Where to find reviews on an Airbnb listing

Reviews appear on the listing page itself, below the photos and description. Scroll down past the "About this space" section and you'll see a heading that says "Reviews" followed by a number — that number is the total count of reviews the property has received. All reviews posted by past guests are visible there, along with the guest's name, the date they stayed, and their rating out of 5 stars.

You don't need to be logged into your Airbnb account to read reviews. Anyone can visit a listing page and scroll to the reviews section. If you're using the Airbnb app on your phone, swipe down to find the reviews section the same way you would on a computer.

The reviews section also shows the overall rating for the property — a single number out of 5 that averages all guest ratings. This appears at the top of the reviews section and is also shown on the listing card when you're browsing search results.

Key Takeaways

  • Reviews are displayed on the listing page below the property photos, and you can read them without logging in.
  • Each review shows the guest's name, stay date, star rating, and written comment, so you can see what specific issues or strengths past guests experienced.
  • The overall rating is an average of all reviews and appears both on the listing page and in search results.
  • You can filter reviews by rating (5 stars, 4 stars, etc.) to focus on either the most positive or most critical feedback.
  • Airbnb shows the most recent reviews first by default, so newer feedback appears at the top of the list.

How to filter reviews by star rating

At the top of the reviews section, you'll see filter buttons labeled with star counts: "5 stars," "4 stars," "3 stars," and so on. Click or tap any of these buttons to show only reviews with that rating. This is useful if you want to read the most critical feedback (1 or 2 stars) to understand what problems guests have reported, or if you want to focus on the highest praise (5 stars) to see what the property does best.

You can also click "All reviews" to go back to seeing every review in the order Airbnb displays them. Filtering doesn't change the overall rating — that number stays the same regardless of which filter you explore.

What information each review contains

Every review on Airbnb includes the guest's first name and last initial, the date they stayed, their star rating (1 through 5), and a written comment. Some guests write detailed paragraphs about their experience; others leave just a sentence or two. The written comment is where you'll find specific details about cleanliness, noise, the host's responsiveness, whether the listing matched the photos, and whether amenities actually worked.

Reviews also show whether the guest stayed alone, with a partner, with family, or with a group. This context matters — a complaint about noise from a solo traveler might mean something different than the same complaint from someone traveling with children. You can use this information to decide whether a particular review applies to your own trip.

How to spot patterns in reviews

Reading every single review isn't necessary, but scanning the most recent ones and the lowest-rated ones will show you whether problems are one-time incidents or recurring issues. If three different guests mention that the Wi-Fi doesn't work, that's a pattern. If one guest complains about noise and no one else mentions it, that may have been a one-off situation.

Pay attention to reviews from guests whose trip type matches yours. If you're traveling with kids, look for reviews from other families. If you're planning a quiet weekend, focus on what solo travelers or couples say about the noise level. The overall rating tells you whether the property is generally good, but the individual reviews tell you whether it's good for your specific needs.

What reviews don't tell you

Airbnb reviews reflect past guests' experiences, but they don't may provide your experience will be identical. A host may have fixed a problem that an older review mentions. Weather, local events, or other guests in nearby units can affect your stay in ways that have nothing to do with the property itself. Reviews also can't capture everything — a photo of the bedroom matters as much as a review comment about it.

Hosts can respond to reviews, and those responses appear below the guest's comment. A host's response can provide context (for example, explaining that a reported maintenance issue has since been fixed) or can show how the host handles criticism. Read both the review and the host's response together to get the full picture.

How recent reviews compare to older ones

Airbnb shows the most recent reviews first by default. This is useful because it reflects the property's current condition and the host's current practices. A review from six months ago may describe a problem that's already been solved. Newer reviews are generally more relevant to what you'll experience when you book.

However, if a property has only a few reviews total, older reviews still matter. A listing with 8 reviews across two years is different from a listing with 50 reviews in the past month. More reviews means more data about consistency. A property with hundreds of 5-star reviews is more reliably good than one with 3 reviews that happen to be 5 stars.

Using reviews to compare similar listings

When you're deciding between two properties in the same area, compare not just the overall ratings but the patterns in their reviews. One listing might have a 4.8 rating with complaints about cleanliness, while another has a 4.6 rating with complaints about the host's communication. Depending on what matters to you, the second property might actually be the better choice. The overall number is a starting point, not the final answer.

Look at how many reviews each listing has. A property with 200 reviews and a 4.7 rating is more predictable than a property with 5 reviews and a 4.9 rating. The larger sample size gives you more confidence that the rating reflects the typical guest experience.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can hosts delete bad reviews?

No. Hosts cannot delete or hide reviews posted by guests. Airbnb may remove a review only if it violates the platform's review policy — for example, if it contains hate speech, personal information, or claims unrelated to the stay itself. A host can respond to a review but cannot make it disappear.

Are reviews verified as real?

Airbnb requires that a review come from someone who actually booked and stayed at the property through the platform. You cannot leave a review without a completed reservation. However, Airbnb does not independently verify every claim made in a review — it relies on its community guidelines and the ability of hosts to respond with their own account of events.

What if I see a review that seems fake or unfair?

You can report a review to Airbnb if you believe it violates the platform's policies. Click the three dots or menu icon next to the review and select "Report." Airbnb will investigate, though they don't always remove reviews just because a host or potential guest disagrees with the content. A host's response to the review is often the best way to provide context.

Do I have to read reviews before booking?

You're not required to, but reading at least a few recent reviews is a practical step. Reviews often catch details that photos miss — like whether the bed is actually comfortable, whether the kitchen is usable, or whether the neighborhood is as quiet as the listing description suggests. Spending five minutes on reviews can prevent booking a property that won't meet your needs.

What's a good overall rating for an Airbnb?

Most Airbnb listings have ratings between 4.5 and 5 stars. A rating of 4.7 or higher is generally considered very good. However, the number alone doesn't tell the whole story — read the actual reviews to understand what guests experienced, especially if you're considering a listing with fewer than 10 reviews or if you notice a pattern of complaints about something that matters to you.