We’ve all had that guest
The one who doesn’t read a single thing you’ve sent, then messages you day and night:
“What’s the WiFi password?”
“How do I turn on the oven?”
“Where’s the remote?”
“How do I check out?”
You spend the whole stay answering questions your guidebook already covered. Then review time comes around, you bite your tongue and leave them a glowing 5 stars, hoping they’ll do the same for you.
And they leave you 3 stars.
Now you’re wishing you’d been a bit more honest, if only for the sake of the next host who takes them in.
Ask them first, on the TV
That’s exactly what we’ve built into BetterSTR TV. A few hours before checkout (you pick when, 2 hours before is a good start), the TV puts up a simple question: how has your stay been? The guest picks 1 to 5 stars with the remote. That’s it.
Hi Sarah, thanks for staying at Beach House
How has your stay been?
Use the arrows on your remote, then press OK
The rating pops up over whatever’s on screen, with the guest’s name and your property.
If the TV is in standby, it can turn itself on to show the question. You can also keep it on screen until the guest presses a button, so the screensaver doesn’t swallow it. And if they ignore it, it pops back up once more about 2 hours before checkout.
You hear about it straight away
The moment the guest picks a rating, you get an email with the stars, the property and a link to the reservation. No waiting two weeks for Airbnb to publish their review. You know how they felt while they’re still in the house, and well before you sit down to review them.
Then the TV sends them the right way
Happy guests
4 or 5 stars (you choose the cut-off) and the TV thanks them and shows a QR code to your public review page: Google, Tripadvisor, Trustpilot or any review link you like.
Less than happy
Anything lower and they’re asked to confirm, then shown a QR code to a private feedback form. What went wrong comes to you, by email and on the reservation, so you can fix it.
You set the review link once per property, or per message if you want a different one. You also see on the reservation whether a happy guest actually opened the review link.
Completely automated
Set it up once and it runs for every stay. No chasing guests for reviews. No awkward conversations at the door. Just honest feedback, delivered before they’ve even packed the car. Roll it out to all your properties, a tag, or just a few TVs.
Reviews should work both ways
Of course, a guest can still leave a different rating on Airbnb. But at least you’ve had an early read on how they really felt about their stay.
And maybe next time, instead of automatically giving that demanding guest 5 stars, you leave a fair, honest review based on what hosting them was actually like. Other hosts deserve honest feedback too.
Setting it up
- Open Android TV in your dashboard and go to Automated messages.
- Add a new message, choose Star-rating review request and set when to send it, for example 2 hours before check-out.
- Pick your “happy” cut-off (3+, 4+ or 5) and check your review link.
- Turn on Pop up over whatever’s on screen and, if you like, Turn the TV on to show it, then choose which properties get it.
The full walkthrough, with a short video, is in the reviews and feedback help article.