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Download GuideThe best Airbnb review example for a guest is short, specific and honest.
It says what the guest did, how they left the place and whether you’d host them again. Yet most hosts still stare at that empty box after checkout.
At Homevy, writing guest reviews is part of every checkout across the Dubai holiday homes we manage, so we’ve had to write every one of these across 10,000+ booked guest nights in the last two years.
Below are 48 Airbnb reviews for guests, grouped by what actually happened during the stay.
You’ll also get the star ratings to match, what to say privately and how to reply when a guest reviews you badly.
Let’s get into it.
Start with how the stay went, not who the guest was.

Photo by Homevy
A family and a business traveller can both be 5-star guests, and both can leave the oven caked in grease.
Pick the row that matches what happened, jump to the host review template number, then adjust the stars to fit your guest.
| How did the stay go? | What stood out | Templates | Typical stars (Cleanliness / House rules / Communication) |
| Great, nothing to add | You just need something short | 1-5 | 5 / 5 / 5 |
| Great | Spotless, chatty, rule-perfect, long stay, family, work trip, repeat or first-timer | 6-13 | 5 / 5 / 5 |
| Fine, nothing special | Quiet, demanding or hard to reach | 14-17 | 4-5 / 5 / 3-5 |
| Good, with one slip | Late checkout, dishes, extra cleaning, a breakage they reported, a rule they fixed | 18-24 | 3-4 / 3-4 / 4-5 |
| Rules broken | Extra guests, party, smoking, hidden damage, very dirty, overstay, undeclared pet | 25-31 | 1-3 / 1-2 / 1-3 |
| Dubai building situation | IDs, building rules, access cards, building issues | 32-35 | Varies |
| You need to say something privately | Thanks, a gentle correction or an issue you’re handling | 36-40 | – |
| The guest reviewed you | 5-star, 4-star, complaints and unfair reviews | 41-48 | – |
Homevy Tip: Decide the stars before you write a single word. If you can’t give 5 stars for house rules, your review shouldn’t read like they followed every one.
A short Airbnb review for a guest works when the stay was good and there’s genuinely nothing else to say.

Photo by Juststock
One honest line, plus a clear “would host again”, tells the next guest everything they need. Use these for smooth self check-in stays, then add one detail if you have it.
Use when: the stay was easy from start to finish.
[Guest name] was wonderful, and left the apartment in great shape. We can’t wait to have you around some other time!
Use when: the standout was how they left the place.
[Guest name] left the place as clean as they found it. We’d happily host them again.
Use when: they replied fast and kept you in the loop.
Quick to reply, clear about arrival times and a pleasure to host.
Use when: you barely spoke, but everything went right.
Smooth stay with zero issues. Followed the check-in instructions and house rules perfectly.
Use when: you want other hosts to accept them without hesitation.
Exactly the kind of guest every host hopes for. I’d recommend [Guest name] to any host.
Suggested ratings for 1-5: Cleanliness 5 | House rules 5 | Communication 5
A good Airbnb review for a guest states the thing that made them great.
“Great guest” tells another host nothing. “Stripped the beds and took the rubbish down before checkout” tells them exactly who they’re accepting.

Photo by Alexander Mass
Pick the template that matches what stood out, then swap in your own detail.
Use when: your cleaner had almost nothing to do.
[Guest name] left the apartment almost exactly as they found it. Dishes washed, towels gathered and rubbish taken out. Easy, considerate guests we’d welcome back any time.
Suggested ratings for 1-5: Cleanliness 5 | House rules 5 | Communication 5
Use when: they confirmed arrival times, flagged delays and replied quickly.
Clear, friendly communication from booking to checkout. [Guest name] let us know about a delayed flight before we had to ask, which made the late check-in easy for everyone. Highly recommended.
Suggested ratings for 1-5: Cleanliness 5 | House rules 5 | Communication 5
Use when: quiet hours, visitor limits and checkout time were all respected.
[Guest name] read the house guide and followed every rule, from quiet hours to checkout time. The apartment was left in excellent condition. Exactly the kind of guest you want in a residential building.
Suggested ratings for 1-5: Cleanliness 5 | House rules 5 | Communication 5
Use when: they stayed two weeks or more and looked after the place like their own.
[Guest name] stayed with us for [number] weeks and treated the apartment like home. They kept things tidy throughout and were easy to coordinate cleans with. We would definitely love to have you live at [property name] again!
Suggested ratings for 1-5: Cleanliness 5 | House rules 5 | Communication 5
Homevy Tip: Long-stay guests often flag small maintenance issues before anyone else does. Mention it if there was any.
Use when: a family stayed and left everything in good order.
Lovely family who looked after the apartment really well. Everything was left tidy, the travel cot was folded away and the kitchen was cleaner than expected after a week of family meals. We’d host them again in a heartbeat.
Suggested ratings for 1-5: Cleanliness 5 | House rules 5 | Communication 5
Use when: they came for work, were quiet and needed little from you.
[Guest name] was in town for work and was the ideal guest. Quiet, respectful of the space and checked out on time with the apartment in great shape. Any host would be lucky to have them.
Use when: they’ve stayed with you before and keep getting better.
This is [Guest name]’s second stay with us and it was just as easy as the first. [Guest name] knows the apartment, respects it and always leaves it in great condition. Already looking forward to the next booking.
Suggested ratings for 1-5: Cleanliness 5 | House rules 5 | Communication 5
Repeat guest show you did something right. And if you want more repeat bookings, read how we approach turning one-time guests into repeat guests.
Use when: they had no reviews yet and were a pleasure to host.
[Guest name] was new to Airbnb, but you’d never know it. They asked good questions before arrival, followed the check-in steps perfectly and left the place spotless.
Suggested ratings for 1-5: Cleanliness 5 | House rules 5 | Communication 5
For a guest who was fine but unremarkable, write a short, accurate review and let the stars carry the nuance.

Photo by Homevy
Don’t inflate it into a rave, or hunt for faults. Other hosts read these reviews to decide who to accept, so an honest “no issues” is more useful than a generic “amazing guest”.
Use when: the guest followed the rules, communicated when needed and left the property in good condition.
[Guest name] was a respectful guest who followed the house rules and left the apartment in good condition. We’d be happy to host them again.
Suggested ratings for 1-5: Cleanliness 5 | House rules 5 | Communication 5
Use when: the guest followed the check-in process and there were no issues during the stay.
[Guest name] followed the self check-in instructions, took good care of the apartment and checked out on time. No issues during the stay.
Suggested ratings for 1-5: Cleanliness 5 | House rules 5 | Communication 5
Use when: the guest was pleasant and followed the rules but needed significantly more assistance than most guests.
[Guest name] was friendly and respectful of the apartment. They needed quite a bit of support during the stay, so another host should be prepared to be more hands-on. The apartment was left tidy at checkout.
Suggested ratings: Cleanliness 5 | House rules 5 | Communication 4
Homevy Tip: Don’t treat frequent questions as a problem by default. A first-time visitor asking where to buy groceries isn’t a red flag. Mention the extra support when it was genuinely significant enough for another host to prepare for it.
Use when: you needed to contact the guest about something important but they didn’t respond.
The apartment was left in good condition. [Guest name] was difficult to reach during the stay when we needed to confirm the cleaning schedule. Otherwise, there were no issues.
Suggested ratings: Cleanliness 5 | House rules 5 | Communication 2-3
When a good guest makes one mistake, lead with what went well, mention the slip in a single factual line and drop a star in the matching category.

Photo by Homevy
Keep the correction itself for the private note. That way the next host gets the full picture, and the guest knows exactly what to fix.
This is the most common review you’ll write. Most guests aren’t perfect, and most aren’t a problem either.
Use when: they left 30-60 minutes late and your cleaner had to wait.
[Guest name] was friendly and looked after the apartment well. The checkout was about an hour later than agreed, which pushed back our cleaning team, so a heads-up next time would help. Otherwise, a good stay.
Suggested ratings: Cleanliness 5 | House rules 3 | Communication 4
Note with: you can pair it with a private note.
Use when: The guest left the apartment generally well, but didn’t complete the basic kitchen cleanup at checkout.
[Guest name] was respectful and easy to host overall. They left dishes in the sink and rubbish in the bins at checkout, so future hosts may want to make sure the checkout instructions are clear.
Suggested ratings: Cleanliness 3 | House rules 4 | Communication 5
Note: You can also leave a private note to the guest if there are specific cleaning issues they should know about.
Use when: The apartment required significantly more cleaning than usual after checkout, such as heavy mess or stains.
[Guest name] was pleasant to host and followed the house rules. The apartment needed considerably more cleaning than usual after checkout, including stains on the sofa.
Suggested ratings: Cleanliness 2-3 | House rules 4-5 | Communication 5
Note: You can also leave a private note to the guest if there are specific cleaning issues they should know about.
Use when: The guest missed or overlooked the check-in instructions and needed help accessing the property.
[Guest name] was friendly and looked after the apartment well. They missed the check-in instructions sent before arrival, which made getting in take a little longer than expected. Once settled, everything went smoothly.
Suggested ratings: Cleanliness 5 | House rules 5 | Communication 3-4
Homevy Tip: If several guests are struggling with the same check-in instructions, the problem may be the instructions rather than the guests. Here’s how to set up a smooth self check-in for Airbnb guests.
Use when: The guest accidentally damaged something but told you about it promptly.
[Guest name] accidentally broke a [item] during their stay and let us know straight away, which we really appreciated. They looked after the apartment well otherwise and were honest about what happened.
Suggested ratings: Cleanliness 5 | House rules 5 | Communication 5
Homevy Tip: An accidental breakage doesn’t automatically make someone a bad guest. If they take responsibility and communicate honestly, that is useful information for future hosts.
Use when: The guest broke a house rule but corrected the issue when you raised it.
[Guest name] had music on after quiet hours on the first night but turned it down as soon as we asked. There were no further issues, and the apartment was left in good condition.
Suggested ratings: Cleanliness 5 | House rules 3-4 | Communication 5
Note: You can also leave a private note to the guest if there are specific cleaning issues they should know about.
Use when: a friend came over without notice, but there was no harm done.
Good stay overall and the apartment was left tidy. [Guest name] had a visitor over without letting us know first, which our house rules ask guests to do. Future hosts may want to confirm visitor rules at booking.
Suggested ratings: Cleanliness 5 | House rules 3 | Communication 4
Note: You can also leave a private note to the guest if there are specific cleaning issues they should know about.
When a guest breaks a house rule, keep the review factual and specific.

Photo by Athree23
Explain what happened, what impact it had, and whether you’d host them again.
Avoid insults, assumptions about the guest’s character or emotional language. Stick to what you personally observed or what was reported to you by building staff.
Here’s the simplest approach: describe the behaviour, not the person.
| What happened | Don’t write | Write instead |
| More people stayed than booked | “They lied to us and snuck people in.” | “Four guests stayed on a booking for two.” |
| Loud party | “Disgusting, out-of-control party animals.” | “Building security contacted us twice about noise after midnight.” |
| Smoking indoors | “Filthy smokers who ruined the place.” | “We found a cigarette smell in the bedroom and ash on the balcony, despite the no-smoking rule.” |
| Damage | “They wrecked the apartment and should pay.” | “A dining chair was damaged after checkout and has been reported through Airbnb.” |
A review doesn’t need dramatic language to be useful. Specific facts tell the next host much more than insults do.
Use when: Extra people stayed without being added to the booking.
[Number] guests stayed on a booking for [number], which was against our house rules and the building’s occupancy limits. The apartment was otherwise left in fair condition. We wouldn’t host [Guest name] again.
Suggested ratings: Cleanliness 3 | House rules 1 | Communication 2
Private note to the guest: You can explain that the booking must accurately reflect everyone staying at the property and remind them of the occupancy rules.
Use when: Neighbours or building security reported repeated noise during the stay.
We received repeated noise complaints from the building during this stay, including after midnight. Parties aren’t allowed in the apartment, and the house rules clearly stated this. We wouldn’t host [Guest name] again.
Suggested ratings: Cleanliness 2-3 | House rules 1 | Communication 2
Private note to the guest: Let them know that the noise complaints were reported by the building and remind them that parties and excessive noise aren’t permitted.
Use when: You found smoke, ash or burns in a no-smoking property.
The apartment is strictly no-smoking, but we found a strong smoke smell in the bedroom and ash on the balcony after checkout. The apartment needed additional cleaning before the next guests arrived. We wouldn’t host [Guest name] again.
Suggested ratings: Cleanliness 2 | House rules 1 | Communication 3
Private note to the guest: Remind them that smoking isn’t permitted inside the apartment and explain any additional cleaning or damage caused.
Use when: You discovered damage after checkout that the guest didn’t mention.
We found a [damaged item] after checkout that wasn’t reported during the stay. We’ve raised the issue through Airbnb. Future hosts may want to check the property carefully after [Guest name]’s stay.
Suggested ratings: Cleanliness 3 | House rules 2 | Communication 2
Private note to the guest: Explain what was damaged and give them an opportunity to respond before making assumptions about what happened.
For the claim itself, here’s how to handle guest damage.
Use when: The apartment was left significantly dirtier than normal, such as food left out, overflowing bins or bathrooms requiring a deep clean.
The apartment was left in a very poor state, with food left out, full bins and bathrooms that needed a deep clean. Our cleaning team needed [number] extra hours before the next check-in. We wouldn’t host [Guest name] again.
Suggested ratings: Cleanliness 1 | House rules 2 | Communication 3
Private note to the guest: Explain the specific cleaning issues and, where relevant, the additional cleaning time they caused.
Use when: The guest stayed beyond checkout without arranging a late checkout and didn’t respond to messages.
[Guest name] stayed [number] hours past the agreed checkout time without arranging a late checkout and didn’t respond to our messages. This delayed preparation for the next guests. The apartment was left in fair condition.
Suggested ratings: Cleanliness 3-4 | House rules 1 | Communication 1
Private note to the guest: Remind them of the agreed checkout time and explain that staying beyond it can delay the next guest’s arrival.
Use when: A guest brought a pet into a property that doesn’t allow pets.
[Guest name] brought a pet without asking, despite the apartment’s no-pets policy. We found pet hair on the sofa and bedding after checkout, which required additional cleaning. Future hosts may want to confirm their pet policy clearly before arrival.
Suggested ratings: Cleanliness 2 | House rules 1 | Communication 3
Private note to the guest: Remind them of the property’s pet policy and explain any additional cleaning or damage caused.
Homevy Tip: Write the review after you’ve checked the facts, not while you’re angry. Review the photos, confirm the timing and note what actually happened. A factual review is more useful to future hosts and less likely to sound like a personal attack.
Most Dubai holiday homes are apartments in managed towers, and that changes what a good guest looks like.

Photo by Homevy
Holiday home operators have to register every guest, and buildings have their own rules on visitors, noise, pools and parking.
A guest who makes that easy deserves the credit in their review.
Use when: they sent passport or ID details promptly, so registration and check-in were easy.
[Guest name] sent everything we needed before arrival, so registration and check-in were quick and easy. The apartment was left spotless. A guest we’d welcome back any time.
Suggested ratings: Cleanliness 5 | House rules 5 | Communication 5
Use when: they respected visitor, pool, gym and parking rules in a busy tower.
[Guest name] followed both our house rules and the building’s rules throughout the stay, from visitor registration to pool hours. Respectful neighbours and a pleasure to host.
Suggested ratings: Cleanliness 5 | House rules 5 | Communication 5
Use when: a card or key went missing, but the guest told you quickly and sorted it out.
[Guest name] misplaced the building access card mid-stay and let us know straight away, which made replacing it simple. Otherwise a smooth stay, and the apartment was left in great condition.
Suggested ratings: Cleanliness 5 | House rules 4-5 | Communication 5
Homevy Tip: In a tower, a lost access card isn’t just a key. It can mean building security, replacement fees and a guest stuck in the lobby. If a guest handled it well, say so.
Use when: a lift outage, water shutdown or building maintenance affected the stay, and the guest was understanding.
The building had [a lift outage / scheduled water shutdown] during this stay, and [Guest name] was patient and understanding throughout. Easy to communicate with and left the apartment in excellent condition.
Suggested ratings: Cleanliness 5 | House rules 5 | Communication 5
Airbnb lets you send a private note to the guest alongside your public review. Only the guest sees it.
Use private notes for personal thanks, gentle corrections or context that doesn’t need to appear in the public review. The public review tells future hosts what happened.

Photo by Perfetwave
The private note gives the guest a chance to understand what they could do differently next time.
Use after positive reviews about: A guest who followed the rules, communicated well, looked after the property and made the stay easy.
Thanks so much for looking after the apartment so well, [Guest name]. It was a pleasure hosting you, and you’re welcome back any time.
Use after reviews about: Missing the checkout time, missing check-in instructions or briefly breaking a house rule.
Thanks for staying with us! Just a small note for next time: [checkout is at 11am / please let us know before having visitors]. It helps us keep things running smoothly for the next guests. Hope to see you again.
Use after reviews about: Leaving dishes and rubbish behind, needing extra cleaning or leaving the apartment very dirty.
Thanks for your stay. Our cleaning team needed some extra time after checkout, mainly because of [the dishes and rubbish / the stains on the sofa / the condition of the apartment]. A quick look at the checkout list before you leave would make a big difference next time.
Use after reviews about: Having extra guests, causing repeated noise, smoking indoors or bringing an undeclared pet.
Thanks for staying with us. We’ve mentioned [the extra guests / noise / smoking / undeclared pet] in our review because it went against the house rules. We wanted to explain it here too, so there are no surprises.
Use after reviews about: Accidentally breaking something and reporting it, or damage discovered after checkout.
Thanks for your stay. We found [item] damaged after checkout and have raised it through Airbnb, so you’ll hear from them directly. We’re happy to answer any questions in the meantime.
Homevy Tip: Keep private notes kind, brief and focused on the issue. Don’t use them to pressure guests into changing their review or offer anything in exchange for a positive one.
If you want to ask guests to leave a review, here are 25 Airbnb Message templates you can copy and paste.
Respond to Airbnb reviews by thanking the guest, acknowledging the specific point, explaining what you’ve done about it and ensuring your response is short.

Photo by Homevy
Use this four-step pattern for almost any response:
Thank you, [Guest name]! We’re so glad you found [property name] to your liking! And honestly, we can’t wait to have you here aagin.
Use when: The written review is glowing, but the guest left four stars.
Thanks so much for the kind words, [Guest name]. We’re glad you enjoyed the view and the quick check-in. If there’s anything that would have made it a 5-star stay, we’d love to hear it. We hope to host you again.
Thank you for the lovely review, [Guest name]. You were right about the mattress, and we’ve since replaced it. Future guests will now have a much better night’s sleep. We’re glad everything else made for a great stay.
Thanks for the honest feedback, [Guest name]. We’re sorry the bathroom wasn’t up to standard when you arrived. We’ve added an extra inspection after every clean to help prevent this from happening again. We appreciate you letting us know.
Cleanliness complaints are among the first things future guests notice. Fix the underlying issue, then tell them what you’ve changed. Here’s our list of Airbnb items that help earn 5-star reviews.
We’re sorry the AC stopped working during your stay, [Guest name]. We know how much that matters in Dubai, especially in summer. Our technician fixed it the same day, and we now service the units before every peak season.
Use when: Building works, temporary maintenance or unavoidable noise affected the stay.
Thanks for your feedback, [Guest name]. The building had maintenance work during your stay, which we know was frustrating. The work has now finished, and we’ll always let guests know in advance when scheduled works may affect their stay.
Use when: A guest didn’t expect to provide identification or be stopped at reception.
Thanks for the feedback, [Guest name]. Holiday home guests in Dubai need to be registered before check-in, and buildings may also check IDs at reception. We’ll make that clearer in our booking messages so it’s never a surprise.
Thank you for staying with us, [Guest name]. To clarify for future guests, the apartment has [two working AC units / blackout curtains in every bedroom], as shown in the listing. We’re sorry the stay didn’t meet your expectations and wish you well on your next trip.
Homevy Tip: Never argue, list the guest’s mistakes or discuss a refund in a public response. One clear fact is usually enough. Future guests can tell the difference between a defensive host and one who handles criticism calmly.
Sometimes a response isn’t enough. If a review breaks Airbnb’s rules or is genuinely misleading, here’s how to fix bad reviews on Airbnb, including when you may be able to request removal.
At Homevy, a great guest review doesn’t start when the guest opens the Airbnb review box.
It starts long before they arrive.
From the moment a booking comes in, our team is thinking about what the guest needs to have a smooth, comfortable stay. We make sure the property is ready before check-in, communicate with guests throughout their stay and deal with issues before they have a chance to become bigger problems.

Photo by Homevy
When the guest checks out, the work isn’t over. We inspect the property, make sure everything is accounted for and address anything that needs attention before the next guest arrives.
That level of attention is intentional. We’re not waiting for guests to tell us what went wrong. We’re looking for the details that can make their stay better.
And it shows in the experience our guests have had across more than 10,000 booked nights with Homevy.
We’ve maintained a 4.9-star Google rating and Airbnb Superhost status, and in 2026, Homevy was named Best Short-Term Rental Management Company in Dubai at the Arabian Best of the Best Awards.
In our two years of managing properties in Dubai, we’ve learned that happy guests are more likely to leave positive reviews, recommend your property and choose to stay with you again.
And better guest experiences can help your property perform better over time.
If you want a property management company that doesn’t just manage your property but pays attention to the people staying in it, talk to Homevy about managing your Dubai holiday home.
A good Airbnb review for a guest is two to four sentences long. It includes one specific detail, how they left the property and whether you’d host them again.
For example: “[Guest name] left the apartment spotless and communicated clearly throughout. We’d welcome them back any time.”
Stick to facts. Say what happened, what it caused and whether you’d host them again. “Building security contacted us twice about noise after midnight” is fair and useful. Insults, threats and personal details aren’t, and they can get your review removed.
You can edit your review until the guest submits theirs, within the 14-day window. Once both reviews are published, you can’t edit it. You can remove a review you’ve written within 30 days of it being published.
There’s no real advantage. Airbnb publishes both reviews together, or when the 14-day window closes, so neither side sees the other’s review first. Write yours within a day or two, while the details are fresh.
You can invite guests to leave an honest review. You can’t ask for a specific rating, offer anything in return or pressure them. A discount, refund or “I’ll review you well if you review me well” all break Airbnb’s review rules.
No, it isn’t mandatory. But good guests rely on reviews to get accepted by other hosts, and guests notice when hosts skip them. At Homevy, we treat the review as the final step of every checkout.
Reviews publish at the same time, so a guest can’t see yours before writing theirs. They can post a public response to it. If a guest leaves a review in retaliation for a host enforcing a policy, you can ask Airbnb to look at it.
A good guest experience doesn’t happen by accident.
Someone has to notice when the check-in instructions aren’t clear, when the AC needs attention, when the apartment needs an extra inspection or when a guest has a question at 11 p.m.
At Homevy, we handle the details that shape the guest’s entire stay, from preparing the property and managing check-ins to responding to guest requests, coordinating cleaning and maintenance, and inspecting the apartment after checkout.
The goal isn’t simply to collect five-star reviews. It’s simply to be intentional about creating stays guests are happy to rave about, recommend and come back to.
That approach has helped the properties we manage achieve an average occupancy rate of 91.1%, and generate bookings that maximize rental income.
Want guests to leave glowing reviews while you stay out of the day-to-day work? Talk to Homevy about managing your Dubai holiday home.
Get access to our 5-day training course on managing your vacation rental property in Dubai.
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