How to earn more five-star reviews for your holiday let
- Feb 14
- 2 min read
If you want more five-star reviews for your Airbnb or holiday let in 2026, the formula is simpler than you think.
In a recent episode of Holiday Let Insider, Rachel Brennan, Senior Manager of Sales & Portfolio Growth at Sykes Holiday Cottages, shared practical, experience-backed strategies that consistently drive better reviews. Catch the full episode on YouTube, Spotify, or Apple.
Rachel's framework boils down to three powerful principles.
The three drivers of five-star reviews: care, clarity, and cleanliness
Care
Guests don’t leave five-star reviews because of marble worktops or luxury branding.
They leave five-star reviews because they feel looked after.
Care can be small but powerful:
A well-thought-out welcome pack.
Local restaurant recommendations.
Enough crockery for every guest.
Essentials like olive oil, salt, pepper, extra bin bags.
The ability to make a hot drink available on arrival.
Small details signal: “We thought about you.”
Even tiny gestures – like setting children’s glasses for families or leaving Easter eggs for kids – create emotional credit that increases forgiveness if minor issues arise.
Clarity
Expectation setting is foundational to five-star reviews.
Rachel stresses:
Accurate listing descriptions.
Honest photography (don’t crop out the bins if they’re visible).
Transparent details about size, layout, and quirks.
Clear, concise check-in instructions.
If your property is “small, charming and cosy” – say so. Her advice: under promise slightly, over deliver generously. Expectation gaps create negative reviews. Clarity prevents them.
Cleanliness (non-negotiable)
Guests are not forgiving about cleaning. Rachel recommends:
Hotel-standard cleaning.
Check cupboards, fridges, drawers, under beds.
Deep-clean, not just surface wipe-downs.
Cleanliness isn’t luxury – it’s baseline professionalism.
When reviews are won or lost: the first and last 10 minutes
According to Rachel, reviews are often decided in:
The first 10 minutes
Easy parking.
Clear access instructions.
Pleasant smell.
Comfortable temperature.
“Picture perfect” alignment with listing photos.
The Last 10 Minutes
Clear check-out instructions.
No confusion about rubbish or bedding.
A smooth, stress-free departure.
Guests review how they felt – not just what they saw.
Proactive hosting: the ultimate 2026 strategy
Rachel’s biggest tactical recommendation: do a first-night check-in. Send a message shortly after arrival: "is everything as it should be?".
This prevents small issues from becoming review-damaging problems. A quick, empathetic fix can turn a potential three-star stay into a glowing five-star review.
How to handle bad reviews (without damaging future bookings)
Bad reviews are inevitable. According to Rachel, this is the right mindset:
Breathe first.
Don’t respond emotionally.
Identify the actual problem.
Fix the problem.
Publicly report the fix.
Rachel reminds hosts: your audience is not the reviewer. Your audience is your future guest.
Avoid:
Defensive replies.
Blame shifting.
Long emotional essays.
Instead:
Thank.
Acknowledge.
Fix.
Reassure.
Short. Professional. Future-focused.
What the best reviewed holiday lets do differently
From Rachel’s experience at Sykes, top-performing holiday lets:
Anticipate problems before they happen.
Standardise communication.
Deliver consistent welcome experiences.
Personalise small touches.
Think like project managers.
They remove friction. Five-star reviews are rarely about luxury. They’re about ease, thoughtfulness, and stress-free experiences.
The one piece of advice for 2026?
Be relentlessly proactive. Proactive communication. Proactive maintenance. Proactive problem-solving. Five-star reviews aren’t accidental. They’re engineered.
Comments