Write your review directly in the Airbnb app or website after checkout
After your stay ends, Airbnb gives you 30 days to write a review. Open the Airbnb app or go to airbnb.com, find the listing in your booking history, and tap or click "Write a review." You will see a form with a star rating (one to five stars) and a text box. Fill in both, then submit. Your review appears on the listing page once the host has also written a review of you, or after 14 days pass — whichever comes first.
The review form does not require you to write anything in the text box if you do not want to. A star rating alone is enough to post. However, written reviews are more useful to other guests and to hosts, so most people add a few sentences about what they experienced.
Key Takeaways
- You have 30 days after checkout to write a review; after that, the option closes and you cannot add one later.
- Your review stays hidden until the host writes a review of you or 14 days pass, so do not expect it to appear when ready.
- Be specific about what you liked or disliked — mention the bed, the kitchen, the neighborhood, the host's communication, or cleanliness by name rather than speaking in generalities.
- Airbnb removes reviews that contain contact information, threats, or claims about illegal activity, so stick to your own experience during the stay.
What to include in your review text
Write about what actually happened during your stay. Mention specific rooms, amenities, or neighborhood details that mattered to you. For example: "The kitchen had everything we needed to cook breakfast" or "The bed was very comfortable but the shower pressure was weak" or "The host responded to my question about parking within an hour." These details help other guests decide whether the listing suits them.
If something went wrong, describe it factually without anger. Instead of "The place was disgusting," write "The bathroom had mold around the shower and the kitchen smelled like old food." Instead of "The host was rude," write "The host did not respond to my message about the broken air conditioning until after I checked out." Specific complaints are more believable and more useful than vague ones.
Keep your review between one and three sentences, or up to a short paragraph. Airbnb does not enforce a length limit, but shorter reviews are easier for other guests to scan quickly.
Star ratings and what they mean to hosts
The five-star system works like this: five stars means you would stay again and recommend it; four stars means it was good but had minor issues; three stars means it was acceptable but had notable problems; two stars means it had serious problems; one star means you would not recommend it. Most hosts depend on their average rating to attract bookings, so your stars matter to them financially.
If you give fewer than five stars, your written review should explain why. A four-star rating with no text leaves the host guessing about what could improve. A four-star rating with "Great location and clean, but the wifi was unreliable" tells them exactly what to fix.
What Airbnb will not let you post
Airbnb removes reviews that contain phone numbers, email addresses, social media handles, or links. Do not include your own contact information or ask the host to reach out to you outside the platform. Reviews that contain threats, accusations of illegal activity, or hate speech also get removed. Airbnb also removes reviews about things that happened outside the stay itself — for example, a complaint about the host's response to your review, or a dispute that happened after checkout.
If your review gets removed, Airbnb sends you an email explaining why. You can write a new review that follows the rules, and you have until day 30 after checkout to do so.
How to edit or delete a review you already posted
Open the Airbnb app or website, go to your booking history, find the listing, and look for your review. Tap or click the three-dot menu next to your review text. You will see options to edit or delete. If you edit, your changes appear when ready. If you delete, the review disappears from the listing page right away, and you cannot write a new review for that stay.
You can edit your review at any time after you post it, even months later. This is useful if you want to add detail, correct a mistake, or change your star rating based on something you learned after your stay.
When your review appears on the listing page
Your review is not visible to other guests until one of two things happens: the host writes a review of you, or 14 days pass since your checkout. This delay exists so that hosts and guests do not write reviews in reaction to each other. If the host never writes a review, your review becomes public on day 14 whether or not they have reviewed you.
Once your review is public, it stays on the listing page indefinitely unless you delete it or Airbnb removes it for violating the rules. Hosts cannot delete your review, but they can write a response to it that appears directly below your text.
Tips for writing a review that other guests will find useful
Be honest about what matters to you, not what you think the host wants to hear. If the listing was perfect for a solo business trip but would be cramped for a family, say that. If you are a light sleeper and street noise kept you awake, mention it — someone else might not mind. If the host was slow to respond but the place itself was great, separate those two things in your review so readers understand what they are getting.
Avoid comparisons to other listings you have stayed in, because readers do not know those places. Instead, describe what you experienced: "The bed was firm and supportive" rather than "Better than the last place I stayed." Avoid rating the host's personality or appearance — focus on their actions and communication during your stay.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I write a review if the host has not reviewed me yet?
Yes. You can write your review anytime within 30 days of checkout. Your review will not appear on the listing page until the host reviews you or 14 days pass, but you can post it when ready. The host will see your review once they write theirs.
What happens if I write a bad review and the host retaliates with a bad review of me?
Airbnb's rules say hosts cannot write reviews in retaliation for a guest's review. If you believe a host's review of you is retaliatory or violates the rules, you can report it to Airbnb through the app or website. Airbnb reviews the report and may remove the review if it breaks the rules.
Can I change my star rating after I post my review?
Yes. Edit your review anytime and change the stars. Your updated rating will replace the old one when ready. Other guests will see your new stars, and the host's average rating will update to reflect the change.
Do I have to write a review?
No. Writing a review is optional. If you do not write one within 30 days, the option closes and you cannot add a review for that stay later. Many guests choose not to review, especially if their stay was unremarkable.
Can the host see my review before it becomes public?
No. Your review is hidden from the listing page until the host reviews you or 14 days pass. The host will see it once it becomes public, or when they write their own review — whichever happens first.