Trivago Business Blog

The Daily Checklist for Managing Your Hotel Reputation

Managing Hotel Reputation

• The 10-item checklist for managing your hotel reputation

• 1. Give little extras where you can

• Your guests start to develop their impression of your hotel with the first review they read online, and continue to assess your property right up to when they’re ready to leave their own review. Give them a good reason to write a positive one by going the extra mile with these tips.

• 2. Stock rooms with review tent cards

• Let guests know where they can leave their reviews of your hotel by placing a tent card in each room with the logos of your most prominent sites. Make sure they don’t get lost and replace them the moment they start to show signs of wear.

• 3. Ask guests about their stay

• Face-to-face communication is your friend. Use it to check on guests’ satisfaction levels while they’re still at the hotel—and you can still influence them.

• 4. Acknowledge and fix any issues

• The simplest gestures can entirely change a guest’s experience. Perhaps a softer pillow or more tea varieties in their room is all they need to leave a 4- or 5-star rating.

• 5. Ask for online reviews during check-out

• It takes a few minutes to process the key return and print the receipt; the same amount of time it takes to leave a review. Ask guests to rate your hotel on your preferred review site during the short time it takes you to complete their check-out.

• 6. Check all major online review sites

• You have your preferred review sites, and your guests have theirs. By checking every significant website, social page, and booking portal where guests might leave a comment about your business, you ensure that no review goes unnoticed.

• 7. Respond to less-than-stellar reviews

• The odd negative review won’t irreparably damage your reputation. What will damage it, however, is an unprofessional, hasty response or no response at all. Treat every piece of negative feedback professionally and with sincerity, gratitude, and a timely response.

• 8. Acknowledge positive reviews

• When someone positively reviews your property, they’re promoting it to an audience of potential guests. Thank people for their kind comments to show them you’re paying attention and appreciate their feedback.

• 9. Solicit reviews from past guests via email

• Do you have past guests who were thrilled with their stay? It’s not too late to reach out to them with an email asking for a review. You’d be surprised by how many reply.

• 10. Add high-value reviews to your website

• While checking online review sites you could very well come across one for your hotel that’s especially flattering, a celebration of everything you’ve worked so hard to achieve in your guest experience. When you do, get permission from that guest to share their words right on your website.