How to Manage HomeAway Reviews?
Last updated: March 2024
HomeAway is now Vrbo. View our Ultimate Vrbo Host Guide to get the most updated information, or click here to learn how to get good reviews.
All HomeAway owners and guests alike need reviews to build out their profile and make a good name for themselves. Let’s look at everything there is to know about reviews.
Difference between HostAway traveler reviews and property reviews
The difference between these two types of reviews (traveler and property) is who leaves them.
Any hosts or property managers listing their vacation home on HomeAway (or their other sites, Vrbo or VacationRentals.com) have the right to review their guests upon check-out. Traveler reviews are, therefore, those left by hosts and are about the person (or people) who have stayed in rented properties.
It’s not all about the host, though. Guests are also permitted (and encouraged) to review the vacation rental home and business they stayed in – these are called property reviews and serve to help other guests with their decision to book (or not!) when viewing listings.
How do hosts and guests leave reviews on HomeAway?
If the guest booking has been made via the website, both parties (host and traveler) will receive an email three days after check-out. By following a link on this email, both the owner and traveler are then given a chance to leave a rating for their guest (in the owner’s circumstance) or the property (in the guest’s).
In the owner’s case, reviews are left on a one-to-five-star basis. After performing the owner login, are able to rate travelers on aspects such as overall experience, cleanliness, communication, and compliance with house rules, though there is no space to write text freely.
For guests, however, there is more room for personal comments about their stay. Travelers can submit their reviews in a number of ways: either by clicking the link contained in the review email; on the property page, or via the Mobile Hospitality app.
Reviews tend to include the following:
- Review title
- Star rating (from one to five)
- Date of arrival
- Written review
After submitting a review, travelers will have to wait for it to be moderated and approved by the reviews team before it’s published. In the case that a review is rejected for not meeting content guidelines, the guest will have to re-submit a review.
Is there a time limit for leaving reviews?
Hosts and travelers are able to provide a review for a year from the date of the stay. However, if one party (i.e. host or guest) starts the review process, the other has 14 days to complete their corresponding review. During this 14-day window, reviews are private and not shared with one another. After 14 days have passed, or once both sides have finalized their reviews, the review will be visible and live on the HomeAway site. After the 14 days are up, the host is then unable to edit their traveler review.