Top tips to get more guest reviews
You’ve had a solid week of happy guests, no issues to note and they’ve all thanked you profusely, so you’re expecting a flurry of good reviews. However, another week goes by and you’ve yet to receive anything. Sound familiar?
In this article we share our guest feedback process and suggest some small deliberate steps to unlocking your best booking conversion tool: honest, positive reviews.
The feedback process
By law (since July 2025), all positive and negative reviews must be published. We will endeavour to publish all negative reviews with an official Canopy & Stars response to accompany them. Here is a step-by-step process:
- Request email: Guest automatically receives our C&S feedback survey via email on the day after departure. Permission to publish response to an overall review question is requested.
- Guest submits feedback: Our Guest Experience Team reviews all comments prior to publishing.
- Follow-up (for negative feedback): We contact you to discuss the issues raised and seek fair resolutions that balance the needs of both parties.
- Official Canopy & Stars response: Our response is appended to any negative reviews
- Publication: The review is published on your page if permission was granted
- Notification: We email you with a copy of the full survey and confirm that the overall review section has been published.
Find our full Canopy & Stars feedback process here >
5 ways to encourage guest reviews
Shelve your guest book
Tangible guest books in spaces make for lovely reading for both you as an owner and guests already staying. However, those brilliant reviews are one of your best tools for converting new bookings. If a guest writes you a written review, they are unlikely to complete your online feedback. Now we’re not saying getting rid of it, but if you find reviews have dropped off, try taking the guest book out of the spaces for a couple of months and direct guests to the C&S feedback survey.
Clear signposting
Do you let your guests know how they can leave a review? And if so, how? If it’s hidden in an email on the pre-arrival information sent months ago, it’s not going to be front and centre of their minds. Add it to your welcome book and feed it into your check-out messaging.
Personal touch
Meeting guests to check them in is one of the best ways to break the ice and connect with them. Use personal touchpoints to build up rapport during their stay and when it comes to check-out, send a simple text wishing them a safe journey home and asking them to please leave a review.
Proactive communication
Don’t leave all your communication down to pre and post- stay. If there are any issues, you want to check them out early, so you have time to rectify them and get guests back on track. If you can’t meet guests personally, we suggest a proactive text once they’re settled in to ask if they are all ok and whether they have any questions. Ensure your number is included in your welcome information and that it’s easy to find.
Constructive feedback
Be prepared and open to constructive feedback as well as the good, but don’t let it derail you. We rely on guests to keep us in check and give us ideas on improving the experience. If you’re receiving repetitive feedback on a particular element, it’s a very good indicator that you need to change, upgrade or rethink. Quite often guests will provide alternative ideas too.
Remember your Account Manager is on hand to support and advise on feedback, supported by our Guest Experience Manager Chloe and her experienced team – after all a problem shared is a problem halved. Please do get in contact with us on owners@canopyandstars.co.uk if you have any questions or need support.
Looking for more advice on the subject, dive into our article on how to avoid bad feedback and handle guest complaints.