How to Increase Hotel Reviews by 40% with Post-Stay Follow-Up Messages
- Melissa Hughes
- Oct 1, 2025
- 4 min read
In hospitality, the guest experience doesn't end at checkout—it ends when guests share their story online. Yet most hotels miss a critical opportunity: the 24-hour window after departure when guests are most likely to leave reviews and when their emotional connection to your property is still fresh.
A simple, personalized follow-up message sent within 24 hours of checkout can increase positive hotel reviews by 40%. Here's why this strategy works and how to implement it with your team.
Why 24 Hours Matters
Timing is everything in hospitality psychology. Within 24 hours of checkout, guests are still emotionally engaged with their experience. They're unpacking, sharing photos, and reflecting on their stay. This is the moment when they're most likely to leave a review—and when a thoughtful message from your hotel can influence that decision.
After 48 hours, emotional engagement drops significantly. Guests move on to other priorities, and the window for capturing their feedback closes.
A well-timed follow-up message does three things:
1. Reminds guests of positive moments they may have forgotten in the rush of travel
2. Demonstrates genuine care by referencing specific details from their stay
3. Encourages action by making it easy for them to leave a review
The Psychology Behind Personalization
Generic "thank you for staying with us" messages are forgettable. They feel automated and impersonal—the opposite of what hospitality science teaches us about building emotional connection.
Personalized messages work because they trigger a psychological principle called reciprocity. When guests feel that your hotel staff genuinely remembers them and cares about their experience, they feel obligated to reciprocate with positive feedback.
A message that says, "We loved meeting you and your family—we hope your daughter enjoyed the snacks we left in the room!" creates emotional resonance. It proves that staff were paying attention and that the guest mattered as an individual, not just a room number.
This emotional connection translates directly into positive reviews.
Crafting Your Post-Stay Follow-Up Script
The key to an effective follow-up message is specificity. Train your team to include at least one or two details unique to that guest's stay. Here's a template to get started:
Subject Line: "We hope you're enjoying those memories from [Hotel Name]!"
Message:
"Hi [Guest Name],
We hope you enjoyed your stay with us and have safe travels home.
[INSERT SPECIFIC MOMENT: "Thank you for choosing our hotel for your anniversary/birthday/vacation/conference. We are honored that you trusted us with your special celebration/business trip/family trip."]
Your feedback means the world to us, and we'd be grateful if you could share your experience on [TripAdvisor/Google/your review platform]. Even a few words about what made your stay special would help other travelers discover what makes [Hotel Name] special.
We can't wait to see you again soon!
Warm regards,
Staff Member Name
Hotel Name
Implementation Strategy for Your Team
1. Identify the messenger: Assign one staff member per shift to send follow-up messages. Ideally, this is someone who interacted with the guest (front desk, concierge, or housekeeping manager). If that's not possible, train a dedicated team member to review checkout notes and craft personalized messages.
2. Create a "moment capture" system: Train all staff to document memorable moments during a guest's stay:
What did the guest mention about their trip?
Did they celebrate a special occasion?
Did they have a positive interaction with a specific staff member?
Did they enjoy a particular amenity or service?
Use your PMS to record these details in the guest's profile. This gives your follow-up messenger the information needed to personalize the message.
3. Develop a message template library: Create 5-10 template variations for different guest types:
Business travelers
Families with children
Couples celebrating occasions
Extended stay guests
First-time visitors
This speeds up the process while maintaining personalization.
4. Set a daily reminder: Create a task in your PMS or use a simple spreadsheet to track which guests checked out each day. Set a reminder to send follow-up messages by 5 PM the same day or 9 AM the next morning.
5. Include a clear call-to-action: Make it easy for guests to leave a review. Include a direct link to your Google, TripAdvisor, or other review platforms. The easier you make it, the more likely they'll follow through.
6. Track and measure: Monitor which follow-up messages generate the most reviews. Identify which staff members are most effective at crafting personalized messages and share their techniques with the team.
Post-Stay Follow-Up Messages Increase Hotel Reviews
The numbers speak for themselves:
40% increase in positive reviews from guests who receive personalized follow-up messages
Higher review volume overall because you're actively encouraging guests to share feedback
Improved online reputation as positive reviews accumulate
Better booking conversion because potential guests see more recent, positive reviews
For a 100-room hotel with 70% occupancy, that's approximately 2,100 guest stays per month. A 40% increase in positive reviews could mean 840 additional positive reviews annually—a significant boost to your online reputation and booking engine.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Sending too late: Messages sent after 48 hours have minimal impact
Being too salesy: Focus on gratitude and connection, not pushing for reviews
Using generic language: Avoid messages that could apply to any guest
Forgetting the link: Make it frictionless to leave a review
Sending from a generic email: Personalize the sender name when possible
The 24-hour post-stay follow-up is one of the highest-ROI hospitality practices. It requires minimal investment—just a few minutes of staff time—yet delivers measurable results in review volume, sentiment, and online reputation.
By training your team to capture memorable moments during a guest's stay and craft personalized follow-up messages within 24 hours of checkout, you're not just thanking guests for their business. You're demonstrating that your hotel genuinely cares about their experience and values their feedback.
In a competitive market where online reviews drive booking decisions, that personal touch can be the difference between a guest choosing your hotel or a competitor's.
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