The four messages that move review scores
Across our portfolio of properties using template messaging, four touchpoints have an outsized effect on guest review scores: the booking confirmation, the pre-arrival logistics message (T-3 days), the in-stay check-in (24 hours after arrival), and the post-checkout thank-you. The other five messages we recommend are quality-of-life improvements; these four are the levers.
Make every template variable-driven
Templates that read 'Hi {firstName}, welcome to {propertyName}' are the floor, not the ceiling. The good templates layer in {checkInTime}, {wifiNetwork}, {wifiPassword}, {parkingNote}, and the local-context fields — {nearestCafe}, {trashDay}, {beachAccess}. The more of these resolve automatically, the less manual editing your team does, and the more consistent the guest experience becomes.
Channel-aware tone
Airbnb guests expect first names and warmth. Booking.com guests expect formality and operational clarity. The same underlying message can — and should — render slightly differently per channel without anyone on your team manually rewriting it.
The post-checkout message that drives reviews
Send 4 hours after checkout, not at checkout time. Reference one specific thing from their stay — the breakfast spot they asked about, the hike they took on day three. The reference signals you remembered them as a person, not a transaction, and the lift in 5-star review rate is consistently 8–12 percentage points.