As a Holidu Homes host, you can both write reviews about your guests and respond to reviews guests leave for your property. This guide explains how to manage guest reviews and responses across Holidu Homes, White Label (WL), VRBO, Airbnb, and Booking.com—all from your Holidu host account.

On which channels can guests leave a review?

Guests can leave a review about their stay on every channel connected to Holidu. This means your guests have the opportunity to share their feedback across all your active listings, helping you build credibility and attract future bookings.

On which channels can hosts leave a review about their guests?

As a host, you can leave reviews about your guests on the following channels:

• Airbnb
• VRBO (star rating only, no written review)

How to respond to a guest review (all channels)

Step 1: Receive an email notification

Whenever a guest leaves a review on Holidu, you'll receive an email notification with the review details and a direct link to respond. This ensures you never miss an opportunity to engage with guest feedback.

Step 2: Open your Holidu account

Click the "Reply to your guest" button in the email. You'll be taken directly to your Holidu account, where you can compose your response.

Step 3: Write and submit your reply

When crafting your response, follow these guidelines:

• Acknowledge the guest's feedback—thank them for their stay and their time in leaving a review.
• Address concerns professionally—focus on solutions rather than disagreements or defensive positions.
• Stay welcoming—remember that future guests will read your reply, so maintain a positive and professional tone.

Once you write your response, the system checks it for clarity and professionalism. If edits are needed, you'll be notified before final submission.

Step 4: Review and publish

Holidu reviews your response to ensure it meets quality standards. Important: once a response is published, it cannot be changed. Therefore, take time to carefully review your reply before submitting.

Tips for writing a great response

• Start with a thank you—appreciate the guest for choosing to stay with you and for taking the time to leave feedback.
• Stay professional and positive—even if the feedback is critical, reply calmly and constructively without becoming defensive.
• Address concerns and highlight improvements—show that you listen to feedback and care about improving the guest experience.
• Avoid defensive language—keep your tone neutral and solution-oriented to maintain your property's reputation.
• Keep it concise—respect the reader's time while still addressing key points.

How to leave a guest review (Airbnb and VRBO)

Timeline and access

You have up to 7 days after a guest checks out to leave a review. Here's how to access the review option:

1. Watch for the email reminder you receive after a guest checks out.
2. Or, log in to your Holidu host account, navigate to Bookings, and open the specific booking.
3. You must submit your review within 7 days of check-out.
4. If no review is submitted within this timeframe, the guest will automatically receive a positive review.

What you can include in your review

• A star rating (available on both platforms)
• A written review describing your experience (Airbnb only—VRBO allows star ratings of guests only)
• Private feedback visible only to the guest

Editing your review

You have 1 hour after submitting your review to make changes. To edit, return to the booking and click the Edit button. After this 1-hour window, your review cannot be modified.

Important considerations

• Your review and response are visible to the guest and may be visible to future guests, so always use professional language.
• Timely responses to guest reviews are recommended. Reviews and responses may be subject to moderation per Holidu's guidelines.
• If you don't see review options, ensure the booking is completed and verify you're using the correct platform version.
• Reviews play a crucial role in your property's visibility and booking potential, so take them seriously.

Transferring reviews when changing platforms

If you're considering moving your listing from a direct channel to Holidu, here's what you need to know about transferring your existing reviews:

Booking.com

Yes, you can request a change of ownership so Holidu can take over your existing Booking.com listing and reviews. However, several conditions must be met for eligibility. If you meet the criteria for a change of ownership, all reviews will be transferred to your Holidu/Booking.com listing, preserving your rating and credibility. To check whether you're eligible and proceed with a change of ownership, contact our support team through the Assistant feature in your account.

Airbnb

Unfortunately, you cannot transfer your direct Airbnb listing to Holidu through a change of ownership. You'll need to close your existing listing and open it again as new via Holidu. This means you'll start gathering reviews from scratch with the new Holidu-managed listing on Airbnb. However, if you have a high number of reviews on your personal Airbnb listing, we may offer you a temporary commission discount as an incentive to close it and reopen via Holidu. Contact our support team to discuss this option.

VRBO

While you cannot transfer the full listing through a change of ownership, you can transfer your reviews. If you close your VRBO listing, we can request that your historical reviews be transferred to the new listing Holidu creates for you. This allows you to maintain your visibility and star rating while benefiting from Holidu's management platform. To arrange this, reach out to our support team.

Check24 and HomeToGo

Unfortunately, neither Check24 nor HomeToGo allow for changes of ownership or review transfers. If you decide to move these listings to Holidu, you'll need to start fresh with reviews on the new listings.

Need additional help?

If you have questions about responding to reviews, leaving guest reviews, or transferring reviews between platforms, use the Assistant feature in your Holidu account to get support. Our team is here to help you manage your reputation and maximize your booking potential.