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Hospitality Net
5 hours ago
- Hospitality Net
Decoding Guest Feedback: Insights on AI and Review Trends for Hoteliers
The world of guest reviews is constantly moving. New technologies are changing how guests share feedback. They also change how hotels manage their online reputation. It is a critical part of hotel management. For hoteliers, staying ahead of these trends is not just an option. It is essential for success. A recent Shiji Buzz Webinar brought together leading industry leaders to discuss the future of guest reviews and what hoteliers need to know in 2025. Hosted by Andre Baljeu from the webinar included Rodica Buzescu, Group Product Marketing Manager at Diana Villanueva, Online Reputation Specialist at HM Hotels, and Jessica Kurtz, Global Product Ambassador with Reviewpro Reputation. They covered everything from updated scoring systems to the rise of Artificial Intelligence. Takeaways Embrace recency. New weighted scores mean recent reviews matter most. Your current efforts to improve are rewarded much faster. Integrated platforms are a necessity. Replace patchwork systems with integrated platforms. A 'one-stop shop' for reviews improves efficiency and data insights. API-First is fundamental. APIs are essential for connecting your hotel software. They ensure seamless data flow for better operational efficiency. Use AI as a Co-Pilot. Use AI to draft review responses for efficiency. But always maintain human oversight to protect your brand voice. Turn complaints into clarity. Use negative feedback as a free marketing audit. Clarify your offerings and solve issues in-house first. Why new reviews matter most A major topic was the changing value of reviews over time. has recently updated its system, shifting from a simple three-year average to a new model that places greater weight on the most recent reviews. This change was a direct response to feedback from hoteliers who felt that old reviews unfairly impacted their current reputation. This new, dynamic score more accurately reflects a hotel's current reality. It rewards properties for their current efforts and improvements. Diana shared her initial reaction, noting that her team quickly saw the benefits. The new system provides a more accurate representation of a hotel's current state, particularly for properties that have undergone recent renovations. Their hard work is no longer held back by outdated feedback. This approach aligns with other platforms, such as Google, and is becoming an industry standard. This sentiment was echoed by Jessica, who explained that Reviewpro Reputation's own Global Review Index (GRI) has always prioritized recency to show a potential guest what a stay would be like today, not years ago. The anatomy of a modern review The way guests write reviews is also evolving. People are moving away from long, wordy essays. Instead, feedback is becoming more concise. Platforms are innovating to capture this by asking for 'tidbits of information' and using multiple-choice questions. This makes leaving feedback quicker and less overwhelming for the guest. Despite this brevity, data presented by Reviewpro Reputation shows that text comments remain vital. In the first quarter of 2025, over 66% of reviews still included text, an increase from the previous year. This text is crucial because it provides the context behind a score, which hoteliers need to make meaningful improvements. In response, hotels are getting faster. The average time to respond to a review has been cut in half, from six days to just three in the last two years. This speed is critical. A fast reply is not just for the guest who wrote the review; it is for all potential guests who will read it. Harnessing technology Managing reviews across many platforms is complex. Technology integrations offer a powerful solution. When an OTA like connects directly with a reputation management platform like Reviewpro Reputation, the benefits are immediate. Using guest reviews API, it creates a central hub for hotel teams to respond to all reviews without needing to log into multiple systems. This integration greatly improves efficiency and security. More importantly, it provides deeper insights by pulling in detailed departmental scores for things like service and cleanliness. This granular data helps managers pinpoint exact areas needing attention. One analysis showed that after integration, the average response time for hotels dropped from two weeks to just five days. Make AI your ally, not your replacement, right? We're not replacing your responses with AI. We want to be your co-pilot. We want to work hand in hand, but the end decision of that response is still the hotelier. Jessica Kurtz AI as a Co-Pilot Artificial Intelligence is the next major force shaping review management. Recognizing that hotels were already using tools like ChatGPT, technology providers like Reviewpro Reputation have integrated this power directly into their platforms. The conversation stressed a key point: this technology should be seen as an ally, not a replacement. The AI acts as a co-pilot, reading a guest's review and suggesting a draft response to save teams time. The hotelier can customize the tone, length, and signature to ensure the reply aligns with the hotel's brand. As an early adopter of Reviewpro's AI tool, Diana emphasized that the human touch remains essential. An employee must always review, edit, and personalize the text to ensure the hotel is truly listening. If review management is only about replying, then in my opinion, we are losing the most important part of guest feedback, which is to listen and to improve. And for that, you need real people behind it. Diana Villanueva Turning negative feedback into a positive strategy Negative reviews are an unavoidable part of the business. The panel offered clear advice: treat these reviews as a learning opportunity. If a guest complains about a missing amenity, the first step is to ask why they expected it and audit your marketing on and other channels for clarity. This prevents future disappointment. When responding, turn the negative into a marketing moment. Acknowledge the issue, then highlight another great feature. The best strategy, however, is to solve problems before they become negative reviews. Anything that you can fix earlier during their stay is gold. Anything you do with responding to guest reviews afterward, it's great and it impacts your future guests. But it feels to me like it's a place where we should all invest a bit more time. Rodica Buzescu The future is responsive The landscape of guest feedback is more dynamic than ever. The conversation made it clear that a passive approach is no longer viable. Hotels must be proactive and technologically adept. They need to understand the new rules of recency. They should embrace tools like integration and AI to become more efficient. Ultimately, managing guest reviews is about more than just a score. It is a continuous cycle of listening, responding, and improving. It is a core function of modern hotel operations and marketing. By embracing these changes, hoteliers can build a stronger reputation. They can also foster deeper loyalty with their guests. The future of guest feedback is here, and it is time to engage. Watch the full webinar here: About Shiji Group Shiji is a global technology company dedicated to providing innovative solutions for the hospitality industry, ensuring seamless operations for hoteliers day and night. Built on the Shiji Platform—the only truly global hotel technology platform—Shiji's cloud-based solutions include property management system, point-of-sale, guest engagement, distribution, payments, and data intelligence for over 91,000 hotels worldwide, including the largest hotel chains. With more than 5,000 employees across the world, Shiji is a trusted partner for the world's leading hoteliers, delivering technology that works as continuously as the industry itself. That's why the best hotels run on Shiji—day and night. While its primary focus is on hospitality, Shiji also serves select customers in food service, retail, and entertainment in certain regions. For more information, visit View source
Hospitality Net
2 days ago
- Hospitality Net
Behind the Façade: Why Greenwashing Threatens Hospitality Brands
The hospitality industry has continuously evolved in response to changing guest expectations. Over the last decade, the shift has been both visible and profound. Today, travellers increasingly look beyond the thread count of linens or gourmet menus. They want transparency, values, and accountability. They want to know how a hotel treats its waste, conserves water, supports the community, and manages its carbon footprint. This shift has driven a visible surge in sustainability messaging across the sector. From eco-labels on websites to tent cards in rooms encouraging guests to reuse towels, sustainability is now a key part of brand storytelling. But behind this movement lies a growing concern: 'Greenwashing.' In hospitality, it is alarmingly easy for brands to slip into it. Greenwashing, by definition, involves overstating or falsely representing one's environmental efforts. In hospitality, it can be as simple as removing plastic straws at the bar while using plastic bottled water throughout the property, or showcasing a CSR partnership in brochures. At the same time, core operations remain energy inefficient and resource-intensive. What's more troubling is that greenwashing is often unintentional, as many operators believe they are being sustainable but fall short on execution, measurement, and transparency. The consequence is more than reputational, especially in an industry built on perception and trust; a mismatch between messaging and reality erodes credibility. Guests are increasingly informed and discerning. Many read sustainability reports before booking and compare third-party ratings. They ask questions at check-in. And when they discover a lack of follow-through, it reflects in reviews, loyalty, and even brand advocacy. In a recent experience during my visit to Bhutan, a country widely admired for its carbon-negative stance and conservation-led tourism model, I noticed a disconnect. Luxury hotels, including global brands, did not have sewage treatment plants or in-house bottling facilities. Plastic bottled water was commonly used, and carbon footprint measurement was absent. These brands likely had sustainability guidelines at the group level, but implementation was patchy on the ground. Conversations revealed an intent to be sustainable,e but challenges with policy enforcement, infrastructure support, and local compliance created gaps that undermined the message. This isn't unique to Bhutan but reflects a global issue where sustainability becomes a branding theme rather than a business function. Without proper checks, third-party certifications, or transparent ESG reporting, it is difficult for guests, investors, or even staff to differentiate between a genuine green brand and one simply performing Greenwashing. The urgency to act is growing. A 2023 report noted that 76% of travellers want to travel more sustainably, yet nearly half feel there aren't enough reliable options. This perception gap is the danger zone where greenwashing thrives. In India, where hospitality is rebounding post-COVID with a stronger focus on experience and purpose, this is an opportunity for introspection and course correction. The way forward is not more messaging but more operational integrity. Hotels must invest in sustainability infrastructure, establish clear internal targets, engage third-party audits, and train employees at every level. More importantly, they must communicate these efforts transparently, with humility and clarity, not as slogans but as shared progress with their guests. The future of hospitality will not be defined by brands that speak the most about sustainability but by those that act the most on it. For hotels, real competitive advantage now lies in the credibility of their ESG practices, not just the visibility of their green claims.
Hospitality Net
2 days ago
- Hospitality Net
Alexander the Guest
I take you to some of the world's most exclusive 3 Michelin-star restaurants. We will take the tour, sample the menu, and then decide, is it really worth it? My name is Alexander. I'm the co-owner of a ONE Michelin-star restaurant, and I'm on a mission - to find inspiration in gastronomy. I love fine dining, good wine, and sharing what I know with other people And that's where you come in. So join me for a taste of luxury. Welcome to Alexander The Guest.
