Where to find the review option and when you can post
You can leave a review on Airbnb up to 14 days after your checkout date. After that window closes, the review button disappears and you cannot add one. The review section lives in your Airbnb app or website under "Trips" — tap or click the listing you stayed at, scroll down, and you will see a "Review your stay" button or a star rating field.
If you are on the Airbnb website, log in, go to your account menu, select "Trips," find the property, and click "Review." On the mobile app, open the app, tap the profile icon, select "Trips," choose your stay, and tap "Leave a review." The button only appears after checkout is complete, so if you do not see it when ready, wait a few hours for the system to process your departure.
Hosts can also leave a review of you during the same 14-day window. Both reviews are private until both the guest and host have submitted theirs, or until the 14 days end — whichever comes first. Once both reviews are posted, they become visible to other users on the listing.
Key Takeaways
- You have exactly 14 days after checkout to leave a review; after that, the option disappears permanently.
- The review section is in your Trips history under your account, and you rate the stay with stars and write optional comments.
- Your review stays private until the host also reviews you or the 14-day window closes, then both appear publicly.
- Airbnb removes reviews that mention prices, outside contact information, or requests to contact off-platform.
- You can edit or delete your review at any time after posting it, but the host will see that you made changes.
What to include in your review text
The text portion of your review is optional — you can submit just a star rating if you prefer. But if you do write comments, focus on what future guests actually need to know: whether the listing matched the photos, how clean it was, whether the bed was comfortable, if the wifi worked, and whether the host responded quickly to messages. Be specific. "Great place" tells no one anything. "The kitchen had no cutting board or sharp knives, and the shower took 10 minutes to get hot water" tells the next guest what to expect.
Mention practical details that affect the stay: noise from neighbors, stairs or steep entry, parking difficulty, distance to transit, or whether checkout was rushed. If something was broken or missing, say what it was. If the host fixed a problem during your stay, mention that too — it shows responsiveness. Hosts read these reviews and often improve things based on feedback, and guests use them to decide whether a place will work for their needs.
Keep your tone factual and calm, even if something went wrong. "The host was rude" is an opinion; "The host did not respond to my message for 18 hours when I asked about the heating" is a fact that matters. Airbnb's system flags reviews with excessive profanity or personal attacks, and those may be removed.
Things Airbnb will not let you post in a review
Airbnb's review policy blocks certain content automatically or through human review. You cannot mention the price you paid, link to external websites, or include your own contact information like a phone number or email address. Do not ask the host to contact you off-platform or leave a review on another site. These restrictions exist to keep the review system on Airbnb itself and prevent disputes from moving to private channels.
You also cannot post photos or videos in the review text itself on most accounts (some hosts can add media to their responses, but guests typically cannot). If you want to show damage or a cleanliness issue, take screenshots or photos for your own records and contact Airbnb support directly if you need to report a serious problem — do not rely on the review to document it.
Airbnb removes reviews that name the host by their personal name in a negative context, accuse them of discrimination, or make claims you cannot back up. Stick to what you observed during your stay, not speculation about why something happened.
Star ratings and what they mean to hosts
The star rating is the most visible part of your review. Airbnb uses a five-star scale: five stars means excellent, four stars means good, three stars means average, two stars means poor, and one star means terrible. A single one-star review can significantly lower a listing's overall rating, especially on newer properties with fewer total reviews. Hosts take these ratings seriously because Airbnb's search algorithm favors highly-rated listings, and guests often filter by rating before looking at individual reviews.
If you give fewer than five stars, consider whether you would stay there again or recommend it to a friend. Four stars usually means the stay was good but something was noticeably off — a small maintenance issue, slower-than-expected wifi, or a host who was less communicative than you hoped. Three stars or lower suggests a significant problem: the place did not match the listing, cleanliness was poor, or the host was unresponsive to a real issue. Most hosts aim for a 4.8 or higher average rating to stay competitive.
Editing or removing your review after you post it
You can edit your review at any time after posting it. Open your Trips, find the stay, tap or click your review, and select "Edit review." You can change your star rating, rewrite your comments, or delete the entire review. When you edit, Airbnb notifies the host that you made changes, so they will see that your review was updated.
If you want to remove your review completely, open it and select "Delete review." Once deleted, it disappears from the listing when ready. You cannot post a new review for the same stay after deleting the first one, so think carefully before deleting if you might want to leave feedback later.
Some hosts ask guests to edit negative reviews in exchange for a refund or resolution of a problem. Airbnb allows this, but you are never obligated to change your review. If a host contacts you asking you to remove or edit a review, you can respond directly through the Airbnb messaging system or ignore the request. Your honest feedback is protected.
What happens if you report a serious problem instead of reviewing
If something serious happened during your stay — damage, safety concerns, theft, or a host who violated Airbnb's policies — do not wait for the review window. Contact Airbnb support when ready through the Resolution Center or the Help section of the app. Describe what happened, include photos or screenshots, and explain what you want (a refund, cancellation credit, or a report to Airbnb). Support can investigate and take action faster than a review can.
The review system is for sharing your experience with future guests. The support system is for resolving problems with your current stay. You can do both — report the issue to support and also leave an honest review — but if you need money back or want Airbnb to investigate the host, support is the right channel. Reviews are public and permanent; support conversations are private and can result in when ready action.
How your review affects the host and the listing
Every review you leave becomes part of the listing's public record. Future guests read reviews to decide whether to book, and Airbnb's search algorithm ranks listings partly on their average rating and review recency. A single five-star review helps a listing; a single one-star review can hurt it, especially if the listing has fewer than 20 total reviews.
Hosts depend on good reviews to stay competitive and earn Airbnb's "Superhost" status, which requires a 4.8 average rating, a 90% response rate, and zero cancellations over a 12-month period. Superhosts get a badge on their listing, appear higher in search results, and can charge premium prices. Your review directly affects whether a host can reach or maintain that status.
This does not mean you should inflate your rating to be nice. Honest reviews — even four-star ones with constructive feedback — help hosts improve and help future guests make informed decisions. A thoughtful review that explains what worked and what did not is more valuable than a generic five-star "great place" comment.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I leave a review if I cancelled my reservation before checking in?
No. You can only review a stay you actually completed. If you cancelled before arrival or checked out early, the review button will not appear. Airbnb only allows reviews from guests who spent at least some time at the property.
What if the host leaves a bad review of me first?
Both reviews stay private until both are submitted or 14 days pass. If the host posts a negative review, you can still post your own honest review. Once both are public, guests and the host can see both sides. You cannot edit your review in response to theirs, but you can contact the host through Airbnb messaging to discuss any concerns.
Can I ask the host to remove a bad review they left of me?
You can contact the host and ask, but they are not required to delete it. If you believe the review violates Airbnb's policies — for example, it includes personal attacks or false claims — you can report it to Airbnb support. Support reviews reported reviews and removes them if they break the rules.
Will the host know who I am if I leave a negative review?
Yes. The host can see your name, profile photo, and review. They know exactly who left the review because they have your booking information. If you are concerned about retaliation, know that Airbnb prohibits hosts from retaliating against guests for honest reviews, and you can report retaliation to support.
What if I missed the 14-day review window?
Once 14 days pass after checkout, the review button disappears and you cannot post a review for that stay. You cannot go back and add one later. If you have a serious unresolved issue from the stay, contact Airbnb support instead of trying to review — they can still investigate and help even after the review window closes.