Write Your Review Within 14 Days of Checkout
You can leave a review on Airbnb up to 14 days after you check out from your stay. Open the Airbnb app or website, go to your account menu, and select Trips. Find the listing you stayed at, and you will see a button that says Leave a review. Click it to start writing.
After 14 days have passed, the review button disappears and you cannot add a review to that stay. Both the host and the guest can see when a review was written, so hosts know if feedback came right after checkout or much later. If you missed the window, you cannot go back and add one.
Key Takeaways
- You have exactly 14 days after checkout to leave a review; after that, the option closes permanently.
- Your review appears publicly on the listing page once both you and the host have submitted reviews, or after 48 hours if the host does not review you.
- Airbnb removes reviews that contain contact information, threats, or claims about illegal activity without proof.
- You can edit or delete your review at any time, even years after you wrote it.
- Hosts can see your review before it publishes if you write it within 48 hours of their review of you.
What Happens When You Submit Your Review
When you click Leave a review, a form appears with a star rating (1 to 5 stars) and a text box for written comments. You must give a star rating, but the written comment is optional—you can submit stars alone. The form also asks you to rate specific categories like cleanliness, communication, and accuracy of the listing.
Once you submit, your review does not appear on the listing page when ready. If the host has not yet reviewed you, your review stays hidden for 48 hours. This gives the host time to write their own review without seeing yours first. If the host reviews you within those 48 hours, both reviews publish at the same time. If the host does not review you after 48 hours, your review publishes automatically whether or not they have written one.
When Your Review Becomes Public
Your review appears on the listing's public page under the Reviews section, where future guests can read it. The host's name and photo appear next to their response, if they choose to write one. Hosts can respond to your review at any time—even months or years later—and their response will show up below your words.
Your profile picture and first name appear next to your review. You cannot hide your identity or post anonymously. Other guests can see your review history by clicking on your profile, so past hosts and future hosts can read everything you have written.
What You Cannot Say in a Review
Airbnb removes reviews that contain phone numbers, email addresses, social media handles, or links to external websites. Do not include your contact information or ask the host to reach out to you outside the Airbnb platform. The site also removes reviews that include threats, harassment, or discrimination based on protected characteristics like race, religion, or disability.
Reviews that make claims about illegal activity—such as "the host was running a drug operation" or "I found stolen goods"—must include specific evidence or documentation. Vague accusations without proof are removed. If you witnessed actual illegal activity, contact Airbnb support directly rather than posting it in a review.
Editing or Deleting Your Review
You can change your review at any time by going back to your Trips section, finding the stay, and selecting Edit review. You can update the star rating, rewrite the text, or delete the entire review. When you edit, the publication date stays the same—it does not reset to the current date.
If you delete your review, it disappears from the listing page when ready. The host's response to your review (if they wrote one) also disappears. You cannot restore a deleted review, so make sure you want to remove it before you confirm the deletion.
How Hosts Respond to Your Review
Hosts can write a response to your review, which appears directly below your words on the listing page. Their response is public and visible to all future guests. Some hosts use responses to thank guests for positive feedback, while others use them to address complaints or provide context about issues you mentioned.
You cannot edit or delete a host's response to your review. If a host's response contains false information, contact Airbnb support and explain why you believe it is inaccurate. Airbnb may remove responses that violate community standards, but you cannot remove them yourself.
Tips for Writing a Helpful Review
Be specific about what you experienced. Instead of writing "great place," describe what made it great: "The kitchen had all the tools we needed for cooking, the bed was very comfortable, and the host left clear instructions for everything." Specific details help future guests decide if the listing matches what they are looking for.
Mention both strengths and weaknesses if they exist. A review that says only good things or only bad things is less useful to other guests and to the host. If the listing was clean but the wifi was slow, say both. If the neighborhood was loud but the host was responsive, mention both. Balanced reviews are more credible and more helpful.
Avoid venting about personal frustrations unrelated to the listing. If you had a bad day or a travel mishap, that is not the listing's fault. Focus on what the listing and the host's service were actually like. This keeps your review fair and makes it more useful to people reading it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I leave a review if I did not stay the full time?
Yes. You can leave a review for any stay, even if you checked out early or had a shortened visit. Your review should reflect the actual experience you had during the time you were there.
What if I forgot to leave a review and it has been more than 14 days?
Once 14 days pass, the review button closes and you cannot add a review to that stay. You can still see the listing and read other reviews, but you cannot write your own. Plan to review within two weeks of checkout if you want to leave feedback.
Can the host see my review before it publishes?
Only if you write your review within 48 hours of the host reviewing you. If you wait longer than 48 hours to review, your review publishes without the host seeing it first. If you both review within 48 hours, you see each other's reviews at the same time.
Will a bad review hurt the host?
Yes, low ratings affect the host's overall score and can reduce how often their listing appears in search results. However, honest reviews about real problems are important for other guests. Write truthfully about your experience; hosts need accurate feedback to improve.
Can I post a review on behalf of someone else who stayed?
No. Only the person whose name is on the booking can leave a review for that stay. Each guest account can only review the stays associated with that account.