The problem
Public reviews shape bookings, and thoughtful replies to each take time you don't have between changeovers. If 10 guests a month leave reviews and each reply takes 10 minutes, that's 100 minutes, about 1.7 hours a month.
What the AI does
Paste the text of a review without the guest's name into ChatGPT, Claude or Gemini, add two or three true facts about the stay, and ask for a short, warm reply in your voice. For a complaint, ask the assistant to acknowledge the problem and say what you're doing, without arguing or blaming the guest. You edit the reply, check it contains no personal details, and post it yourself on the booking site. Check the site's rules on replies before posting.
A worked example
An owner in the Lake District has 3 cottages and about 10 reviews a month across two booking sites. She drafts replies in one sitting each week.
Before
10 minutes to write each of 10 replies: 100 minutes, about 1.7 hours a month
After
About 4 minutes to draft, edit and post each: 40 minutes, about 0.7 hours a month
What it's worth
About 1 hour a month saved (6 minutes x 10 replies = 60 minutes), worth around £20 if your time is worth £20 an hour. The free plans are enough at this volume, so a paid plan isn't needed.
How to set it up
- Collect the week's reviews and strip out the guest's name and any detail that identifies them.
- Give the assistant the review plus two or three true facts about the stay, and ask for a short, warm reply in your voice.
- For complaints, state what you've done or will do, and check it is true and doable.
- Edit each reply so it sounds like you and doesn't repeat the same phrases.
- Check the booking site's rules on replies, then post each reply yourself.
What goes wrong
- Don't reveal a guest's name, party or stay details in a public reply.
- An assistant can promise things you haven't agreed, such as a refund. Remove anything you can't deliver.
- Identical wording across replies looks automated. Add one specific detail to each.
- Don't claim platform features or rules from memory; check each booking site's own guidance.