Reputation management for hotels is crucial for establishing trust, attracting bookings, and maintaining competitiveness in today’s digital-first hospitality landscape. In this article, we share 21 proven strategies to help hoteliers monitor, manage, and elevate their online reputation, from setting up a hotel reputation management software to using AI tools and guest feedback surveys.

Whether you manage a boutique property or a hotel chain, these strategies will help you build a strong, lasting digital reputation that drives business growth.

What is online reputation management in hospitality?

Online reputation management for hotels involves monitoring and enhancing a property's online reputation across various online review sites, booking sites, and social media channels. With over 90% of travelers relying on online reviews before booking, a hotel’s online reputation has a direct impact on its visibility, guest trust, and revenue potential. Effective online reputation management involves more than responding to feedback—it requires a data-driven approach that tracks sentiment, identifies recurring issues, and benchmarks performance against competitors.

Neglecting ORM can lead to lower occupancy rates, reduced pricing power, and long-term damage to the brand. To stay competitive, hotels must adopt dedicated reputation management tools that automate review collection, enable timely responses, and turn guest insights into operational improvements.

Learn more about ORM for hotels in our article: Online Reputation Management for Hotels: A Comprehensive Guide.

What is the purpose of reputation management for hotels?

For hotels, the purpose of reputation management is to strengthen brand credibility, attract more guests, and foster long-term success. Key objectives include:

• Build and protect the hotel’s online reputation across review platforms, OTAs, and social media.
• Increase bookings by establishing trust with potential guests through great reviews and timely responses.
• Improve guest satisfaction by leveraging feedback to enhance service quality and meet guest expectations.
• Gain valuable insights from reviews and surveys to inform staff training, operations, and upgrades.
• Monitor reviews and address negative feedback quickly to prevent escalation and protect brand image.
• Enhance visibility on online review sites and search engines through consistent engagement and SEO-friendly responses.
• Support proactive crisis management by identifying recurring issues and creating a response plan.
• Encourage guests to leave more reviews, which boosts credibility and provides fresh, relevant content.

What are the best strategies for reputation management for hotels?

To stay competitive in today’s review-driven market, hotels must take a strategic approach to managing their online reputation. Below are the most effective strategies for building trust, improving visibility, and driving more bookings.

Strategy 1: Master the three phases of reputation management

Reputation management for hotels follows three key phases: building, maintaining, and recovering.

During the building phase, focus on establishing a strong digital footprint by optimizing listings, verifying guest reviews, and maintaining consistent branding across all platforms. The maintenance phase involves continuously monitoring online reviews, engaging with guests, and addressing feedback promptly to reinforce trust. When issues arise, the recovery phase requires timely, empathetic responses and visible service improvements to rebuild credibility.

Pro tip: During the building phase, launch a “reputation accelerator” campaign—combine guest surveys, automated review requests, and personalized responses to generate a volume of high-quality reviews quickly. This creates a strong reputation baseline to maintain and recover from more effectively.

Strategy 2: Establish a scalable reputation infrastructure within your hotel’s tech stack

To build a strong foundation for reputation management, hotels must integrate a scalable ORM infrastructure into their tech stack. This includes utilizing hotel reputation management software that centralizes review monitoring, automates post-stay review requests, tracks sentiment across major platforms, and enables timely and personalized responses. A robust system should also include analytics that identify recurring issues and trends in guest satisfaction, empowering hoteliers to make data-driven decisions that enhance the guest experience.

Pro tip: Choose ORM tools that seamlessly integrate with your property management system (PMS) and CRM—this enables automated, personalized review requests and real-time sentiment alerts without extra manual input, ensuring your team can act on feedback before it escalates.

Strategy 3: Treat reputation management as a core business driver, not just a marketing function

Reputation management should be embedded into your hotel’s core business strategy, not siloed as a marketing task. A strong online reputation has a direct impact on guest acquisition, loyalty, and brand credibility. With 94% of consumers avoiding businesses with negative reviews and 52% refusing to book without any reviews, it’s clear that ORM is a revenue-driving asset, not a nice-to-have.

Make reputation KPIs part of executive reporting. Align your reputation goals with customer experience strategies. Assign cross-functional accountability—train operations, front desk, and housekeeping teams to view guest satisfaction and feedback resolution as business-critical. Use review insights to inform service upgrades, staff training, and pricing strategy.

Pro tip: Regularly review competitor feedback and ratings to benchmark your property and identify areas for improvement. Turn reputation insights into strategic differentiators that elevate your market positioning.

Strategy 4: Operationalize the five core ORM pillars across the guest journey

To elevate your hotel’s online reputation, operationalize five core pillars of online reputation management (ORM) across every stage of the guest journey: review management, SEO optimization, audience engagement, sentiment analysis, and continuous improvement.

1. Review management – Set daily alerts for review platforms and assign response ownership to trained team members.
2. SEO optimization – Publish guest testimonials and blog content regularly to boost your hotel’s visibility in search.
3. Engagement – Personalize responses to both praise and complaints to humanize your brand.
4. Sentiment analysis – Use AI tools to track recurring themes in feedback across all channels.
5. Continuous improvement – Turn insights into measurable upgrades—whether it’s streamlining check-in or refining housekeeping protocols.

Pro tip: Map each ORM pillar to a phase in the guest journey (pre-stay, stay, post-stay). Use automation for efficiency, but empower staff to add a human touch where it matters most. This ensures your hotel's reputation management directly supports service excellence and long-term loyalty.

Learn more about the five essential strategies for effective ORM: 5 Strategies for Effective ORM

Strategy 5: Use AI-powered ORM platforms for cross-channel sentiment intelligence

AI-powered ORM platforms give hotels a strategic edge by delivering real-time, cross-channel sentiment intelligence. These systems aggregate guest reviews, social media mentions, and OTA feedback into a single dashboard, and then analyze them using AI to detect sentiment, pinpoint trends, and flag issues before they escalate. With automated review responses and customizable alerts, hotels can maintain a consistent and professional online presence while responding to guests promptly and personally. This kind of proactive engagement not only improves star ratings but also builds trust with potential guests.

When choosing an ORM platform, prioritize one that integrates seamlessly with your hotel’s tech stack, such as PMS or CRM systems, and offers real-time alerts for new online reviews or shifts in sentiment. Utilize sentiment analysis reports to pinpoint service gaps, retrain staff as needed, and refine guest experiences based on actual feedback trends. Automate responses to high-volume, low-risk reviews while reserving personalized replies for critical feedback to strike the right balance between efficiency and authenticity.

Pro tip: Use AI sentiment insights not just to manage reviews but to guide strategic decisions—like enhancing amenities, refining your service model, or adjusting rate structures in response to evolving guest expectations.

Learn about key metrics, top tools, and the best strategies for maintaining a positive brand reputation in our article How an ORM System Can Transform Your Online Presence.

Strategy 6: Dominate local search by aligning your local SEO strategy with ORM

To dominate local search, hotels must align their local SEO strategy with reputation management to ensure their brand appears prominently in search results and maps. This begins with an optimized Google Business Profile (GBP) that includes updated contact details, high-quality images, accurate amenities, and regular posts that reflect your hotel’s unique value. Actively managing guest reviews—especially on platforms like Google, TripAdvisor, and Yelp—enhances both local visibility and credibility. Prompt, thoughtful responses to positive feedback or negative reviews show search engines and potential guests alike that your hotel is engaged and trustworthy.

Actionable tips: Consistently encourage satisfied guests to leave reviews via email or SMS right after checkout. Integrate relevant keywords into your review responses to strengthen your hotel’s SEO performance. Collaborate with local influencers and businesses to earn backlinks and boost local authority. Regularly audit your GBP to ensure your profile reflects seasonal offerings, current promotions, and accurate service details.

Pro tip: Use sentiment analysis tools to identify common keywords in positive reviews—then incorporate those exact terms into your GBP description, website copy, and review replies. This tightly aligns your ORM and SEO strategies, helping you rank higher for the very experiences your guests rave about.

Learn more about local SEO strategies: 10 Strategies for Effective Local Reputation Management.

Strategy 7: Implement structured review response frameworks that reflect brand voice

To build trust and protect your brand image, implement a structured review response framework that ensures every reply reflects your hotel’s unique voice and service values. A consistent, thoughtful response approach across platforms like Google, TripAdvisor, Booking.com, and Expedia signals professionalism and responsiveness—two traits that directly influence guest booking decisions and SEO rankings. Whether addressing praise or resolving issues, tailor each message with empathy, clarity, and authenticity, incorporating key phrases that align with your brand’s tone.

Develop pre-approved response templates for common review types (e.g., praise for service, complaints about cleanliness) and customize them based on guest sentiment. Utilize AI-powered tools to suggest relevant phrasing and streamline your workflow without compromising personalization. Maintain a response time of under 48 hours to demonstrate attentiveness and integrate relevant keywords naturally to improve local SEO visibility.

Pro tip: Build a tone guide for your team or get a hotel reputation management software that includes your brand’s preferred voice, whether it's warm and casual or polished and professional. This helps ensure multi-property teams or outsourced agents reply with consistency and cultural fit, even as review volumes grow.

Interested in learning more about how to respond to your online guest reviews? How to Use Online Reviews to Your Advantage – The Ultimate Guide.

Strategy 8: Fully optimize OTA and meta listings using dynamic content and conversion tools

-to-Fully optimizing your OTA and metasearch listings is crucial for enhancing visibility and driving conversions. Focus on key platforms like Google Hotels, Booking.com, and TripAdvisor by maintaining accurate information, showcasing high-quality visuals, and writing persuasive, brand-aligned descriptions. Ensure room details, amenities, and rates are consistent across all channels and enable direct booking features to reduce friction in the guest journey.

Join programs like Booking.com’s Genius or TripAdvisor’s Preferred Partners to gain more exposure. Utilize dynamic content, such as localized offers, seasonal packages, and FAQs tailored to traveler intent. Automate availability and pricing updates through a channel manager to prevent discrepancies and overbookings.

Pro tip: Incorporate guest-generated photos and video testimonials into your listings. These authentic assets improve credibility and drive higher click-through and booking rates, especially when featured alongside positive online reviews and conversion-optimized headlines.

For more information on optimizing your hotel listings, check out the full article Optimize Your Hotel Listings to Increase Bookings - All You Need to Know.

Strategy 9: Prioritize review sites based on rating algorithms and buyer intent signals

Not all review sites have an equal influence on hotel bookings. Understanding how different platforms calculate ratings—and how guests interact with them—lets you focus on those with the highest impact. Review sites typically use a variety of scoring systems, including:

• Star Ratings (1 to 5 stars): Common across Google, Booking.com, and TripAdvisor; these heavily influence guest trust and click-through rates.
• Point-Based Ratings: Found on some regional OTAs or niche platforms, these provide a granular view of the guest experience.
• Net Promoter Score (NPS): Platforms like Airbnb measure guest loyalty by asking how likely they are to recommend your hotel.
• Customer Satisfaction Score (CSAT): Expressed as a percentage, this metric captures overall guest satisfaction based on surveys or post-stay forms.

Prioritize the platforms where your potential guests are most active and where the algorithm rewards recency, volume, and sentiment. For example, Google’s star ratings boost local SEO, while TripAdvisor’s algorithm weighs consistency and quality over time. Customize your review request strategy by channel—automate Google review prompts post-stay and respond personally on platforms where engagement improves visibility.

Pro tip: Audit your top-performing guest sources and align your review collection efforts with their preferred booking platforms. For instance, if your highest-spending guests come from Booking.com, prioritize that platform’s specific rating components (like location, cleanliness, and value) in your service delivery and follow-up strategy.

Strategy 10: Quantify the financial impact of your review score strategy

Review scores aren't just vanity metrics—they're revenue drivers. A one-star increase in a hotel’s average rating can lead to a 5–9% increase in revenue. High-quality reviews improve trust, enhance booking conversion rates, and directly influence pricing power. On platforms like Google and TripAdvisor, better ratings increase visibility and click-through rates, leading to more direct bookings and lower reliance on paid channels.

Track metrics such as average star rating, volume of recent reviews, and review sentiment alongside KPIs like booking conversion rate, average daily rate (ADR), and revenue per available room (RevPAR). Utilize sentiment analysis tools to identify review topics that correlate with higher guest satisfaction and apply those insights to enhance service delivery. Segment your review performance by platform to spot ROI discrepancies across channels.

Pro tip: Build a simple dashboard that connects review metrics to financial outcomes. For example, monitor how a 0.3 increase in your Google rating affects direct bookings or how responding to reviews within 24 hours influences repeat stay rates. Quantifying this impact will justify ORM investments and help you optimize strategies for maximum profitability.

To learn more about the metrics, KPIs, and other factors influencing the ROI of online guest reviews, read our complete article, Understanding the ROI of Online Review Ratings.

Strategy 11: Conduct quarterly ORM audits using multi-channel sentiment dashboards

A consistent, data-driven audit process ensures your hotel’s reputation strategy remains aligned with guest expectations and market shifts. Conduct quarterly online reputation management (ORM) audits by aggregating review data, sentiment scores, and visibility metrics across platforms like Google, TripAdvisor, Booking.com, and social media. Use multi-channel sentiment dashboards to visualize trends, monitor shifts in guest perception, and pinpoint friction points in the guest journey.

Define clear KPIs—such as response time, average rating per channel, and sentiment breakdown by topic. Identify gaps in listing completeness, review volume, or response consistency. Benchmark your performance against competitors using reputation intelligence tools and document key findings to inform updates in service protocols, staff training, or marketing strategy.

Pro tip: Layer sentiment data with operational data (e.g., occupancy, ADR, or complaints by department) to uncover deeper performance correlations. For instance, a dip in sentiment around the “check-in experience” may signal the need for front desk retraining or technology upgrades—insights that only surface through a robust, structured audit process.

Explore tips, examples, and a step-by-step checklist for conducting an effective ORM audit in our article, The Ultimate Guide to Conducting an ORM Audit.

Strategy 12: Drive review freshness using timed and triggered feedback requests

Review recency plays a critical role in building trust and visibility in the hospitality industry. Fresh reviews not only reflect your property’s current guest experience but also improve your rankings on Google and booking platforms. Potential guests are more likely to trust recent feedback over older reviews, making it essential to consistently update and maintain a steady stream of new content.

Automate post-stay review requests using your property management system (PMS) or CRM. Time these prompts strategically—ideally 24 to 48 hours after checkout—when the guest experience is still fresh in their mind. Trigger additional follow-ups based on touchpoints such as room upgrades, check-out feedback, or loyalty program milestones to personalize the request and increase response rates. Utilize AI-generated templates to create consistent yet human review requests.

Pro tip: Align your review request strategy with the peak-end rule—ask for feedback shortly after the guest’s most memorable or final experience (e.g., a complimentary breakfast or smooth check-out). This maximizes the chance of capturing emotionally positive reviews that feel fresh, relevant, and persuasive to future bookers.

Check out our article Why is Review Recency Important for Your Business? to learn ways to drive new reviews for your business consistently.

Strategy 13: Systematize multi-touch review collection across channels

A well-structured, multi-touch review collection strategy is crucial for hotels seeking to establish a consistent flow of genuine guest feedback. Reviews strengthen your reputation, drive SEO performance, and provide valuable insights into guest satisfaction. The key is to create multiple, non-intrusive touchpoints across the guest journey—before, during, and after their stay.

Use a combination of email, SMS, on-site prompts, and post-stay surveys to solicit reviews across various platforms, including Google, TripAdvisor, Booking.com, and Facebook—display QR codes at checkout counters, on room tablets, or printed receipts. Integrate review request widgets on your website and in guest Wi-Fi login pages. Encourage your front desk or concierge team to request reviews during positive guest interactions personally, and automate polite follow-ups after check-out using your CRM or PMS.

Pro tip: Segment your review requests by guest type—repeat visitors, loyalty members, or guests who received a room upgrade—and personalize your messaging to reflect their journey. This increases the likelihood of receiving high-quality, relevant reviews that future guests will trust.

To learn more creative ways to collect online guest reviews and boost your online reputation, read our complete article Boost Your Business with Clever Review Collection Strategies

Strategy 14: Use behavioral psychology to craft review email campaigns that convert

Applying behavioral psychology to your review email campaigns can dramatically increase response rates and boost your hotel’s online reputation. Emotional triggers, such as reciprocity, personalization, and timing, play a crucial role in motivating guests to leave feedback.

Frame your email with gratitude—guests are more likely to respond when they feel appreciated. Personalize the message by referencing their name, stay dates, or specific experiences (e.g., “We hope you enjoyed the rooftop lounge!”). Include a clear and convenient call-to-action with direct links to your preferred review platforms. Time your emails within 24–48 hours post-checkout to maximize recall, and send a friendly follow-up a few days later if there’s no response. Use subject lines that inspire curiosity or engagement, such as “How was your stay at [Hotel Name]?” or “We’d love your feedback.”

Pro tip: Use psychological anchoring—mention how other guests have shared their experiences to create subtle social proof. Example: “Join the 200+ travelers who’ve reviewed their stay with us.” This creates a sense of community and increases the likelihood of action.

Want to learn more? Read: Top Review Request Email Templates for Better Guest Feedback

Strategy 15: Launch a recovery campaign to rebuild a damaged reputation

A damaged online reputation doesn’t have to be permanent—hotels can bounce back with a focused, strategic recovery campaign. Begin by conducting a full ORM audit to identify common complaints, negative sentiment patterns, and outdated or inaccurate listings. Then, claim and optimize your profiles on major platforms, such as Google, TripAdvisor, and Yelp. Utilize updated descriptions, high-quality images, and accurate contact information to establish and reinforce a professional brand identity.

Address negative reviews with empathy and accountability—respond promptly, take ownership of the issue, and clearly communicate the corrective action taken. At the same time, proactively request positive reviews from recently satisfied guests to dilute the impact of past feedback and improve your overall rating. Strengthen your SEO by creating content that highlights improvements and customer satisfaction stories. Utilize social media to share behind-the-scenes efforts and positive guest experiences, repositioning your narrative.

Pro tip: Implement a “red flag” alert system using ORM tools that notify your team of low-star reviews or negative mentions in real time. This enables rapid and consistent intervention, helping to prevent minor issues from escalating into long-term reputation damage.

Learn how to fix a bad reputation online by managing negative reviews: Fixing Digital Reputation for Hotels: Quick Tips and Tricks.

Strategy 16: Use high-converting subject lines to maximize email review response rates

The success of your hotel’s review request campaign starts with the subject line. With inboxes saturated daily, your subject line must cut through the noise. High-performing subject lines are short (under 70 characters), personalized, and emotionally resonant. Including the guest’s name or referencing their recent stay (e.g., “How was your stay at The Grand?”) increases open rates by establishing relevance. Phrases like “We’d love your feedback” or “Share your thoughts for 10% off” effectively balance courtesy with incentive while maintaining brand tone.

A/B test subject line variations—emotional vs. incentive-based vs. curiosity-driven—to identify what best resonates with your audience. Avoid spam triggers, such as excessive punctuation, all caps, or misleading phrases. Precede your review request emails with value-driven content (like a thank-you message or a local tip from your concierge) to warm up the guest’s inbox and build trust.

Pro tip: Create a subject line framework categorized by guest type—e.g., business, leisure, loyalty members—and seasonality. Then, rotate and personalize these at scale using your hotel’s CRM or email automation tools for higher response rates without sacrificing efficiency.

To read more industry-specific subject lines for review request emails, read our complete article, Quick Guide to Writing the Best Subject Lines for Your Review Request Emails.

Strategy 17: Maintain compliance and avoid review gating practices

Review gating—the practice of filtering out negative feedback before inviting public reviews—may seem like a shortcut to a stellar online reputation, but it carries serious long-term risks. Platforms like Google and Yelp explicitly prohibit gating, and violations can result in penalties such as review removal or account suspension. Worse, it damages guest trust by presenting an inauthentic brand image and blocks valuable criticism that could improve operations.

Implement a transparent, one-step review collection process that invites all guests to share feedback, regardless of sentiment. Utilize post-stay automation to send review links directly to public platforms, such as Google or TripAdvisor, and monitor response patterns to refine guest experience strategies. Frame negative feedback as insight—not a threat—by regularly analyzing complaints for recurring issues.

Pro tip: Instead of gating, segment guest feedback internally: use Net Promoter Score (NPS) or satisfaction surveys to direct high-sentiment responses toward public platforms while still logging and addressing critical feedback through service recovery workflows. This ensures compliance while still optimizing for reputation growth.

Consider adding review gating to your review management strategies. Read Weighing Review Gating: Assessing Its Pros and Cons in Reputation Management.

Strategy 18: Integrate AI to automate insights, not the human touch

AI-powered tools are revolutionizing reputation management, especially for resource-constrained hotels and small businesses. Platforms like MARA streamline review monitoring, automate sentiment analysis, and generate on-brand responses at scale. But while automation boosts efficiency, the human element remains essential for crafting authentic connections.

Utilize AI to analyze patterns in guest feedback and flag high-impact reviews for human review and follow-up. Automate responses to routine praise but personalize replies to emotional or critical reviews to preserve empathy and authenticity. Regularly feed your AI assistant with property-specific details—like amenities, policies, and tone guidelines—to ensure accurate, brand-aligned messaging.

Pro tip: Don’t treat AI as a hands-off fix. Instead, assign a staff member to oversee AI-generated replies and edit as needed. This “human-in-the-loop” approach combines machine speed with brand storytelling—building trust while saving time.

Want to know more about review response generators? Here you go: Review Response Generator: What Is It and What Is It Not?

Strategy 19: Tailor hotel reputation management strategies for independent and small-scale hotels

Independent and small-scale hotels often compete without the marketing budgets of large chains, making online reputation management (ORM) a critical growth lever. These businesses can build trust and visibility by focusing on high-impact, cost-effective strategies, starting with a fully optimized Google Business Profile that includes up-to-date photos, accurate contact details, and clear service descriptions.

Prioritize timely and thoughtful responses to all guest reviews, especially those with negative feedback. Use affordable AI-powered ORM tools like MARA to automate review tracking, streamline responses, and surface sentiment insights without overwhelming your team. Actively request reviews after each stay and promote glowing guest feedback on your website and social media channels to attract direct bookings.

Pro tip: Small hotels should establish a straightforward weekly ORM workflow—check new reviews, respond within 24 hours, and review analytics to pinpoint service gaps. A consistent system, even on a small scale, can dramatically elevate your online reputation and drive more organic traffic.

Learn how small businesses can thrive in the digital age with effective ORM strategies in our article Boost Your Brand: ORM for Small Business.

Strategy 20: Use reviews as content fuel for omnichannel digital campaigns

Customer reviews aren’t just feedback—they’re powerful marketing assets. Repurposing positive guest testimonials across your digital channels can significantly enhance trust, engagement, and conversion rates. Showcase 5-star reviews on your website, social media, email newsletters, and paid ads to add social proof that supports your brand promise and improves performance across the funnel. Incorporating review snippets into retargeting ads and landing pages can also shorten decision cycles and drive higher ROI.

Use dynamic content blocks to rotate fresh reviews across your homepage and booking pages. Embed real guest quotes into UGC-style social posts and highlight star ratings in Google Ads extensions or meta descriptions to boost CTR. Incorporate sentiment-rich testimonials into your email sequences, especially for upsells and post-stay offers.

Pro tip: Segment reviews by guest type (e.g., business travelers, families, couples) and match them with corresponding campaign personas. This targeted approach increases relevance, strengthens message alignment, and amplifies your overall omnichannel impact.

To learn more about this, read our article How to Enhance Digital Marketing with Reputation Management.

Strategy 21: Partner with a hospitality-specific ORM agency for full-service execution

Outsourcing your reputation management to a hospitality-focused ORM agency can provide the strategic depth and execution bandwidth many hotels lack in-house. These specialized firms bring deep industry expertise, handling everything from multi-platform guest review responses and SEO to crisis mitigation and OTA listing optimization. A full-service partner can help elevate your hotel’s brand image, improve rankings, and drive direct bookings through proactive reputation management.

When evaluating agencies, prioritize those with proven success in hospitality, robust case studies, and integrated tools for review monitoring, sentiment analysis, and reporting. Ensure they align with your property’s voice, values, and goals—especially if you're managing a boutique or luxury experience that requires a high-touch brand tone.

Pro tip: Ask potential agencies how they personalize strategies across hotel segments (e.g., resort vs. business hotel) and how they measure ORM success—this reveals their ability to move beyond templated solutions into performance-driven execution.

Ensuring a positive online presence is crucial, and specialized firms can help your business. To find one for your business, read our comprehensive guide, How to Choose a Reputation Management Company for Your Business.

Streamline Your Hotel Reputation Management with MARA’s AI Review Assistant

Successfully executing the 21 reputation management strategies for hotels doesn’t need to be overwhelming. MARA’s AI Review Assistant empowers hoteliers with a seamless and efficient way to manage reviews, analyze guest sentiment, and enhance the online guest experience—ultimately driving higher bookings and building brand trust.

Review Inbox

One of the key features of this tool is the Review Inbox. Your review inbox makes responding to reviews as simple as hitting "Generate reply" and clicking "Send." The Review Inbox connects to multiple review sources, including Google, Booking.com, and TripAdvisor, providing a comprehensive view of all your reviews. You can even configure review response automation: Why not allow MARA to automatically respond to simple reviews, like 5-star Google reviews with no text, ensuring you never miss a review? Daily notifications about new reviews keep you updated and in control.

This centralized dashboard helps you maintain consistency, respond quickly, and meet the responsiveness benchmarks that impact both guest perception and local SEO.

Review Analytics

To help you understand and analyze the multitude of reviews, the Review Assistant also incorporates Review Analytics. This provides actionable, easy-to-understand insights that are tailored exclusively to your business. With MARA, you can quickly get the gist of all your reviews without needing to read each one. The analysis is so detailed that you can find out about specific issues, such as "water in the pool is too cold" or "lack of vegan breakfast option.” These insights help optimize guest experience without requiring you to be a data expert.

By identifying recurring guest pain points or standout amenities, hotels can take strategic actions that align with ORM goals, such as improving category scores and increasing review sentiment.

AI Personalization

MARA's AI isn't just about efficiency; it's also about personalization. The Brand Voice feature enables the AI to adapt to your tone, ensuring your responses sound authentically to you. Plus, with Smart Snippets, you can "teach" the AI how to respond to recurring praises or complaints. Your AI then incorporates this information into its responses, always using different words to provide more personalized and relevant replies.

This personalization ensures that even automated responses uphold your brand reputation, reinforce trust, and improve review engagement across multiple channels.

Group Analytics Overview

Additionally, our group analytics overview can provide a quick evaluation of the performance of each location. In addition to key metrics such as response rates, ratings, and the number of reviews, MARA also provides category scores based on advanced AI analytics. In the screenshot below, you can find an analysis of hotels with category scores for areas like Food & Beverage, Front Office, and Housekeeping. This analysis enables swift identification of potential weaknesses, with a preview of detailed topics appearing when you hover over a category.

Group-wide visibility enables hotel chains and multi-property managers to make data-driven decisions, enhancing guest satisfaction and staying ahead of local competitors.

Review Automation

After gaining trust in your personal AI Review Assistant, you can even go on autopilot and create automation rules. This way, you can specify which reviews should be replied to by the AI directly, with no additional approval required. With the configuration below, all Google reviews with no text and a star rating of 4 or above are automatically answered.

This capability enables hoteliers to reduce manual workload while maintaining the speed and quality necessary to enhance star ratings and encourage additional reviews.

Optimized Guest Feedback Collection

MARA also helps you gather more 5-star reviews with its Guest Feedback Collection feature. You can create conversion-optimized surveys in minutes and share them via a dedicated link. Guests will be asked about their experience, and those with positive feedback will be encouraged to leave a public review on platforms like Google or TripAdvisor. The tool enables you to configure survey routing based on the overall rating and even generates a draft review for guests, increasing conversions. The survey link can be included in post-stay emails, or a QR code can be displayed at your property to collect more feedback and improve your online reputation effortlessly.

This feature directly supports strategies like maintaining review freshness, improving recency signals, and amplifying positive sentiment—all essential for ORM success.

Why 2,000+ hotels trust MARA

MARA has proven itself to be a leading solution for hoteliers aiming to enhance the guest experience, increase review volume, and manage their reputation with ease. Its ability to generate responses that are both fast and on-brand, extract actionable insights from guest feedback, and automate routine tasks makes it a powerful ally in achieving long-term ORM goals.

Ready to streamline your hotel reputation management strategy? Try MARA free with no credit card required—it takes less than five minutes to set up.

Final Thought

Mastering reputation management is no longer optional—it’s a competitive necessity in today’s hospitality landscape. These 21 expert strategies empower hotels to build trust, boost visibility, and drive more direct bookings by turning guest feedback into actionable insights and powerful marketing assets. From leveraging AI tools to optimizing local SEO and responding to reviews, each tactic contributes to a stronger, more resilient online presence.

For hoteliers ready to put these strategies into action, MARA AI stands out as the best reputation management software for hotels. With features like automated review responses, sentiment analysis, and customizable review request tools, MARA helps you streamline execution, protect your brand, and consistently exceed guest expectations.