once it starts.
How ReplyDaily helps hotels answer Google reviews
ReplyDaily is a Google review reply tool for businesses that want every Google review answered without doing it by hand.
- Connect your Google Business Profile. ReplyDaily connects through Google Business Profile.
- Set reply guidance for each location. Choose a tone and add a sign-off, like your GM's name.
- Guest reviews get answered. We reply to every 3–5★ review. 1–2★ replies wait in your portal for your approval.
- You handle the hard ones. Edit or rewrite any 1–2★ reply before it posts.
ReplyDaily replies to Google reviews only. See Google review replies for hotels for more.
Pricing
Free for 7 days, then $49/month for your first location. Extra locations $39/month each. Cancel anytime before day 8 and you won't be charged. See pricing for details.
FAQ
Should hotels respond to every Google review?
Google's tips say to reply to reviews and share your perspective. Replying to good and bad reviews shows future guests that you read what people say about their stay.
How should a hotel respond to a negative Google review?
Apologize for the experience, be honest about what you can and can't control, and give a direct way to reach a manager. Don't share any details about the guest's booking or stay.
Can I reply to hotel reviews from travel sites in Google?
Google says your profile may show reviews from trusted non-Google sources, such as travel sites. You reply to those on the site where the review was written.
Is there a tool that responds to hotel Google reviews automatically?
Yes. ReplyDaily connects to your Google Business Profile. We reply to every 3–5★ review. 1–2★ replies wait in your portal for your approval.
How much does ReplyDaily cost for a hotel?
Free for 7 days, then $49/month for your first location. Extra locations $39/month each. Cancel anytime before day 8 and you won't be charged.
Get your hotel's Google reviews answered
If replying to guest reviews keeps slipping down the list, ReplyDaily can handle it. Start with ReplyDaily and connect your Google Business Profile.