We want to make sure the reviews you see on Booking.com are fair and reflect the true experiences of our guests. So, how do we do it?
Our review system is designed to be straightforward and transparent. We collect reviews from guests who have stayed at a property or visited it, even if they didn’t stay overnight. Each review is assigned a score between 1 and 10, and we average these scores to get the overall property rating.
We’re always looking to improve, and we’re currently testing a new system in Malta, Iceland, Australia, Greece, Brazil, and North Carolina. This “weighted review system” gives more weight to recent reviews, making sure the rating reflects the latest guest experiences.
Subscores and Their Role
Guests can also provide separate “subscores” for different aspects of their stay, including things like location, cleanliness, staff friendliness, comfort, facilities, value for money, and free Wi-Fi. These subscores help you get a more detailed picture of what the property is like. It’s important to note that guests submit their subscores and overall scores independently, so there’s no direct connection between them.
Keeping Reviews Fair and Accurate: Our Commitment to Quality
We understand the importance of trustworthy reviews, and we take steps to ensure that the reviews you see are genuine. We have dedicated teams and advanced technology that work tirelessly to identify and remove fake reviews.
If you see something suspicious, you can report it to our Customer Service team, and our Fraud team will investigate.
We believe that every review, positive or negative, has value. However, we won’t publish reviews that violate our guidelines. These guidelines ensure that reviews are relevant and family-friendly while still allowing for the expression of strong opinions.
What We Don’t Allow
We won’t display reviews that:
- Claim to be written by someone other than the actual guest
- Violate our review guidelines
Ensuring Relevance and Freshness
To make sure reviews stay relevant, we may only accept reviews submitted within three months of check-out. We also might stop showing reviews after 36 months, especially if the property has changed ownership.
Adding Value with Additional Information
We allow property owners to respond to reviews, providing additional context or clarification. This gives guests a more complete picture and allows properties to address concerns directly.
To help you find the most helpful information, the most recent reviews appear at the top of the list. You can also sort and filter reviews by language, review score, time of year, and other criteria.
We sometimes display external reviews from reputable travel websites to provide an even broader perspective. We clearly label these reviews to ensure transparency.
Our Commitment to Honest and Helpful Reviews
Our goal is to create a platform where guests can share their experiences and others can make informed decisions about their travel plans. We believe that honest and constructive feedback is valuable, and we strive to maintain a space where everyone feels comfortable sharing their experiences.
Our review system, while always evolving, is designed to provide you with the information you need to confidently plan your next adventure.
