Booking.com uses a simple and transparent method to calculate the overall score for each accommodation. We add up all the review scores we’ve received and divide that total by the number of reviews. So, the higher the scores and the more reviews we have, the higher the overall score.
However, we are currently experimenting with a weighted review system in Malta and Iceland, excluding hotel and vacation rental chains. This means that newer reviews have a bigger impact on the overall score than older reviews.
We also allow guests to provide detailed feedback in specific areas like location, cleanliness, staff, comfort, facilities, value for money, and free Wi-Fi. These “subscores” are separate from the overall score, meaning there is no direct link between them.
Your Reviews: Submitting, Editing, and Reporting
You can submit a review for any accommodation you booked through Booking.com, whether you actually stayed there or just arrived and decided not to. To edit a review you already submitted, please contact our Customer Service team.
We take review integrity very seriously. We use both human and automated systems to detect and remove fake reviews. If we identify a fraudulent review, we take appropriate action against the responsible party.
You can also help us keep our platform honest by reporting any suspicious reviews to our Customer Service team. Our dedicated Fraud team will investigate and take action if necessary.
Review Guidelines: Ensuring a Fair and Friendly Environment
We aim to publish every review, both positive and negative, to provide guests with a complete picture of the accommodation. However, we will not display reviews that include or refer to:
- Impersonation, for example, claiming to be someone else.
- Violation of our review guidelines.
To ensure reviews are relevant, we may only accept reviews submitted within 3 months of checking out. Additionally, we may stop showing reviews after 36 months or if the accommodation undergoes a change of ownership.
Accommodations have the option to respond to reviews.
Navigating Reviews: Sorting and Filtering
When you see multiple reviews, the most recent ones appear at the top. The order may also be influenced by language, whether the review includes text, and if it’s anonymous or not. You can sort and filter reviews based on your preferences, such as time of year, review score, and other criteria.
Sometimes, we display external review scores from other reputable travel websites. We clearly indicate when these scores are included.
Review Content: What’s Permitted and What’s Not
Our review guidelines aim to keep the content on Booking.com relevant and family-friendly while allowing for the expression of strong opinions, regardless of whether they are positive or negative.
Here’s a breakdown of what we expect from our reviews:
Focus on Travel: Contributions should be travel-related, providing detailed information that helps others make better decisions. Personal, political, ethical, or religious commentary is not permitted.
Global Audience: Please be mindful of a global audience and avoid using profanity, offensive language, or hate speech.
Genuine and Unique: Reviews should be original and unbiased, reflecting the guest’s personal experience.
Respect Privacy: We will make an effort to protect users’ privacy by obscuring personal information like email addresses and phone numbers.
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in reviews belong to the guests and accommodations, not Booking.com. We are not responsible for any reviews or responses.
Sorting and Filtering: Finding the Perfect Accommodation
By default, reviews are sorted based on the date of the review and other factors, like your language preference and reviews with text. Additional sorting options, such as filtering by type of traveler or score, are available.
We sometimes use Google Translate to provide translations for our reviews. However, Google disclaims all warranties related to the accuracy and reliability of these translations.
