How does Booking.com calculate the review score?

Understanding how Booking.com calculates your property's review score is essential for managing guest expectations and improving your listing performance. The process is more nuanced than a simple average, and knowing the details can help you better interpret guest feedback.

The Review Score Calculation Process

Your overall guest review score on Booking.com is calculated using a weighted formula based on individual scores submitted by guests over the last 3 years. The key point: more recent reviews have a greater impact on your final score than older ones.

Step 1: Guest Review Invitation

After guests check out, Booking.com automatically sends them an email invitation to review their stay. Guests have up to 90 days after checkout to submit their review.

Step 2: Overall Score Submission

The only mandatory question guests must answer is selecting an overall score from 1 to 10. This rating reflects their holistic impression of their stay at your property.

Step 3: Optional Subcategory Ratings

Guests can optionally rate specific aspects of their experience, including:

• Cleanliness
• Comfort
• Value for money
• Facilities
• Location
• Staff

Why Your Overall Score May Not Match Positive Comments

You might notice that a guest left positive written feedback but their overall score doesn't seem to reflect it. This happens because the overall score is independent of the subcategory ratings. Here's why:

• The overall score represents the guest's personal, complete impression of their stay
• Subcategory ratings are optional and don't factor into your overall score calculation
• Guests may value aspects not covered by Booking.com's predefined categories, such as design, family-friendliness, or other criteria
• A guest might rate specific categories highly but give a lower overall score based on their holistic experience

Key Takeaways

Remember these important points about your review score:

• Weighted, not averaged: Recent reviews carry more weight than older ones
• 3-year lookback period: Only reviews from the last 3 years affect your current score
• Overall score is independent: Subcategory ratings don't directly impact your overall score
• Holistic assessment: Guests rate their complete experience, not just the listed categories

By understanding this calculation method, you can better track your property's performance over time and focus on delivering consistent, high-quality experiences that earn strong overall scores.