The guest left smiling. They thanked you twice, took a jar of honey home and said "we'll be back". They never wrote a review. It is not rudeness. They went back to work, opened 40 emails and forgot.
Happy guests rarely write a review on their own. Unhappy guests write more readily. If you never ask, your scores mostly reflect the people who had something to complain about. The fix is simple: one short email, at the right moment. Below: when, what to write, and a template. And how the Bookmatrix.com Email Manager sends it on its own.
When to send it
The day after departure. The guest is home, the experience is fresh and not yet buried under work. On departure day they are often still travelling. A week later, the details have faded.
One email is enough. A second reminder to those who did not respond is already nagging.
Which platform?
This is where the most common mistake happens: one email with three links, Google, TripAdvisor, Facebook. The guest picks none.
- Bookings from Booking.com or Airbnb: the platform sends its own review invitation after the stay. Your email can simply say thank you and that you would be glad to read their opinion there.
- Direct bookings (website, phone, email): ask for a Google review. It is what people see when they search for your name, and it helps exactly the commission-free direct bookings.
One link per email. If needed, make two templates and send them according to the booking source.
What is not allowed
Google's review policy prohibits two things many owners do without knowing:
- Incentives for reviews: a discount on the next stay, a gift, a free bottle of wine "if you write something nice". Not allowed.
- Selective asking: asking only the guests who seem happy, or discouraging negative reviews. Also not allowed.
The simple answer is the one we suggest: the same polite email to everyone, with nothing in return.
What to write
- A real thank-you. With the guest's name.
- The request, once. Why it helps you: future guests read reviews.
- One link. Not three.
- A door for complaints. "If anything went wrong, reply to this email." That way a problem reaches you first.
Four to six sentences. No offers, no newsletter, no "book again with 10% off". That is a different email.
The template in English
Replace everything in square brackets with your own details.
Subject: Thank you, [Name]. How was your stay?
Dear [Name],
Thank you for staying at [Property name]. We hope you got home safely.
If you have two minutes, a short review helps us a lot, because future guests read what earlier guests wrote: [review link].
And if anything was not as you expected, just reply to this email. We read it ourselves and we want to know.
Kind regards,
[Your name], [Property name]
The template in Greek
Θέμα: Ευχαριστούμε, [Όνομα]. Πώς ήταν η διαμονή σας;
Καλημέρα [Όνομα],
Ευχαριστούμε που μείνατε στο [Όνομα καταλύματος]. Ελπίζουμε να φτάσατε καλά στο σπίτι.
Αν έχετε δύο λεπτά, μια σύντομη κριτική μάς βοηθά πολύ, γιατί οι επόμενοι επισκέπτες διαβάζουν τι γράφουν όσοι ήρθαν πριν από αυτούς: [σύνδεσμος κριτικής].
Και αν κάτι δεν ήταν όπως το περιμένατε, απαντήστε σε αυτό το email. Το διαβάζουμε εμείς και θέλουμε να το μάθουμε.
Με εκτίμηση,
[Το όνομά σας], [Όνομα καταλύματος]
How it goes out on its own
In Bookmatrix.com the review request is one of the standard templates we load with you, and one of the rules every property has from the start: one day after departure, the email goes out.
- You write it in the languages you need. The guest gets the version in their language.
- The name and booking details fill themselves in.
- If you want different text for Booking.com, Airbnb and direct bookings, the rule can be limited by source.
- In the email log you see who received it and when.
And when the review arrives
A review deserves a reply, especially a negative one. With Bookmatrix.com PRO, reviews from Booking.com and Airbnb arrive in the same inbox as your messages, and an AI agent prepares a first draft of the reply in the guest's language. You read it, edit it and publish it.
Frequently asked questions
Am I allowed to ask a guest for a review?
Yes. What Google does not allow is offering something in return or asking only the happy guests. The same email to everyone is fine.
Should I send a reminder?
No. One email the next day is enough. A second reminder annoys more than it helps.
What if the guest replies with a complaint?
Thank them and reply personally. A complaint that comes to you is far better than one that goes public.
Is this email in every plan?
Yes. Email templates and automations are part of every Bookmatrix.com plan. Platform reviews and AI replies are part of PRO.
Sources
Want to see it on your own property? Start the free 14-day demo at bookmatrix.com/demo or leave your phone number at bookmatrix.com/form and we will call you on the next working day. Or call us at +30 2351 151525.