How to Get More Google Reviews for Your Hotel (Without Being Pushy)
A single star rating can cost you thousands in lost bookings.
Travelers are obsessed with reviews. They compare, filter, and eliminate hotels based on ratings before even looking at photos. A boutique hotel with 4.8 stars and 300 reviews beats a bigger competitor with 4.2 stars every time — regardless of price or amenities.
You know this. That’s why you want more reviews. The problem is asking for them without making guests uncomfortable.
Nobody wants to be the hotel that slides a card under the door saying “PLEASE RATE US 5 STARS!” That’s desperate. That’s awkward. That damages the very experience you’re trying to get reviewed.
The good news? The best review strategies don’t feel like asking at all. They create an environment where leaving a review feels natural, easy, and even enjoyable.
Here are 10 ways to get more Google reviews for your hotel — without ever making a guest feel pressured.
Create Experiences Worth Reviewing
Before focusing on how to ask, focus on what you’re asking them to review.
1. Nail the First 15 Minutes
First impressions become lasting memories. The check-in experience sets the tone for everything — including whether guests feel compelled to share their experience later.
What makes guests mention check-in in reviews:
- Greeting them by name
- Offering a welcome drink or local treat
- Upgrading when possible (even to a slightly better view)
- Providing personalized local recommendations
- Remembering returning guests
A guest who feels special at check-in is primed to leave a positive review at checkout. A guest who waits 10 minutes at an unstaffed desk starts their stay annoyed — and that colors everything.
2. Create Small Surprise Moments
The reviews that attract new guests aren’t about clean rooms and comfortable beds. Those are expected. Five-star reviews come from unexpected delights.
Ideas that trigger “I have to tell people about this”:
- Handwritten welcome note with their name
- Complimentary room upgrade “just because”
- Birthday or anniversary acknowledgment with a small gesture
- Local snack or drink waiting in the room
- Personalized restaurant or activity recommendations based on their interests
These moments cost little but generate outsized goodwill. Guests remember how you made them feel, and reviews are where they express those feelings.
Let Your Reviews Do the Talking
Here’s the most powerful strategy most hotels miss: showing your existing reviews to current guests.
3. Display Google Reviews in Your Lobby
When guests see your reviews on a screen in the lobby, something psychological happens. They read testimonials from other travelers — “Friendliest staff ever,” “Felt like home,” “Best breakfast in town” — and they start noticing those things themselves.
This creates a feedback loop:
- Guest sees positive reviews
- Guest pays attention to what others praised
- Guest experiences those things themselves
- Guest feels compelled to add their own voice
A digital display showing your live Google rating, review count, and rotating testimonials does this 24/7. It’s not asking for anything — it’s simply showcasing what others have said. Yet it dramatically increases review likelihood.
Pro tip: Social Counters connects directly to your Google Business Profile and displays your reviews on any TV, tablet, or screen. Reviews rotate automatically, your rating updates in real-time, and a subtle QR code lets guests leave their own review right from their phone. No awkward asks needed — the display does the work while you focus on hospitality.
4. Position Screens Where Guests Wait
Guests spend a lot of time waiting in hotels. Waiting for check-in. Waiting for breakfast. Waiting in the bar. Waiting for their taxi.
These are perfect moments for a review display. Guests have nothing to do, their phones are out, and they’re processing their experience.
Best locations for review displays:
- Behind the reception desk (visible during check-in/out)
- Breakfast room or restaurant
- Lobby lounge or seating area
- Bar area
- Near the elevator on the ground floor
One screen in a high-traffic area pays for itself in reviews within weeks.
Make Leaving a Review Effortless
The gap between “I should leave a review” and actually doing it is where you lose 90% of potential reviewers. Remove every barrier.
5. QR Codes at Every Touchpoint
A QR code that links directly to your Google review page eliminates all friction. No searching, no navigating — scan, type, submit.
Place QR codes:
- On the checkout counter
- In room folders or welcome materials
- On the breakfast table (small tent cards)
- On the back of business cards you hand out
- At the concierge desk
The code should link directly to the review input screen, not your general Google listing. Every extra tap loses people.
6. Include a Review Link in Post-Stay Emails
If you collect email addresses (and you should), send a simple follow-up within 24 hours of checkout.
Keep it short and warm:
“Hi [Name], thank you for staying with us! We hope you enjoyed your time in [city]. If you have a moment, we’d love to hear about your experience — your feedback helps other travelers find us. [Direct review link]”
Time it right: send the morning after checkout when memories are fresh but the travel rush has settled. Avoid sending when they’re likely mid-flight or driving home.
7. Empower Your Staff to Mention Reviews Naturally
Your team interacts with guests constantly. Train them to mention reviews conversationally — not as a script, but as a genuine invitation when the moment is right.
Natural moments to mention reviews:
- When a guest compliments something: “That’s so kind! If you have a moment, we’d love that on Google — it really helps us.”
- At checkout when a guest says they enjoyed their stay: “We’re so glad! A quick Google review would mean the world to us.”
- After resolving an issue successfully: “I’m glad we could make it right. If you feel we earned it, a review would help other guests know we care.”
The key is authenticity. A robotic “Don’t forget to leave us a five-star review” kills the warmth. A genuine “That would mean a lot to us” feels human.
Handle the Full Guest Journey
Hotels have an advantage most businesses don’t: multiple days of contact. Use them wisely.
8. Mid-Stay Check-In Creates Review-Ready Guests
A quick check-in during the stay — whether in person, via message, or a brief call — accomplishes two things. It fixes any issues before they become negative reviews, and it reinforces that you care about their experience.
“Hi, just checking in — is everything comfortable? Anything we can do to make your stay better?”
Guests who feel heard and cared for leave better reviews. Guests who suffer in silence leave scathing ones (or none at all).
9. Make Checkout Memorable
Checkout is your last impression and your final review opportunity. Most hotels waste it with a hurried “Here’s your receipt, bye.”
What memorable checkout looks like:
- Thanking them sincerely for choosing your hotel
- Asking about their stay (and actually listening)
- Offering a small parting gift (local candy, postcard, discount for next visit)
- Mentioning the review opportunity warmly: “If you enjoyed your stay, a Google review would really help us. There’s a QR code right here.”
The guest walks away feeling valued. That feeling translates directly into their review.
10. Respond to Every Single Review
This isn’t directly about getting more reviews — but it has a powerful indirect effect.
When potential guests research your hotel, they see your reviews and your responses. A hotel that responds thoughtfully to every review — positive and negative — signals that they care. That attracts more reviews because people know someone is listening.
For positive reviews: Thank them personally. Mention specifics from their review. Invite them back.
For negative reviews: Apologize sincerely. Acknowledge the issue. Explain how you’re addressing it. Offer to make it right.
Other travelers watching see a hotel that takes feedback seriously. Current guests see that leaving a review actually matters.
The “No Pressure” Review System
Let’s put it all together into a system that works without being pushy:
Before arrival:
- Pre-arrival email setting expectations for a great stay
At check-in:
- Warm, personalized welcome
- Small unexpected touch (upgrade, treat, note)
- Review display visible in lobby
During stay:
- Mid-stay check-in to catch issues early
- QR codes visible in room and common areas
- Staff trained to mention reviews naturally when guests express satisfaction
At checkout:
- Genuine thank you and conversation
- Review display visible at reception
- QR code on counter for easy scanning
- Small parting gesture
After checkout:
- Follow-up email with direct review link
- Response to any review they leave
None of these steps feel pushy. Together, they create an environment where reviews happen naturally — because guests want to share their experience, not because they feel obligated.
Your Reputation Compounds
Every review makes the next one easier. A hotel with 50 reviews attracts more guests who leave more reviews. A hotel with 500 reviews dominates local search results.
Start where you can today:
- Install a review display in your lobby
- Add QR codes at checkout
- Send post-stay emails with review links
- Train staff to mention reviews at natural moments
Your best marketing isn’t advertising — it’s the words of guests who loved staying with you. Make it easy for them to share those words, and watch your bookings grow.
