Providing great guest experiences

Increase your positive reviews and future bookings by providing a great guest experience before, during, and after their stay.

Illustration of host and guests

Congrats on receiving your first booking! We're excited to help you create an unforgettable guest experience. In this step, we'll offer helpful tips and advice on enhancing guests' experiences before, during, and after their stays. Each guest's experience can greatly impact the reviews you receive and your overall performance on Booking.com. Let's dive in and learn how to make every guest's stay a memorable one!

What to do before your guest arrives

Now that you have a scheduled guest arrival, it's time to set up a welcome process that guides them through check-in. Here are some tips to make the process smooth and efficient:

  • Reach out before their stay: Sending a friendly welcome message through your Booking.com Inbox tab reassures guests that they've made a great choice by booking with you. This is a great opportunity to remind them of your check-in time and provide useful info, such as directions and parking.
  • Use the key collection feature: If you're unable to welcome your guests in person, you can use the key collection feature to explain ahead of time how they can retrieve the keys to your property without you being present.
  • Facilitate guest requests where possible: If a guest requests to change a part of their reservation, you can decide how to handle this based on your policies.
  • Prepare your property: Creating a positive first impression of your property is important. Consider preparing your property with small touches, like lighting up your living room or refreshing your bathroom to make guests feel welcome and comfortable.
     
Guests arriving

What to do during your guest’s stay

Optimize what guests review at your property

It's crucial to consider what guests are likely to highlight in their reviews of your property.

In addition to the overall 1-to-10 rating, guests are also asked to rate your property on other categories such as cleanliness, comfort, value, facilities, staff, and more.

Focusing on these areas is essential because they can influence prospective guests exploring your property page.

 

Hospitality best practices

Welcoming guests in person is a great way to add a personal touch and ensure a seamless check-in process. However, if you're unable to be there in person, there are many ways to personalize the guest experience:

  • Make sure they have your contact information: Guests feel more at ease knowing they can reach you in case of any issues during their stay. The Pulse app is a helpful tool for keeping in touch with guests.
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  • Be inclusive: As a Booking.com partner, your property has a global reach and you may be welcoming guests from diverse backgrounds. Be respectful of cultural differences. If you're unsure about your guests' needs or preferences, don't hesitate to ask them for more information.
  • Provide a guidebook of your property: If an in-person tour isn't possible, provide an overview and instructions that highlight important facilities and amenities, such as wifi info, how to use the appliances, and where to reach you.
  • Recommend restaurants and local attractions: Guests new to the area will appreciate your knowledge of the best dining and entertainment options nearby.
  • Confirm check-out procedures: Even if you've outlined this info in your booking policy, it's always a good idea to remind guests about your check-out time and procedures, such as removing bedsheets or taking out the trash. If you offer a late check-out option, let them know about any additional fees.
  • Delight guests with small acts of kindness: Gifts such as chocolates, small toys for children, or samples of local products and beverages are often more valuable to guests than the cost you incur for them. Such hospitality goes a long way – creating memorable experiences is what will make your guests want to return to your property.
  • Respect their privacy: Once your guests are settled in, give them space to enjoy their stay. This also means respecting all applicable privacy laws and regulations for security devices at your property. If guests need you, they can reach out using the contact info you've provided.
     
happy guests

More tips

We’ve made some short videos to share quick and easy tips on getting your home ready for guests.

View the videos

What to do after your guest checks out

Make a lasting impression on guests by ensuring your check-out process is just as smooth as the check-in. Here are some important things to keep in mind after your guests leave:

  • Inspect your property: It's a good idea to inspect your property as soon as your guests leave. This way, if there’s any damage, you can take the necessary steps.
  • Check the reservation details one last time: Verify that all the reservation details are correct in the Extranet’s Reservations tab to ensure that all necessary fees are correctly charged, both for the guest and yourself.
happy faces
  • Request feedback: After check-out, we automatically send an email to all guests to request their feedback. Since guest reviews play a vital role in your ranking and performance on our platform, it's always a good idea to thank them for their stay and proactively ask for feedback.
  • Read and reply to reviews: If you receive feedback, it's important to read, absorb, and respond to your guests – especially if the feedback is constructive. Taking responsibility for any mistakes or shortcomings helps you improve as a host. Since these reviews are public on your property page, responding to them shows other potential guests that you take feedback seriously.

Before you continue…

By prioritizing guest experience and reviews and implementing strategies to encourage positive feedback, you can improve your property's performance, leading to more bookings and higher revenue.

FAQs

  • You can view your guest reviews on Booking.com by logging in to your property's Extranet account and going to the Guest reviews tab.

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  • To write a guest review on Booking.com, a guest must have a confirmed booking and have stayed at the property. They can only write one review per booking and must follow Booking.com's review guidelines, which prohibit reviews that contain personal information or are discriminatory, vulgar, or unrelated to the property.

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  • To share check-in information with guests on Booking.com, you can use the Extranet’s messaging feature. You can also upload check-in instructions and other important details to the “Guest information” section of the Extranet’s Policies.

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  • To set up key collection on Booking.com, go to the Property tab and Policies section, then select “Key collection” and choose a method. The info you provide will appear on the guest's booking confirmation. Note: Key collection isn’t available to all partners.

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Handling guest reviews

Discover the full potential of guest reviews and learn how to address all types of feedback to benefit your business.

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