Google review management for a hotel
A hotel lives on its local reputation. Asterias follows your Google reviews live, writes an answer that picks up what the customer actually mentioned (the room booked, breakfast, the welcome at reception), and leaves every decision below four stars to you.
Why it’s different for a hotel
In hospitality, the reply is almost never for the person it addresses. That guest has left and probably will not return; what matters is the traveller choosing between two hotels who reads both versions.
The four recurring complaints
Noise
The first cause of a low rating in a city, and one of the few where the hotel is not always at fault: a busy street, a neighbour, roadworks. The reply does not dispute how it felt, says what already exists (courtyard rooms, glazing, a move mid-stay) and invites people to ask at booking. It is written for the next reader, who comes away with something to act on.
Cleanliness
The one complaint that is never softened. An explanation about shift patterns or hiring difficulties reads as an excuse, and the next reader remembers the word "cleanliness" attached to the hotel. The reply acknowledges, says what has been checked since, and nothing else.
The gap with the photos
Smaller room, different view, dated bathroom. The reply does not defend the photos: it states what the booked category actually includes, which is checkable, and invites people to call the hotel directly to choose their room. This is the complaint where precision beats warmth.
Breakfast, and its price
The most frequent grievance at three stars, and rarely alone: it arrives at the end of the review, after everything else. The reply treats it as its own point, says what is served and what has changed recently if anything has, without comparing it to the place next door.
Two replies, in full
Room was fine but impossible to sleep. Street noise all night and a group coming back at 3am. For that price we expect better.
Hello, and thank you for writing. A sleepless night in a hotel means the service itself was not delivered, and we are sorry for it. The front of the building faces a busy street and we have courtyard rooms that are considerably quieter: they can be requested at booking or on arrival, and we should have offered you one. On corridor noise, reception is instructed to step in at any hour, including on a call from the room; we are going over that instruction with the night team. If you are in the area again, call us directly and we will put you on the courtyard side.
It gives checkable, useful information, the existence of courtyard rooms, rather than an apology. The next reader comes away with something to do.
Lovely welcome, spotless room, perfect location for sightseeing. One downside: breakfast at 14 euros felt expensive for what it is.
Thank you very much for this, and particularly for what you say about the welcome and the room. Breakfast is a house-made buffet using local producers, which explains the price without making it obvious on the board: it is a remark we hear regularly and we are going to rework how it is presented. Thank you for taking the time, and we hope to see you again.
A four-star review is answered by picking up both halves: what was enjoyed, and the downside handled on its own. That downside is what the next reader is looking for.
When the reviews arrive
Volume follows the city’s tourist season with a few days’ lag: a stay gets written up on the way home rather than on site, so August’s wave lands in late August and early September.
Business stays produce fewer reviews but more precise complaints, about wifi, the desk, soundproofing and breakfast times, because that guest is comparing with twenty other hotels a year.
Long weekends and the festive season bring short family stays, so reviews about the family room, noise and space, and a higher bar than midweek.
Every rating, its own treatment
4 and 5 stars
Answered automatically
A personal thank-you that picks up what the customer liked, published after a natural delay. Nothing for you to do.
3 stars
You approve
Asterias drafts an answer that acknowledges the problem and gives a reason to come back. It lands on WhatsApp or Telegram: one button to publish, one to rewrite.
1 and 2 stars
Nothing without you
Never published automatically by default. You get the review and a suggested reply. Send it, rewrite it, or let it go.
Common questions
Should you answer Google reviews when the booking came from a platform?
Yes, and that is where it matters most: the Google listing is what shows when someone searches the hotel by name, ahead of the platform. It is the only shop window you control.
A review mentions a problem that has since been fixed. Do you say so?
Yes, and it is one of the most useful replies there is: "the air conditioning was replaced in March" informs every reader arriving afterwards. It is also one of the few facts a search engine can lift as it stands.
What do you do with a very long, very negative review?
Answer it point by point, calmly, without skipping one. A long review is read in full, and a reply that handles half of it shows. Asterias sends these to you before publication whatever your settings say.
Reviews in another language: which language do you answer in?
The language of the review. Asterias detects the language of each review and writes the answer in it, while talking to you in yours: a French hotelier gets an approval request in French for a reply in Dutch.
Try it on your own reviews
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