Where to find the review button after your stay
You can leave a review on Airbnb up to 48 hours after your checkout date. Open the Airbnb app or website, go to your account menu, and select Trips. Find the listing you stayed at and tap or click the Review button. If you don't see it, your 48-hour window may have closed — Airbnb locks reviews after that point, and you cannot reopen them.
The review button appears only for completed stays. If your reservation was cancelled, you won't have the option to review. The same applies if you're still in the middle of your trip — you must check out first.
Key Takeaways
- You have exactly 48 hours after checkout to write and submit your review; after that window closes, you cannot leave one.
- Your review must be at least one sentence long, and you can rate the listing on cleanliness, accuracy, communication, location, and value.
- Both you and the host can see each other's reviews after both have submitted one, or after 14 days pass — whichever comes first.
- Airbnb removes reviews that contain contact information, threats, discrimination, or false claims about safety or illegal activity.
- You can edit your review within 48 hours of posting it, but once that window closes, your text and rating are permanent.
What the five rating categories mean
Airbnb asks you to rate five separate things on a scale of 1 to 5 stars. Cleanliness covers whether the space was clean when you arrived and whether it had working toilets, showers, and kitchen equipment. Accuracy
CommunicationLocationValue
You don't have to rate all five categories the same. You might give 5 stars for cleanliness and location but 3 stars for value if the price felt high. Each rating stands on its own.
Writing the text part of your review
After you choose your star ratings, you can write a comment. This part is optional — you can submit a review with only star ratings and no written text. If you do write something, keep it factual and specific. Instead of "Great place," write "The kitchen had everything we needed, and the host left clear instructions for the coffee maker." Instead of "Terrible," write "The bathroom had mold on the ceiling and the WiFi didn't work in the bedroom."
Your written review can be as short as one sentence or as long as you want. Airbnb doesn't set a word limit, but most helpful reviews are between 2 and 10 sentences. Mention things that matter to future guests: noise levels, parking, heating or cooling, the condition of furniture, whether checkout was smooth, or how responsive the host was to problems.
Do not include the host's name, phone number, email, or social media handles in your review. Do not make accusations about illegal activity, safety hazards, or discrimination unless you reported them to Airbnb during your stay. Airbnb will remove reviews that contain these things.
When both reviews become visible
Your review and the host's review of you are hidden from each other until one of two things happens: either you both submit reviews, or 14 days pass since checkout. This means if you leave a 5-star review, the host can't see it and adjust their own review in response. The same protection applies to them.
Once both reviews are visible, they appear on the listing page for future guests to read. Your review stays on the listing permanently unless Airbnb removes it for violating their review policy. The host cannot delete your review, and you cannot delete it after your 48-hour editing window closes.
Editing or removing your review within 48 hours
You can change your review's text and star ratings anytime within 48 hours of submitting it. Go back to your Trips, find the listing, and select Edit review. Make your changes and save them. The new version replaces the old one when ready.
After 48 hours, the edit button disappears. You cannot change your review after that point, and you cannot ask Airbnb to remove it unless it was posted by mistake or contains information that violates their policy. If you believe your review was posted in error, contact Airbnb support through the app or website.
What happens if Airbnb removes your review
Airbnb removes reviews that contain threats, hate speech, discrimination based on protected characteristics, or contact information for the host. They also remove reviews that make specific accusations of illegal activity or safety violations without evidence, or that appear to be spam or off-topic.
If your review is removed, Airbnb sends you a notification explaining why. You can contact Airbnb support to appeal if you believe the removal was a mistake. However, Airbnb's decision is final — they don't reinstate reviews once they've been taken down.
Reviewing a host you had problems with
If something went wrong during your stay — the listing wasn't clean, the host didn't respond to messages, or you had a safety concern — report it to Airbnb during your stay or when ready after checkout, before you write your review. Use the Report a problem button in the app or website. Airbnb can sometimes resolve issues or issue refunds if you report them promptly.
Your review should reflect your honest experience. You can give low star ratings and explain why. Be specific: "The host didn't respond to my message about the broken shower for two days" is more useful than "Bad host." Avoid language that sounds like you're making a legal accusation or threatening the host. Stick to what you observed and experienced.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I leave a review if I cancelled my reservation?
No. Airbnb only allows reviews for completed stays. If you cancelled before arriving or the host cancelled on you, you won't see a review option. If the host cancelled and you want to report the cancellation, contact Airbnb support directly.
What if I forgot to review within 48 hours?
Once the 48-hour window closes, you cannot leave a review for that stay. The review button disappears from your Trips. You can still contact Airbnb support if you believe there was a technical problem, but they rarely reopen the window.
Will the host know it's me if I leave a bad review?
Yes, the host will see your review once both reviews are visible. However, they won't see your review when ready — they see it either when they submit their own review or after 14 days pass. Your name and profile appear with your review.
Can I see my review after I submit it?
Yes. Go to your Trips, find the listing, and you'll see your review displayed. You can edit it within 48 hours. After 48 hours, you can still view it but cannot change it.
What if the host leaves me a bad review in response to mine?
Hosts can leave honest reviews just as you can. If you believe their review is false or violates Airbnb's policy, you can report it through the app. Airbnb reviews both sides and removes reviews that break their rules, but they don't remove reviews straightforward because you disagree with them.