1. How To Respond
To A Negative
Review:
A Breakdown of
the Perfect
Response
www.trustyou.com+

2. Responses Sway Travelers’ Opinions
78%
84%
say that seeing a
management response to
reviews makes me believe
that it cares more about its
guests
say an appropriate
management response
to a bad review improves
my impression of the
hotel
Source: PhoCusWright’s “Custom Survey Research Engagement,” prepared for TripAdvisor. September 2012.

3. Writing a
Response To
A Negative
Review In
Three Simple
Steps
1. Open With a Thank You
Hotels+ should+ always+ let+ guests+ know+ that+ their+
feedback+ is+ appreciated+ and+ valued.+ Begin+ your+
response+by+thanking+the+reviewer+for+sharing+his+
or+her+feedback.++
+
2. Acknowledge and Address
No+ doubt+ about+ it;+ a+ nega=ve+ review+ s=ngs!+ But+
suck+up+your+pride+and+apologize+for+the+nega=ve+
experience.+ Make+ sure+ to+ address+ the+ guest’s+
specific+ concerns+ and+ let+ them+ know+ what+
improvements+ you+ are+ making+ to+ ensure+ that+
future+ guests+ will+ not+ encounter+ the+ same+
problem.++
+
3. Sign off by inviting them back
Invite+the+guest+back+to+rec=fy+the+situa=on,+and+
make+sure+to+sign+off+the+review+with+your+name+
and+ an+ appropriate+ way+ for+ the+ reviewer+ to+
contact+ you.+ It+ shows+ that+ the+ hotel+ truly+ is+
interested+ in+ ensuring+ its+ guests+ have+ a+ great+
experience.++

4. Let’s Break It Down:
Here’s Your Negative Review
Horrible stay…
I wanted to enjoy my stay here. I
really did. However, the hotel was a
disappointment from the moment we
arrived. One of the elevators in the
lobby wasn’t working, so we had to
wait forever to get upstairs with all
our luggage. Then, there weren’t
enough towels in the room, and our
coffee at breakfast wasn’t even warm.

5. 1. Open With A Thank You
Horrible stay…
I wanted to enjoy my stay here. I
really did. However, the hotel was a
disappointment from the moment we
arrived. One of the elevators in the
lobby wasn’t working, so we had to
wait forever to get upstairs with all
our luggage. Then, there weren’t
enough towels in the room, and our
“First,(I(want(to(thank(you(for(your(feedback.(While(I(wish(
coffee at breakfast wasn’t even warm.
you(had(a(be:er(experience,(it(is(feedback(like(this(that(we(
learn(from(and(use(to(improve.(We(work(hard(to(deliver(an(
excep?onal(guest(experience,(and(it’s(apparent(in(this(case,(
we(fell(short.((”+

6. 2. Acknowledge and Address
Horrible stay…
I wanted to enjoy my stay here. I
really did. However, the hotel was a
disappointment from the moment we
arrived. One of the elevators in the
lobby wasn’t working, so we had to
wait forever to get upstairs with all
our luggage. Then, there weren’t
enough towels in the room, and our
At(the(?me(you(were(staying(with(us,(one(of(our(elevators(
coffee at breakfast wasn’t even warm.
was(out(of(service(for(rou?ne(maintenance.(For(the(
inconvenience(it(caused,(I(am(sorry.(The(safety(of(our(guests(
is(a(priority(and(such(service(is(an(unavoidable(necessity(that(
should(have(been(be:er(explained..”+

7. 3. Sign Off By Inviting Them Back
Horrible stay…
I wanted to enjoy my stay here. I
really did. However, the hotel was a
disappointment from the moment we
arrived. One of the elevators in the
lobby wasn’t working, so we had to
wait forever to get upstairs with all
our luggage. Then, there weren’t
enough towels in the room, and our
“If(you(give(us(a(chance(to(earn(back(your(trust,(I(can(assure(
coffee at breakfast wasn’t even warm.
you(that(your(breakfast(will(be(on(?me(and(your(towels(will(
be(plen?ful.(I(would(be(happy(to(make(your(reserva?on(
personally(and(and(see(to(it(that(you(enjoy(the(experience(
that(so(many(of(our(guests(have(grown(so(fond(of.”+

8. Pulling It All Together
A negative review on its own? Definitely a negative. But, with a
proper response, it no longer looks so negative. Follow the three
steps to responding to negative reviews, and chances are, you’ll
win over the reviewer, and travelers reading your response.
Horrible stay…
I wanted to enjoy my stay here. I really did. However, the hotel was a
disappointment from the moment we arrived. One of the elevators in the
lobby wasn’t working, so we had to wait forever to get upstairs with
all our luggage. Then, there weren’t enough towels in the room, and our
coffee at breakfast wasn’t even warm.
“First,(I(want(to(thank(you(for(your(feedback.(While(I(wish(you(had(a(be:er(experience,(it(is(feedback(like(
this(that(we(learn(from(and(use(to(improve.(We(work(hard(to(deliver(an(excep?onal(guest(experience,(and(
it’s(apparent(in(this(case,(we(fell(short.(At(the(?me(you(were(staying(with(us,(one(of(our(elevators(was(out(
of(service(for(rou?ne(maintenance.(For(the(inconvenience(it(caused,(I(am(sorry.(The(safety(of(our(guests(is(
a(priority(and(such(service(is(an(unavoidable(necessity(that(should(have(been(be:er(explained.(If(you(give(
us(a(chance(to(earn(back(your(trust,(I(can(assure(you(that(your(breakfast(will(be(on(?me(and(your(towels(
will(be(plen?ful.(I(would(be(happy(to(make(your(reserva?on(personally(and(and(see(to(it(that(you(enjoy(
the(experience(that(so(many(of(our(guests(have(grown(so(fond(of.”+

9. Sources That Allow Public
Management Responses
Source'
Source'
17u.cn+
Jalan.net+
AAtravel.co.nz+
ANA.co.jp+
kurzurlaub+
Lvping.com+
Atrapalo.com+
Qunar.com+
Ctrip+
Rurubu.travel+
DaoDao+
TOPHotels.ru+
eLong.com+
Expedia+
Travelbug.co.nz+
Travelocity.com+
Google++
TripAdvisor+
HolidayCheck+
Trivago.de+
Hostelworld.com+
Wo=f.com+
Hotels.com+
HRS.de+
Yahoo+Travel+Business+Japan+
Yelp.com+/Qype+
Ikyu.com+and+Ikyu.com+Business+
Zoover+

10. About TrustYou
TrustYou’s+ mission+ is+ to+ posi=vely+ influence+
travelers’+decisions.+We+know+that+customers+
digest+ and+ leverage+ lots+ of+ opinions+ to+ make+
good+ choices,+ and+ we+ are+ passionate+ about+
be]er+ travel,+ tourism+ and+ hospitality+
experiences.+
+
TrustYou+is+an+online+reputa=on+management+
company+ specializing+ in+ the+ hospitality+
industry.++We+aggregate+all+reviews+across+the+
internet+and+compile+updates,+sen=ment+and+
trends+ into+ one+ central+ dashboard+ for+
hoteliers+ to+ understand+ what+ is+ being+ said+
about+them+online+and+proac=vely+manage+its+
reputa=on.++
+
We+ also+ offer+ hoteliers+ free+ survey+ solu=ons+
to+gain+more+reviews+and+push+them+to+sites+
like+ TripAdvisor,+ as+ well+ as+ marke=ng+ tools+
like+ the+ TrustScore.+ Learn+ more+ about+ us+
here:+ www.trustyou.com+ or+ contact+ us+ for+ a+
free+demo.+
+