The high season brings bustling crowds, overwhelming occupancy, and the opportunity to make a lasting impression on your guests. Amid the whirlwind of activity, you might wonder why guest reviews should be a priority – your focus is on delivering exceptional service.
But unless you’re closing forever after Christmas, your online reviews will continue to matter long after the travellers and trimmings have gone. Most people rely on digital platforms to plan their trips, and guest reviews are critical in their decision-making process. Leveraging reviews collected during the high season can keep your property top-of-mind and thriving even during quieter months. Here’s how — and why — it matters.
Why Guest Reviews Are Crucial
Travellers today are more research-driven than ever. Reviews provide the social proof they need to make booking decisions.
- 98% of consumers read online reviews for local businesses (BrightLocal, 2024)
- 76% of travellers consider reviews “important” or “very important” when making travel choices (BrightLocal 2023)
- 59% of consumers won’t consider using a business with fewer than 20 reviews (BrightLocal, 2024)
Platforms like Tripadvisor, Google, and Booking.com often factor review quality, volume, and recency into their rankings. This means collecting a steady flow of positive, timely reviews can enhance your visibility and appeal and the high season offers an unparalleled chance to boost these metrics.
Pro Tip: Responding to both positive and negative reviews shows that you value guest feedback and are committed to continual improvement. Consumers are 41% more likely to use a business that responds to all its reviews than one that doesn’t respond to any, so don’t let this opportunity slip by.
Making High-Season Reviews Work for You
Collecting reviews is just the start. Here are actionable ways to maximise the impact of your high-season feedback throughout the year:
1. Enrich Your Social Media Content
Your reviews are a goldmine for creative content. Share glowing testimonials on your social media platforms to boost engagement and showcase your strengths. For example:
- Guests rave about your rooftop bar? Share a stunning sunset shot from the terrace and pair it with the review.
- Did someone love your chef’s signature dish? Post a behind-the-scenes clip of how it’s prepared.
Leveraging user-generated content (UGC) builds trust and adds authenticity to your brand, and video content keeps increasing in popularity. Create short reels or TikTok videos inspired by guest experiences (or even featuring guests, if you can convince them!) — they’re more likely to be seen and generate new interest in your property.
2. Update Your Website with Guest Insights
Guest reviews can offer valuable perspectives on what makes your property unique. Take their comments and weave them into your website’s narrative:
- Do visitors adore your cosy fireplace lounge? Highlight it with fresh photos and a heartwarming description.
- Is your location frequently praised? Add guest quotes to your “About” page to let potential customers know why others choose you.
Refreshing your website with these insights not only improves SEO (search engine optimisation) but also keeps your content aligned with guest priorities.
3. Improve Your Service and Offerings
High season amplifies everything—both the highlights and the hiccoughs. If your usual reviews are a lens to identify areas for improvement, then the reviews left during the crucible of intensity that is high season are a microscope. Don’t write complaints off as an unavoidable consequence of having more guests than usual – rather use this increased scrutiny to take your service to the next level. For example:
- Are guests mentioning delays in room service or long waits at reception? It could be that your team isn’t handling the pressure, but it could also mean that your PMS isn’t up to the task anymore, or that your reception computer is getting slow. Make a note to look into streamlining check-in processes in the off-season so that queues don’t pile up when you’re busy.
- If your kitchen staff tends to wait just a little too long before they change the oil in the chip fryer, this won’t go unnoticed with even more diners coming through your doors – this could indicate your restaurant needs updated SOPs
Acting on feedback demonstrates your commitment to continuous improvement, which builds trust and loyalty among your guests.
Stats That Matter: 94% of consumers say a negative review has convinced them to avoid a business. Use constructive criticism to fix pain points before they become deal-breakers.
Make sure increased occupancy leads to increased reviews
In the last year, 69% of consumers recall writing a review after being asked to do so by the business. So, the first step to encouraging more reviews during the high season is simply asking. If you really want to make the most of your potential hotel inspectors, you need to make it as easy as possible for them to give you feedback.
Strategically placing QR codes in rooms, in your lobby or on receipts that link to your satisfaction survey is a great way to prompt feedback without being intrusive. It also almost goes without saying that you should send an email or text to every guest after checkout asking them for feedback, and a tool like GuestRevu that integrates with your property management system can do this automatically, cutting back on the workload for staff.
Staff should still play their part though – we’re all asked for our feedback multiple times a day, and our schedules (and inboxes) are full to bursting. If you want guests to carve the time out of their day to give you feedback, they have to know you will read and value what they have to say. Simply training staff to tell guests on checkout to look out for the survey can increase your response rate.
Take a look at more tips for encouraging guests to write reviews
Turning Reviews into Long-Term Success
Your guests can be a team of advisors uniquely qualified to explain exactly what you can do to improve your guest experience. And, the more reviews and feedback you get, the more accurate the conclusions you will draw will be – proving you have the right tools to collect, analyse and quantify the extensive qualitative data they provide in their feedback.
High-season reviews have a ripple effect that can extend far beyond the festive rush. They improve your visibility, refine your services, and help you create content that resonates with potential guests. By making reviews a priority, you’re investing in a resource that will benefit your hotel all year round.
Ready to make the most of guest feedback? Explore our Guide to Online Reputation Management for more tips and strategies to ensure your property shines online.