How to Respond to Tripadvisor Reviews in Seconds

Whether you give tour packages or own a restaurant, bed & breakfast, resort, or larger hotel or vacation rental property, you've likely received reviews — both positive and negative — from guests on Tripadvisor. Tripadvisor has an unwavering presence in the online booking market and you'll want to make sure you're addressing the reviews properly and professionally.

Why do I need to respond to Tripadvisor reviews?

Tripadvisor reviews can impact your business drastically. In fact,  86% of customers read reviews. A whopping 96% of hospitality brands say that online reviews are influential in terms of bookings, and 83% of people feel more confident about their travel decisions after reading Tripadvisor reviews. Therefore, recognizing these reviews can be a powerful tool to build lasting relationships to your guests and educate your guests on how to make their next trip even more enjoyable than the last.

But, how do you respond to Tripadvisor reviews? By following these tips when responding to reviews, you'll be able to engage with your current and potential customers and possibly build a loyal fanbase who trusts you and  will return for your services.

How can I reply to a review on Tripadvisor?

Tripadvisor allows you to respond once directly to each review of your business. This feature facilitates open communication between travelers and business owners so that potential customers can see both sides of the story.

Here’s how to post a reply to a Tripadvisor review:

1. Access your Management Center.

You can only do this if you’re registered and verified as a property owner on Tripadvisor. You must first register as a Tripadvisor login owner by claiming your free listing before you can respond to any reviews.

2. Once you’re in, click "Reviews."

Once you go past the Tripadvisor login page, from the drop-down menu, select "Respond to Reviews."

3. Write your response.

Choose the review you want to respond to. You can view Tripadvisor reviews by clicking the review in the left-hand sidebar. You can filter reviews by date, title, rating, language, and whether or not you have responded to them. Enter your response in the box provided.

4. Submit.

Once you're done,  click the "Submit" button. Your response will then be published and visible to anyone who visits your Tripadvisor profile. Tripadvisor will post management responses within 48 hours, provided that it follows the site’s guidelines. However, this timeframe may be extended if your response needs to be further reviewed.

How to write the best management responses for Tripadvisor reviews?

Responding to online reviews in general can  be a daunting process and that’s especially true when you are managing a number of platforms such as Tripadvisor, Google, Booking or Expedia. To ensure success, here are some tips on how to respond effectively:

Post your response directly to the customer’s review.

If possible, respond directly to a review on TripAdvisor. This lets customers know that you care about their feedback and want to resolve any issues (if any) they may have had with your business. It also helps keep them engaged in conversation and builds trust between you and the reviewer.

Acknowledge the review and thank the reviewer for taking the time to write it.

Customers who write reviews usually feel strongly about them and want someone to acknowledge their point of view. Thanking customers for taking time out of their day to write about their experience at your business helps reinforce that you appreciate their feedback, even if it isn’t rainbows and sunshine. The best replies to Tripadvisor reviews are the ones that exude grace and gratitude.

Apologize, even if you don’t agree with what is being said.

The best way on how to reply to a negative Tripadvisor review is by being polite, apologetic, and taking ownership of the issue. For example: “We're sorry for any inconvenience caused during your stay. We hope that our staff can make up for it on your next visit.”

Instead of arguing or defending yourself point by point — which can make matters worse — focus on apologizing and resolving any issues that may have occurred during their stay at your property.

Talk about what the reviewer is saying specifically and fix the problem if you can.

If someone complains about slow service, figure out why it was slow and how you can improve in the future so that it doesn't happen again. If someone complains about dirty rooms, talk about how you clean rooms every day (or multiple times per day) and how you're working with housekeeping staff to ensure cleanliness in all areas of your property consistently going forward.

Don’t copy and paste your responses.

Don’t come up with a template message for all your responses. Even though this seems like an easy way out of having to write something meaty yourself, it can come across as unprofessional and impersonal. Instead, take the time to craft individual responses tailored specifically for each guest who left feedback on your listing.

You can even address specific concerns they mentioned in their review by including quotes directly from their original post. This will help show potential guests that you’re not just sending out canned responses and that you’re paying attention to what they have to say.

Try to keep it short and sweet — the best Tripadvisor replies are usually no more than one or two paragraphs at most. Additionally, don't go overboard with excuses unless there was something truly out-of-the-ordinary going on that would make sense why things went wrong.

Nowadays, there are tools like an AI Review Reply Assistant that can help you craft the perfect response in a fraction of the time. The best part is it doesn't just spur canned responses, it can add personality and customization for each review.

Show empathy and acknowledge your customers' feedbacks.

If a customer left a glowing review, you can send them a small token of appreciation. This might be something as simple as a handwritten note or even something fun like a cookie or cupcake delivery. Knowing how to reply to a positive Tripadvisor review is especially good for businesses that are just starting to make a mark in the hospitality industry because it shows that they’re willing to put in the effort to win people.

However, if you received a negative review, make sure to let your customer know that you acknowledge their feedback and that you’re actively working towards making improvements. Offer solutions or alternatives if applicable, and let them know that you’d appreciate it if they give your business another chance in the future.

At the end of the day, it’s important to remember that responding to Tripadvisor reviews is not just about fixing a problem — it’s about building relationships with potential customers and creating a better experience for everyone. By taking the time to reply in a professional, friendly manner, you show that your business values customer feedback and is willing to go the extra mile to make sure that all guests have a great experience.

Don’t take it personally.

When you receive a bad review, don't take it personally. Chances are, the reviewer isn't even coming from an angry place — they're just disappointed that things didn't go as expected (or worse!).

Remember that they aren’t writing to attack you personally; they are writing to tell others about their experience and what they think of your business. If they didn't have an experience worth telling others about, they wouldn't have written anything at all!

Give the reviewer your contact information and ask that they contact you directly if there is anything more you can do for them.

This shows that you care about their needs, not just their review score on Tripadvisor. It also gives you time to investigate further, if needed. This will allow you to take control of the conversation rather than letting it go viral on social media platforms like Facebook, TikTok, and Twitter.

How to respond to a bad review on Tripadvisor?

While we've mentioned the general ways how you can respond to Tripadvisor reviews, replying to negative reviews can be tricky. Not only should your reply resolve the issue at hand, but it should also redeem the brand's name and your relationship with your customer.

According to Tripadvisor, 89% of travelers on their platform said that a thoughtful response to a negative review improved their impression of a business. This proves that reviews aren't the only things that matter, but your replies also influence the decision-making of your potential guests.

When responding to a bad review on Tripadvisor, it's imperative to show gratitude regardless of the review. Acknowledge the fact that they still have time to help you improve your services. This sense of gratitude would create a positive tone in your reply, which is essential to mitigate the possible negative effects of the bad review.

Make sure that your review addresses the complaint in the most straightforward way possible. Adding bluff or any filler to your reply will make it seem that your team is only stalling and that the issue won't be resolved at all. It's also best to avoid any hint of promotional content in your reply, too, as it would be deemed insensitive toward the guest's bad review.

Here's an example of a reply that was able to show gratitude, maintain a positive tone, and address the complaint all at once toward a negative review. It also maintained a professional disposition and veered away from any promotion.

Lastly, respect the customer's privacy regardless of the issue at hand. Never publicly divulge their personal information or anything about their stay, as it may further escalate the problem. If the issue needs private resolution, send a private message to the reviewer or ask them to email your team.

Here's an excellent example of a reply that was able to recognize the sensitive issue at hand while protecting the privacy of the guest.

Finding a way how to reply to a bad Tripadvisor review can be challenging, as it’s mostly on a case-to-case basis. Fortunately, there are best practices you can refer to when managing your hotel’s online reputation. Click here to read our article about Online Reputation Management for Hotels.

What are good TripAdvisor review response examples?

Examples of how to respond to positive Tripadvisor reviews:

Thank them for taking the time to write you a review, mention details from their experience, and offer your appreciation.

A perfectly written reply to a customer's review should feel empathetic and personal. Here's how to reply to a positive Tripadvisor review:

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Example of how to respond to negative Tripadvisor reviews:

Start your response by acknowledging the customer's expression of displeasure. Express regret that their experience didn't meet expectations and then offer a solution or suggestion.

On the contrary, responding to a negative review veers on the line between apologizing for the inconvenience and expressing empathy. Here's how to reply to a negative Tripadvisor review:

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Send empathetic responses to Tripadvisor reviews fast with our AI-powered generator

Here’s the thing: Most of the time it seems impossible for hotels or restaurants to reply to every single review efficiently, so they simply don't reply at all. And, even when they do take the time to reply, there's a great chance that their response will be generic and impersonal: "Thank you very much for your time and we hope to see you again in the future."

That's why we've developed an artificial intelligence-powered tool that allows hotel and restaurant managers to respond to Tripadvisor reviews with customized comments that sound natural and human.

To instantly generate a reply start with MARA, simply paste the customer's review in the box below and hit "Generate Reply."

MARA will then generate a personalized response that is tailored to the customer's individual experience in just a few seconds!

To learn more about MARA and how you can make responding to Tripadvisor reviews a breeze, watch our demo video or check out  more information about MARAs AI Review Reply Assistant here.

At MARA, we've already worked with many top-rated establishments in the hospitality industry, and we're proud to have helped them not only improve their Tripadvisor ratings but also build stronger customer relationships and collect valuable insights about how customers perceive their services.

This article is part of our hero content on “Mastering Tripadvisor: The Complete Guide to Improving Your Business’s Online Reputation".