Where to find reviews on an Airbnb listing
Reviews appear on every Airbnb listing page, below the listing description and photos. Scroll down past the "About this space" section and you will see a heading that says "Reviews" followed by a number — that number is the total count of reviews the listing has received. Below that heading, Airbnb shows the most recent reviews first, usually displaying 3 to 5 reviews on the initial view.
To see all reviews for a listing, look for a button or link that says "Show all reviews" or "See all [number] reviews" at the bottom of the reviews section. Click it and you will see a full list of every review the listing has received, sorted by most recent. You can also filter reviews by rating (5 stars, 4 stars, and so on) using the filter options that appear once you open the full reviews list.
Key Takeaways
- Reviews appear on the listing page below the description and photos, with the most recent ones shown first.
- Click "Show all reviews" to see the complete list of every review the listing has received.
- You can filter reviews by star rating to focus on specific feedback — for example, viewing only 3-star and lower reviews to see complaints.
- Each review includes the guest's name, their profile photo, the date they stayed, and their written comment, plus the host's response if they chose to reply.
- The overall rating displayed at the top of the listing is the average of all reviews, not a selection of the best ones.
Understanding what each review contains
Every review on Airbnb shows the guest's first name and profile photo, the date they stayed, and their star rating (1 to 5 stars). Below that is the guest's written comment describing their experience. Some reviews are just a sentence or two; others are longer paragraphs with specific details about cleanliness, noise, the host's communication, or whether the listing matched the photos.
Many hosts respond to reviews — you will see their reply directly below the guest's comment if they chose to write one. A host's response can clarify misunderstandings, explain issues, or thank the guest for their feedback. Reading both the guest's review and the host's response gives you a fuller picture of what happened during that stay.
How to spot patterns in reviews
When you are reading through multiple reviews, look for complaints or praise that appear more than once. If three separate guests mention that the shower pressure is weak, that is a real issue you should expect. If several guests praise the host's communication or the cleanliness, those are genuine strengths of the listing.
Pay attention to the dates of reviews as well. A listing that had great reviews two years ago but poor reviews in the last three months suggests something has changed — the host may have stopped maintaining the space, or the property itself may have deteriorated. Recent reviews are usually more reliable than old ones for understanding what you will actually experience.
What the star rating means
Airbnb displays an overall star rating at the top of each listing — this is the average of all the reviews the listing has received. A listing with 4.8 stars means the average of all guest ratings is 4.8 out of 5. A listing with 4.2 stars has a lower average, which usually means it has received some 3-star or lower reviews mixed in with higher ones.
A high star rating does not mean the listing is perfect for you — it means past guests were generally satisfied. You still need to read the actual reviews to see whether the issues or features that matter to you are mentioned. A 4.9-star listing might have a terrible kitchen if no one has complained about it yet, or it might be in a noisy neighborhood that previous guests did not mind but you would.
Filtering and sorting reviews by rating
Once you open the full reviews list, you will see filter buttons at the top showing "5 stars," "4 stars," "3 stars," and lower. Click any of these buttons to see only reviews with that rating. This is useful if you want to understand what guests disliked — click "3 stars" or lower to read the complaints and see whether they are things that would bother you.
You can also look at only 5-star reviews to see what guests loved most about the listing. However, remember that people are more likely to leave a review if they had a very good or very bad experience, so a listing with mostly 5-star reviews might actually have some mediocre stays that were never reviewed. The absence of a review is not the same as a positive review.
Reading reviews on the Airbnb mobile app
On the Airbnb app for iPhone or Android, reviews are in the same location — scroll down on the listing page past the photos and description. The layout is slightly different from the website, but the information is identical. Tap "Show all reviews" to see the full list, and use the filter buttons to sort by star rating.
The mobile app works the same way as the website for reading host responses, checking review dates, and spotting patterns across multiple reviews. If you are browsing listings on your phone, you have access to all the same review information as you would on a computer.
What reviews cannot tell you
Reviews reflect past guests' experiences, not guarantees about your stay. A guest who loved the listing might have very different standards or needs than you do. Someone might give 5 stars to a tiny studio because they only needed a place to sleep, while you might find it cramped if you are planning to work from there for a week.
Airbnb reviews also cannot tell you about changes that happened after the most recent review was written. If the last review was three months ago and the host has since renovated the kitchen or replaced the mattress, the reviews will not reflect that. This is why checking the listing's description for recent updates and reading any host responses that mention changes can be helpful.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I see reviews before I book?
Yes. Reviews are visible on the listing page before you make any reservation. You do not need to book or create an account to read reviews — you can see them while browsing any public listing on Airbnb's website or app.
Why does a listing have very few reviews?
New listings or listings that have not been booked often have few or no reviews yet. A listing might also have few reviews if the host has been selective about who they accept, or if it is a seasonal property that is only available part of the year. Fewer reviews does not mean the listing is bad — it just means less feedback is available.
Can hosts delete bad reviews?
No. Hosts cannot delete or remove reviews. Airbnb only removes reviews that violate their policies — for example, reviews that contain hate speech, personal information, or false claims. A legitimate negative review stays on the listing permanently.
Should I trust reviews from guests with no profile photo?
Reviews from guests with no profile photo are just as valid as any other review. Some guests straightforward choose not to upload a photo. The content of the review matters more than whether the guest has a profile picture.
What if I disagree with a review I read?
You can still book the listing if you think the review does not explore to you. Read multiple reviews to get a balanced picture, and focus on feedback about things that matter to your stay. If a guest complained about noise from a nearby bar but you do not mind nightlife, that review may not be relevant to your experience.