# Guest messages and review requests

Guestbud can send four messages to every guest at the right moment, in your own words, and ask for a review after the stay. Guests who loved it are sent to your Airbnb, Booking.com or Google review page; guests who were less happy reach you privately first.

The timeline is **off by default**.

## The four steps

| Step | Default timing | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Before arrival | 3 days before check-in, 10:00 | Complete the online check-in — skipped when everything is done |
| Arrival day | 09:00 on check-in day | Door code, Wi-Fi and directions are ready |
| Evening before check-out | 18:00 the day before | Check-out time and checklist |
| Review request | 1 day after check-out, 11:00 | “How was your stay?” |

Times are in the property's time zone.

## Set it up

1. Open **Settings → Guest messages**.
2. Tick **Send the guest message timeline**.
3. For each step choose whether it is on, the days, the time and the channel:
   - **Booking chat** — the Airbnb, Booking.com or Vrbo conversation via Hostaway, Channex or RentalsUnited;
   - **Email** — to the guest's email address;
   - **Both** — chat when the booking has one, otherwise email.
4. Edit the subject and message. Placeholders: `{firstName}` `{property}` `{link}` `{checkInDate}` `{checkInTime}` `{checkOutDate}` `{checkOutTime}` `{host}`.
5. Under **Review links** check the Airbnb and Booking.com links and add a **Google (all properties)** link — or a **Google review link** per property in the Guide editor.
6. Set **Ask for a public review from** — 4 stars by default — and the **Thank-you text shown with the review links**.
7. Click **Send test to me** to receive a real message filled with one of your bookings, then **Save**.

## How the review request works

The review message links to a page in the guest's stay guide where the guest taps 1–5 stars and can add a comment.

- **At or above your threshold** — the guest sees your thank-you text and the review link for the channel they booked on (Airbnb, Booking.com) or Google for direct bookings.
- **Below your threshold** — no review link. The rating and comment are sent to you by email and as a [phone notification](/docs/host-app-notifications), so you can respond before the guest writes a public review.

Every rating is stored on the booking, shown as the average rating in [Statistics](/docs/statistics) and sent as the `feedback.received` [webhook](/docs/webhooks).

## Safe to switch on

- Each step is sent **once per booking**.
- A step is only sent within 12 hours of its moment — turning the timeline on never messages guests of past stays.
- Cancelled bookings receive nothing; the before-arrival message is skipped when the check-in and payments are complete.

## Frequently asked questions

### Does Guestbud write reviews for guests?

No. Guests write their review themselves on the platform. Guestbud only asks at the right moment and shows the right link.

### Can I send the messages only by email?

Yes — set the channel of each step to **Email**.

### Where do I see what was sent?

In the booking drawer under **Messages**, and in the activity log.