How does Booking.com calculate the review score?

Understanding how your review score is calculated can help you better manage your property's reputation. Your overall Guest Review Score is based on individual scores submitted by guests over the last 3 years, using a weighted calculation where more recent reviews have a bigger impact on your total score.

How the Review Process Works

1. Review Invitation

Once guests check out, Booking.com sends them an email invitation to review their stay. Guests have 90 days after checkout to complete their review.

2. Overall Score Calculation

Guests are asked to select an overall score from 1 to 10, which is the only mandatory question. Your overall Guest Review Score is based on these individual scores submitted over the last 3 years, following a weighted calculation. This means recent reviews carry more weight than older ones.

3. Optional Subcategory Ratings

In addition to the overall score, guests can optionally rate specific aspects of their stay:

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

While these subcategory ratings provide valuable insights, they do not affect your overall score as they are completely independent.

Understanding Your Overall Score

Your overall score is neither an average nor a sum of the subcategories. It represents each guest's personal, holistic impression of their stay. Subcategories selected by Booking.com may not capture every aspect of the guest experience at your property. For example, factors like general design, family-friendliness, or other criteria important to some guests will be reflected in their overall score rather than specific categories.

This is why you might notice a guest leaves positive written comments but a moderate overall score—their individual rating reflects their complete experience, which may be influenced by factors not represented in the optional subcategories.