The Guest Communication & Review Recipe
Almost entirely templatable, almost entirely ignored by mediocre hosts. The hosts you read about with 5.0 ratings and 500+ reviews aren't naturally gifted communicators — they're running a system. This recipe is that system.
The Checklist
Work through these in order. Each item is one decision or one task.
Step 1
Write a booking confirmation template that goes beyond auto-confirmation
Step 2
Send pre-arrival logistics 48 hours before check-in
Step 3
Send a brief arrival-day welcome message
Step 4
Send one mid-stay check-in for stays of 4+ nights
Step 5
Send a departure-day message that prompts the review behavior you want
Step 6
Request the review through the platform's official prompt at the right time
Step 7
Have a written response policy for sub-5-star reviews
Tools & Stack
See guide content.
Operator's Notes
Setup time: 4–8 hours to write the template library well. Use Hospitable, Hostaway, or OwnerRez to automate sending based on booking events. Once configured, ongoing time is 30 seconds per booking for personalization.; The voice that works: Friendly but not effusive. Specific but not long. Confident but not corporate. Read your messages aloud — if they sound like a hotel chain, rewrite them. Read like a host, not a brand.; The thing nobody tells you: The hosts with 5.0 ratings aren't running better properties — they're running better communication. A property with mediocre amenities and except
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Use this with
Apply this guide alongside any property recipe in Sections 1–5. The unsexy operational layer is what turns a one-off project into a real business.
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