What questions should you ask?
Break the experience into specific categories, instead of asking only for an overall rating – this way you know exactly what works and what does not.
How many questions are enough?
A short form with a few categories and one free comment field collects more responses than a long survey that guests skip.
Categories for a hotel
Cleanliness, room comfort, staff, breakfast and overall atmosphere are a good starting point.
Categories for a restaurant
Food, service, atmosphere and value for money cover the most important aspects of the visit.
Categories for a guest house
Cleanliness, communication with the host, accuracy of the description and location are usually the most telling.
When should you ask for feedback?
Ideally at the end of the stay or visit, while the experience is fresh, but without getting in the way of the experience itself.
What is review gating?
A practice in which only satisfied guests are directed to a public review, while dissatisfied ones are directed to a private channel. It distorts public reputation and does not show the real picture.
How to use negative feedback?
It is an operational signal – it shows a specific problem that can be corrected, not just a number to ignore.
Public reviews vs private feedback
The two channels have different roles – public reviews build reputation outwards, while structured feedback gives the team detailed information on what exactly to improve.