Why reviews matter
Reviews help future guests understand what it is like to visit your Place and provide an Experience there.
Positive reviews can build trust, improve confidence in your listing and help guests decide whether your Place is suitable for them.
Clear descriptions and good hosting create realistic guest expectations, which makes positive reviews more likely.
Who can leave a review?
Reviews should only be left by guests who have completed a genuine booking through Hidden Places.
This helps ensure that reviews reflect real visits rather than general enquiries or unconfirmed booking requests.
What guests may review
Guests may consider several parts of their experience, including:
- Whether the Place matched its description and photographs.
- Cleanliness and general condition.
- Access, parking and arrival instructions.
- The facilities available.
- Communication before and during the visit.
- Privacy, atmosphere and overall enjoyment.
- Whether the Experience represented good value.
How to encourage positive reviews
The best way to receive strong reviews is to provide an accurate listing and a reliable guest experience.
- Keep descriptions and photographs up to date.
- Respond promptly to guest questions.
- Provide clear arrival and access instructions.
- Prepare the Place before the guest arrives.
- Make sure advertised facilities are available.
- Explain any important restrictions in advance.
- Resolve problems calmly and professionally.
Can I ask a guest for a review?
You may politely remind a guest that they can leave a review after their visit.
Do not pressure guests, offer rewards in exchange for positive feedback or attempt to influence what they write.
Thank you for visiting. We hope you enjoyed your time at the woodland. You are welcome to leave a review through Hidden Places when convenient.
Responding to reviews
Where review responses are available, keep your reply polite, brief and professional.
Thank guests for positive feedback. When responding to criticism, acknowledge the concern and explain any relevant action you have taken without becoming argumentative.
Handling a negative review
A negative review can be disappointing, but it may also identify something that can be improved.
Read the review carefully and consider whether changes are needed to your listing, facilities or hosting process.
- Do not respond while angry.
- Avoid personal remarks about the guest.
- Do not share private booking information publicly.
- Correct factual misunderstandings calmly.
- Explain improvements you have made where appropriate.
Can a review be removed?
Hidden Places should not remove a review simply because it is negative or because the host disagrees with it.
A review may be investigated where it appears to contain prohibited content, personal information, threats, discrimination, spam or content unrelated to the booking.
Contact Hidden Places support if you believe a review breaches the platform rules.
Keep improving your listing
Review feedback can help identify recurring questions or unclear information.
If several guests mention access, parking, muddy paths or missing instructions, update the relevant description or photographs so future guests know what to expect.