How To Remove Reviews From TripAdvisor (Updated 2025)

(ARTICLE UPDATED in February, 2025)

Editor's Note: Originally published in November 2019, this post has been completely updated and refurbished for comprehensiveness, accuracy, and relevance.

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Imagine losing your bookings due to negative reviews. Sounds extreme? Unfortunately, it’s a reality many hotels face on Tripadvisor and other platforms. Reviews truly are big drivers for bookings. They influence booking decisions and impact your hotel revenue (calculate the possible negative reviews impact for your property)  

Getting listed on Tripadvisor and gathering reviews can boost your business, but what happens when an unfair or fake review threatens your online reputation? This is simply unfair! Handling these situations effectively is crucial. 

This guide will help you navigate the process of removing misleading or inappropriate reviews while also sharing strategies to manage reviews proactively and strengthen your reputation.

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Understanding Tripadvisor's Influence

Tripadvisor is a major player in the travel industry, with over one billion reviews covering more than eight million travel-related businesses worldwide. With 400 million monthly users, it significantly impacts traveler decisions.

63% of consumers say they would lose trust in a business upon seeing predominantly negative reviews. Additionally, 42% of consumers would avoid a business for up to a year after reading a negative review.

While positive reviews can help your property climb TripAdvisor’s popularity rankings, negative ones—especially fake or misleading reviews—can be damaging. Understanding how to remove unfair reviews and manage online feedback effectively is key to protecting your brand.

So let’s explore what qualifies as an authentic review. There are some guidelines on what a guest review should be! 

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Tripadvisor Review Guidelines: What Every Review Must Meet - to Be Published by Guests

In addition to Tripadvisor’s general community guidelines, Tripadvisor has specific rules for posting reviews. Reviews appear on a property’s listing page and are linked to a bubble rating between 1 and 5. These ratings can affect the property's position in Tripadvisor's popularity rankings and its appearance on the platform.

• The Review Must Be First-Hand Experiences: Reviews should be honest accounts of a traveler's personal experience at or with a property listed on Tripadvisor. Since reviews impact a business's rating and ranking, they should provide relevant and helpful information for other travelers. 

Reviews must be based on first-hand experience, and each user must have their own account. One can’t post on behalf of others unless it's about someone in their traveling party. If someone hasn’t personally experienced the business, Tripadvisor won’t post their review.

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Exceptions for Serious Safety Incidents
In cases of serious safety incidents, exceptions are made. For example, a family member may write a review in the event of a death, or a parent/guardian may post on behalf of a minor involved in a serious safety incident.

• The Review Must Not Have a Second-Hand Information
  Reviews must reflect one’s own experience. TA removes reviews that quote third parties, media excerpts, or any information not directly experienced. Exceptions are made for information provided directly by a business staff member or one’s travel party.

• The Review Must Be Relevant to Travel Experiences
  Reviews should focus on one’s travel experience and not include political, ethical, or religious debates unless directly related. Comments on local customs or safety issues are acceptable when they are relevant to the experience.

• Review Length and Ratings
  Reviews should be detailed and helpful to other travelers. TA enforces character limits and minimum requirements depending on the type of business. Reviewer’s bubble rating should reflect their overall experience.

• The Review Must Not Have Irrelevant Content
  Reviews about business policies, media coverage, or unsuccessful attempts to contact the business will be removed. The focus should be on one’s actual experience.

• The Review Must Be Unique & Recent Experiences
  Reviews must be submitted within one year of experience. Duplicate reviews or reviews of the same experience on multiple listings will be combined.

• The Review Must Be Free From Bias & Attempts to Manipulate Rankings
  Reviews must be unbiased and from genuine travelers. Reviews from property affiliates, competitors, or those attempting to manipulate rankings will be penalized.
• Restrictions
  Properties cannot discourage negative reviews contractually. Coercion, review bombing, or attempts to manipulate ratings are strictly prohibited.

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When Can You Request To Remove A Tripadvisor Review: Tripadvisor Review Removal Request Reasons

"Does Tripadvisor remove reviews?" “Can I remove fake reviews on Tripadvisor” “Can I delete a review on Tripadvisor” are some of the common questions among hoteliers. 

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A quick answer is Yes, but only under specific circumstances! 

Reviews can not be simply deleted, or removed because one disagrees with the reviewer. 

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Here’re specific circumstances and scenarios where hoteliers can request the review to be removed: 

1. The review is posted for the wrong property: The review appears on a listing that doesn’t match the business the reviewer experienced.
2. The review language or content is deemed inappropriate or not family-friendly: The content may be deemed unsuitable or offensive for general audiences.
3. The review is written by an ex-employee or competitor and hence may be biased: Reviews from former staff or competitors can be biased and may be disputed.
4. The review is outdated, describing an experience more than a year ago: Outdated reviews may not reflect the current quality or service of the business.
5. The review text does not match the star rating given: for example, the review shows star rating of 1 star and content written says “we really loved the hospitality, and location, we will definitely return. Breakfast was quite good for the price. Amber at the check-in helped us figure out the nearby locations to visit” 
6. Proof that the reviewer never visited or used a service, removal may be justified.
7. There are multiple reviews for the same experience by one person 
8. The review contains commercial or promotional content rather than honest feedback
9. If the experience has been sufficiently covered, duplicate reviews may be redundant.
10. Personal disagreement is not typically enough, but if there is verifiable misinformation in the review posted, it can be challenged.
11. The review contains private/personal information or sensitive details that may be subject to removal
12. The review content violates laws or promotes illegal activities:content that violates laws or promotes illegal activities is not permitted.

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Note: If your case falls outside these guidelines, you may still be able to challenge the review with strong supporting evidence.

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Now that you have understood the guidelines as well as specific circumstances, let’s look at specific steps on how to request review removal!

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How to Request a Tripadvisor Review Removal (specific steps) 

1. Log in to Your Tripadvisor’s Management Center, and Select your property.
2. Navigate to ‘Reviews’ , Select the Specific Review, then Click on ‘Report a Review’

3. Carefully choose the reason for removal under, Refer to the points laid about above in this guide. 
4. Provide supporting/relevant details to support your argument. 
5. Submit your request and wait for Tripadvisor’s response via your email that is connected to your Tripadvisor account.

How long does it take? Tripadvisor typically reviews removal requests within several days but may take longer for complex cases. In some cases Tripadvisor may ask you for more evidence in the email. 

What if you wish to remove ALL past reviews? This is possible if there has been a major renovation and/or change of ownership!

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Past Reviews/Bulk Review Removal: Major Renovation or Change of Ownership

Tripadvisor also allows a business to remove all past reviews if the implemented new changes are sufficiently indicated. Some of these changes include a complete overhaul of the lobby, structural changes, or having a new ownership, etc.

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According to Tripadvisor, these structural changes must be clearly indicated. You can provide the following documents to support your claim:

• An online press release with the publication’s letterhead documenting the renovation
• Letter from city officials or Tourist Board verifying the scope of renovation and duration of the closure
• Building Permit from the local city/government verifying the renovation project.
• Proof of change of ownership

Note: Aesthetic changes like new carpet, paint, or sign do not qualify as major renovation and so will not be taken into account if the review removal request is made solely on this basis.

IMPORTANT: Upon approval of your request, Tripadvisor will remove all reviews and photos from before your renovation completion date

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How to Report Major Renovation/Change of Ownership in Tripadvisor?

1. Go to the Tripadvisor Owner Support Form, here’s the direct link.
2. Select Update business information in the Please specify what the issue is.
3. Choose Report major renovation/Ownership change  in the “What do you want to do?” field.
4. Attach official documentation proving the renovation, such as a press release or building permits.
5. Enter the Date of completed renovation.
6. Click Submit

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How to Respond to Unfair Reviews

Not all reviews can be removed, but your genuine review responses can shape public perception with your own authentic brand voice. 

Here’re some useful tips:

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📝 Stay Professional:

• Example: “We appreciate all guest feedback and regret that your experience did not meet expectations...”

🔍 Clarify Misinformation Without Arguing:

• Example: “We’d like to clarify our property has never had such issues. There appears to be a misunderstanding. We’re always committed to helping our guests. Please reach out to me at josh@hoteldomainname.com..”

⏱️ Respond Promptly:

• General OTA guideline is every review should be responded to at least within 48 hours or less. We recommend doing it asap. 
• Example: "I wanted to personally thank you for your feedback. It caught my attention right away, and I've already spoken with our team about making some immediate changes."

🔄 Show How You're Improving:

• Example: "Your comment about the shower pressure was spot-on. I’ve let our maintenance team know about this and they will be looking into this right away..”

💯 Highlight Your Standards:

• Example: "Reading about your breakfast experience made me wince—that's definitely not how we usually do things. Most mornings our chef Maria is known for those amazing omelets that guests rave about."

🤝 Take Ownership:

• Example: "You're absolutely right about the mix-up with your reservation. That one's on us, and I've personally reviewed our booking process to make sure it doesn't happen again."

👥 Reference Your Team:

• Example: "We do have through upkeep protocol, so it is strange this happened during your stay. I shared your note with our entire housekeeping team during our morning huddle to make sure this does not happen…”

📊 Mention Genuine Positive Track Record: 

• Example: "I was genuinely surprised to read about your experience—since we typically see families extending their stays because they love it here so much…"

🔁 Invite a Return Visit:

• Example: "If you're ever back in town, I'd love to show you the real experience we pride ourselves on. Just drop me a line directly, and I'll make sure your stay is memorable for all the right reasons."

A professional response shows potential guests that you care about customer experience and are proactive in addressing concerns.

With a reputation platform like GuestTouch, you can create your authentic voice and manage all reviews seamlessly with your brand voice, or you can get a dedicated team who works with you closely in managing every single review in a timely manner!

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Managing Reviews Effectively to Avoid the Hassle of Removal

To minimize negative reviews and protect your reputation, here are a few strategies that you can implement holistically: 

📌 Centralized Review Monitoring: Use modern reputation management tools to track reviews across platforms (Tripadvisor, Google, Expedia, Booking.com Airbnb, etc.). 

⏰ Timely Alerts: Receive notifications for new reviews to respond promptly. 

🤖 Streamline Review Responses: Use your own brand voice to respond to guest reviews online

📊 Sentiment Analysis: Identify key guest satisfaction trends to improve service proactively. 

🌟 Encourage Positive Reviews: Collect more reviews seamlessly from happy guests to boost your overall rating. 

⚠️Review Removal Assistance: If a review violates the platform's guidelines, reputation management tools will help you flag and request review removal more efficiently.

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Key Takeaways 

Removing a review from Tripadvisor can be challenging, but with the right approach and patience, it is possible to manage your online reputation effectively. The key isn’t just removal—it’s proactive reputation management.

Investing in a reputation management strategy and focusing on guest engagement will help minimize the impact of negative reviews and strengthen your online presence in the long run.

🚀 Your best defense against unfair reviews? A stellar guest experience that generates more positive reviews and prevents possible poor reviews with proactive internal feedback. 

Remember that Tripadvisor's algorithm considers recency, quantity, and quality of reviews, so a consistent stream of positive reviews will gradually improve your property's ranking and overall rating.

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Tools & Resources to Get Started:

1. How To Dispute Hotel Reviews On Major Review Sites: A simple, easy to follow- guidelines for disputing reviews on all major OTAs and Google
2. Hotel Reviews & Reputation Impact Calculator: Calculate & visualize how reviews can impact your hotel’s revenue 
3. Star Rating Calculator: Calculate how many reviews you need to reach your desired rating
4. ‍GuestTouch Platform - Start your free trial at https://www.guesttouch.com/demo

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Frequently Asked Questions

1. Can anyone leave a review on Tripadvisor?

Yes, Tripadvisor uses unverified reviews, so anyone can leave reviews on the platform. Unlike OTAs such as Booking.com or Expedia where reviewers must have booked through their platform, Tripadvisor's system allows anyone to post a review. However, Tripadvisor's content policy states that only first-hand experiences should be shared as reviews. The platform has systems in place to identify potentially fraudulent reviews, but the open nature of the platform means businesses must be more vigilant in monitoring their Tripadvisor presence.

2. Can hotel owners delete Tripadvisor reviews they don't like?

No, hotel owners cannot directly delete Tripadvisor reviews they don't like. Tripadvisor maintains this policy to ensure the integrity of their review platform. However, if a review violates Tripadvisor's guidelines (such as containing inappropriate content, being posted for the wrong property, or written by a competitor), you can report it through the Management Center for potential removal. Tripadvisor's content team will review your request and make the final decision.

3. Can GUESTS delete their reviews?

Yes, guests can delete their original review and post a new one. This is particularly useful when a property has resolved issues mentioned in a negative review, and the guest wishes to update their feedback.

4. Can I get reviews removed if I've completed a renovation?

Yes, Tripadvisor allows for the removal of reviews following a major renovation. The renovation must be substantial enough to significantly change the guest experience. Aesthetic changes like new paint or carpeting don't qualify, but structural changes to rooms, lobby renovations, or complete property overhauls do. You'll need to provide documentation such as building permits, press releases, or official letters from tourism boards verifying the scope and completion of the renovation. Upon approval, Tripadvisor will remove all reviews posted before the renovation completion date.

5. Can I get reviews removed if there is an ownership change?

Yes, a change in ownership is grounds for removing previous reviews on Tripadvisor. When new management takes over a property, they can request that all reviews from the previous ownership period be removed. This requires providing documentation proving the change of ownership, such as business registration documents or an official announcement. Once verified, Tripadvisor will remove all reviews that were posted before the ownership change took effect.

6. Can I remove all or do bulk reviews removal from Tripadvisor?

Bulk removal of reviews is only possible in specific circumstances, primarily major renovations or ownership changes as mentioned above. Tripadvisor will not remove all reviews simply because a property wants a fresh start or is unhappy with their current ratings. The platform maintains this policy to preserve the integrity of their review system. When approved, bulk removals will clear all reviews from before the renovation completion or ownership change date.

7. How can I encourage more positive reviews to outweigh negative ones?

The most effective strategy for generating positive reviews is to provide exceptional guest experiences, but you can also:

• Implement a systematic approach to review collection by sending follow-up emails/SMS/WhatsApp to guests shortly after their stay
• Train staff to politely ask about their stay at checkout as well during the stay. 
• Use reputation management tools like GuestTouch to automate the review collection process
• Address operational issues identified in negative reviews to prevent similar feedback. 
• Create memorable moments during guest stays that they'll want to share online
• Respond professionally to all reviews, which shows potential guests that you value feedback
• Consider using in-room materials or digital guidebook that subtly remind happy guests about the importance of sharing their experiences

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