Write your review directly in the Airbnb app or website within 30 days of checkout

After you check out, Airbnb sends you a notification asking you to review your stay. Open the message, tap or click "Write a review," and you'll see a form with fields for a star rating, a written review, and optional photos. You have 30 days from your checkout date to submit it. After 30 days, the option closes and you cannot add a review to that booking.

The review goes live when ready once you post it, unless the host disputes something you wrote. If they do, Airbnb's Trust and Safety team reviews the dispute before the review appears publicly. Either way, your review becomes part of the listing's permanent record and affects how future guests see the property.

Key Takeaways

  • You have 30 days after checkout to write and submit your review; after that window closes, you cannot add one.
  • Your star rating and written review are both visible to future guests and affect the host's overall rating.
  • Be specific about what worked and what didn't—mention the bed, the kitchen, the neighborhood, the host's communication—rather than writing vague praise or complaints.
  • Photos you attach to your review appear alongside your text and help other guests understand what to expect.
  • Hosts can dispute reviews they believe violate Airbnb's policies, but factual descriptions of your actual stay are protected.

How the star rating system works

Airbnb uses a five-star scale. You rate the overall stay with one number, and that single rating is what shows up in the listing's average score. You do not rate cleanliness, communication, or location separately—one star covers everything.

A five-star review means you'd book this place again. A four-star means it was good but had minor issues. A three-star means it was acceptable but had real problems. A two-star or one-star means you had a poor experience. Hosts see your star rating before they see your written review, so the number matters: a one-star with a glowing written review confuses the system and may prompt a dispute.

What to include in your written review

Write about what you actually experienced, not what you think the host wants to hear. Mention specific things: the bed was comfortable, the shower had low water pressure, the kitchen had no cutting board, the neighborhood was loud at night, the host responded within an hour. Concrete details help future guests decide whether the place suits them.

You can write as much or as little as you want—there's no minimum or maximum length. A few sentences is fine if that's all you need to say. If the stay was flawless, say that. If something broke or was missing, say that too. Hosts read these reviews carefully and often use them to improve, so honesty is more useful than politeness.

Avoid personal attacks on the host. You can say "the host was slow to respond" or "the host was unwilling to help with a problem," but don't insult their character or make assumptions about their motives. Airbnb removes reviews that cross into harassment, and a dispute over tone can delay your review from going public.

Adding photos to your review

The review form lets you upload photos. These appear alongside your written text and are visible to anyone browsing the listing. Photos are optional, but they're useful: a picture of a stained mattress or a beautiful view says more than words alone.

Take photos during or right after your stay, while you're still there or the memory is fresh. You can upload them when you write the review, even if that's a few days later. Keep them relevant to what you're describing—a photo of the bathroom if you're mentioning cleanliness, a photo of the view if you're praising the location.

What happens after you submit

Your review posts when ready in most cases. It appears on the listing and in your Airbnb profile under "Reviews I've written." Other guests can see it when they're deciding whether to book.

If the host disputes your review, Airbnb's team investigates before it goes public. They check whether your review violates their policies—for example, whether it includes contact information, hateful language, or claims unrelated to your stay. If the review passes review, it posts. If Airbnb agrees with the host's dispute, the review is removed.

You cannot edit or delete a review after you submit it. If you want to change something, contact Airbnb Support and explain why. They may remove it and let you rewrite it, but this is not may provide.

When a host leaves a review of you

Hosts also write reviews of guests. They see your review first and can respond with their own. A host's review of you appears on your profile and affects your guest rating. If a host writes something you believe is unfair or violates Airbnb's policies, you can dispute it the same way they can dispute yours.

Host reviews matter because future hosts see your guest rating before accepting your booking request. A pattern of low ratings or negative reviews can make it harder to book properties. Be respectful during your stay, follow house rules, and communicate clearly—these things show up in host reviews.

Reviews and cancellations

If you cancel your booking before checking in, you cannot write a review because you didn't stay there. If the host cancels on you, you also cannot review the stay itself, but Airbnb may send you a separate form asking about your experience with the cancellation process.

If you check in but leave early, you can still review. Your review covers the time you were actually there. Be clear about why you left early if that's relevant to your rating—a host needs to know if you departed because of a safety issue versus a personal change of plans.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I write a review if I had a problem during my stay but didn't tell the host?

Yes, you can write about problems you didn't mention to the host. However, hosts often say they would have fixed the issue if you'd asked. If something was genuinely dangerous or the host ignored your requests, describe what happened. If you straightforward didn't speak up, your review will be less persuasive to other guests.

What if the host asks me to change my review or threatens me?

Do not change your review because a host pressured you. Contact Airbnb Support and report the message. Hosts are not allowed to ask guests to remove or alter reviews, and Airbnb takes these complaints seriously. Keep the messages as proof.

Can I mention the host's name or other guests in my review?

You can mention the host by their Airbnb name (which is already public), but avoid full legal names or personal details. Do not mention other guests by name or identifying information. Airbnb removes reviews that expose people's private information.

Does my review affect the host's ability to keep their listing?

Hosts with consistently low ratings may lose their listing status, but one bad review doesn't end a hosting account. Airbnb looks at overall patterns. A single honest review of a real problem is not unfair to the host and is protected as long as it describes your actual experience.

What if I forgot to write a review and it's been more than 30 days?

Once 30 days have passed, the review option closes and you cannot add one. Contact Airbnb Support to ask if they can reopen the window, but they rarely do. For future stays, write your review within the 30-day window.