Most bad reviews are not written when the problem happens, but at home, when the guest looks back on the trip. By then the hotel can no longer fix anything. So the main task is simple: find out about dissatisfaction while the guest is still around.

Where the signals hide

Guests rarely say it directly: “I'll write a bad review.” Usually they do one of these:

• repeats the same request a second time;
• writes briefly and curtly, without a greeting;
• asks about compensation or "how to contact management";
• stops replying to the hotel's messages mid-stay.

Each of these signals should go to the manager rather than stay in the general reception chat.

Ask while the guest is still at the hotel

The easiest way to find out about a problem: ask. A short question on departure day, in person, by phone or messenger, works better than a survey sent a week later.

It's important to ask in the guest's language. Someone who has been explaining with gestures all week finds it easier to tell the truth in their own language.

What to do if a guest is unhappy

Don't argue or make excuses. Thank them for their honesty, briefly say what you'll do, and do it before check-out. Sometimes a personal apology from the manager, not from the receptionist on shift, is enough.

After the conversation, write down what happened and how it was resolved. If the same problem repeats with different guests, it is no longer a one-off case but a task for the hotel.

What not to do

• Asking for a good review in exchange for a discount: this violates platform rules.
• Sending the same template email to every guest.
• Respond to a complaint only in a public review reply, after the guest has already left.