How to view reviews on Airbnb
Reviews on Airbnb appear on the listing page itself, below the photos and description. Scroll down past the "About this space" section and you'll see a "Reviews" heading with a number next to it showing how many reviews the property has received. Click on that section or scroll further to see individual reviews from past guests.
Each review shows the guest's name, the date they stayed, their star rating (1 to 5 stars), and their written comment about the property. You can read as many reviews as you want without logging into your account — reviews are public information on every Airbnb listing.
If a listing has many reviews, Airbnb shows them in groups. You'll see a "Show more reviews" button at the bottom of the reviews section. Click it to load additional reviews and keep reading through the full list.
Key Takeaways
- Reviews appear on the listing page below the property photos and description, and you can read them without creating an account.
- Each review includes the guest's name, stay date, star rating, and written comment about their experience.
- Airbnb shows reviews in batches, so click "Show more reviews" to read past the first group of comments.
- The overall star rating at the top of the reviews section is an average of all guest ratings for that property.
- You can sort reviews by newest first, oldest first, or highest rating to find the feedback most relevant to your concerns.
Sorting and filtering reviews by date and rating
At the top of the reviews section, you'll see options to change how reviews are displayed. Look for a dropdown menu or filter buttons that let you sort by "Newest," "Oldest," or "Highest rating." Selecting "Newest" shows the most recent guest experiences first, which is useful if you want to know how the property is being maintained right now.
Choosing "Highest rating" groups all the 5-star reviews together, while "Oldest" takes you back to the earliest reviews the listing received. There's no "Lowest rating" sort, but you can scroll through the full list to find 1-star and 2-star reviews, which often contain the most detailed complaints about specific problems.
What information each review contains
A typical Airbnb review shows the guest's first name and profile photo, the dates they stayed, how many nights they booked, and their star rating. Below that is their written comment — some guests write a sentence or two, while others write detailed paragraphs about cleanliness, communication with the host, noise levels, or whether the listing matched the photos.
Some reviews include a "Verified" badge, which means Airbnb confirmed that the person actually stayed at the property. All reviews on Airbnb are verified in this way — the site only publishes reviews from guests who completed a booking and checked out.
You'll also see how long ago the review was posted (for example, "3 months ago"). This timestamp helps you understand whether feedback is recent or from an older stay when the property or host's service may have been different.
Understanding the overall star rating
At the top of the reviews section, Airbnb displays an overall star rating for the property — usually shown as a number like 4.8 or 4.6 out of 5 stars. This is an average of all the individual star ratings guests have given. A property with 4.8 stars has received mostly 5-star reviews with a few 4-star reviews mixed in, while a 4.2-star property has more variation, including some lower ratings.
Airbnb also breaks down the rating by category in some listings — you might see separate scores for cleanliness, communication, accuracy (how well the listing matched the photos), location, and value. These category breakdowns help you see whether complaints are concentrated in one area (for example, many guests mentioning noise) or spread across different aspects of the stay.
Reading between the lines in guest reviews
Pay attention to what guests mention repeatedly across multiple reviews. If three separate reviews mention that the shower has low water pressure, that's a real issue. If one guest complains about noise and no one else mentions it, that guest may have had bad luck with neighbors rather than a property problem.
Look at the length and detail of reviews too. A 5-star review that says "Great place!" tells you less than a 5-star review that explains why — "Clean, quiet, host responded quickly, and the kitchen had everything we needed." Similarly, a 1-star review with specific complaints ("Mold in the bathroom," "Broken air conditioning") is more useful than a vague one ("Terrible, don't book").
Check the dates on negative reviews. A 2-star review from two years ago may not reflect the property's current condition if the host has since made improvements. Recent reviews are generally more reliable for understanding what you'll actually experience.
What reviews don't tell you
Reviews reflect individual guest experiences and preferences, so they're subjective. One guest might love a cozy, small space while another finds it cramped. A property near a busy street might be described as "lively and walkable" by one guest and "noisy" by another — both are true from their perspective.
Airbnb removes reviews that violate its policies, such as reviews containing hate speech, personal attacks, or false claims. This means you won't see every negative experience a property has had, only those that guests posted and that met Airbnb's standards.
Reviews also don't include information about the host's response to problems. Some hosts reply to negative reviews with explanations or offers to fix issues, and you can see these responses below the original review. A host's willingness to engage with criticism can matter as much as the criticism itself.
Checking a host's response to reviews
Below many reviews, you'll see a response from the host. This is the property owner's chance to address concerns, explain context, or thank guests for positive feedback. Read these responses carefully — they show how the host handles problems and whether they take guest concerns seriously.
A host who responds to every review, including negative ones, and offers specific solutions (like "We've since replaced the mattress" or "We've added blackout curtains") is generally more attentive than a host who ignores complaints or responds defensively. If a review mentions a serious problem and the host hasn't responded, that's worth noting.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I see reviews before I create an Airbnb account?
Yes. Reviews are public on every listing page and visible whether you're logged in or not. You can browse reviews, read the overall rating, and see guest comments without signing up for an account.
Are all reviews on Airbnb real?
Airbnb only publishes reviews from guests who completed an actual booking and checked out. The site removes reviews that violate its policies, such as those containing false claims or personal attacks. However, reviews are still subjective opinions, and what one guest dislikes another might enjoy.
What should I do if I see a very low rating on a listing I like?
Read the specific review to understand the complaint. If it's an isolated 1-star review among many 5-star reviews, it may reflect one guest's bad experience rather than a pattern. If multiple recent reviews mention the same problem, that's a stronger signal to look elsewhere or message the host with questions before booking.
Can hosts delete bad reviews?
No. Hosts cannot remove reviews, though they can respond to them. Airbnb removes reviews only if they violate the platform's policies. Hosts can flag a review as inappropriate if they believe it breaks the rules, but the decision to remove it rests with Airbnb, not the host.
Do review photos show the actual property?
Some reviews include photos that guests took during their stay. These photos show the property as it was on that specific date and can be more recent and realistic than the host's listing photos. However, not all guests include photos, so you may not have guest-taken images for every property.