Reviews are the currency of the STR business. A property with 50 five-star reviews and a 4.9 rating commands a 15–25% ADR premium over a comparable property with fewer reviews. Your communication sequence is the primary driver of whether guests leave reviews and what those reviews say.
The 7-Touchpoint Communication Sequence
1. Booking confirmation (immediate): Warm welcome, confirm dates and check-in time, set expectations about the check-in process. Do not dump all house information here — it creates information overload before the guest has any context.
2. 3 days before arrival: Begin building anticipation. Highlight 2–3 things unique to the property or neighborhood that guests typically love. Include the access code/instructions and directions. This message reduces day-of-arrival questions by 60–70% in our data.
3. Day of check-in (morning): Confirm access details, ask if they need anything before arrival. Short. Personal. Not a template dump.
4. Night 1 check-in (evening): "Is everything perfect? If anything needs attention, now is the best time to let us know." This is the message that converts problems into 5-star reviews. A guest who has a small issue and gets it resolved immediately reviews the experience, not the issue.
5. Mid-stay (for stays 4+ nights): Brief check-in. Recommend a local restaurant or experience. Build a relationship.
6. Day before checkout: Reminder of checkout time, simplified checkout instructions (remove socks from dryer, start dishwasher). Lower the friction of departure.
7. Post-checkout (within 2 hours): Leave the guest review immediately after checkout (5-star if warranted). Then send a personal thank-you note with a gentle ask for their feedback.
Automation vs. Personalization
Messages 1, 2, 3, and 6 can be fully automated via Hospitable, Guesty, or OwnerRez. Messages 4, 5, and 7 benefit from a personal touch — even a single sentence of personalization transforms a templated message into a human connection. The guest feels seen, not processed.
Download the complete 12 AI-optimized message templates (formatted for Airbnb and VRBO) via the Free Resources page.