Airbnb's Official Review Removal Policy: A 2025 Host's Guide

As an Airbnb host, your reviews are the lifeblood of your business. A stream of positive feedback builds trust and boosts bookings, while a single, damaging review can feel like a direct threat to your livelihood. When you receive a review that seems unfair, it's easy to feel powerless. However, Airbnb has a detailed Review Policy that provides a framework for removing reviews that cross the line.

The mistake many hosts make is reporting reviews based on emotion. They'll tell Airbnb a review is "unfair," "a lie," or "ruining my business." Unfortunately, these complaints rarely work because they don't address the only thing that matters: did the review violate a specific policy?

This guide provides a clear, actionable breakdown of Airbnb's Review Policy for 2025. We'll explore the types of content that are not allowed, explain the nuances of the rules, and give you the language you need to build a successful removal request. For specific situations, you might want to check out our examples of unfair reviews you can get removed.

The Core Principle: Reviews Are for Authentic Experiences

Before diving into violations, it's important to understand Airbnb's philosophy. The review system is designed to let guests share the genuine, subjective experience of their stay. This means Airbnb will not remove a review just because it's negative or you disagree with the guest's opinion.

A guest stating, "The decor was tacky and the bed was uncomfortable," is providing their subjective opinion. A guest stating, "The host is a criminal and here is their home address," is committing a policy violation. Learning to spot the difference is the first step.

Grounds for Removal: Key Policy Violations

Here are the primary categories of content that can lead to a review being removed. For a full, detailed explanation, hosts should always refer to Airbnb's official Review Policy.

Violation Category	Example	Why It's Removable
Content Policy Violation	"The host is a criminal. Don't trust them." (Harassment)	Contains personal attacks, threats, or hate speech.
Privacy Violation	"The host's private phone number is 555-123-4567." (Doxing)	Shares personally identifiable information without consent.
Irrelevant Content	"The apartment was fine, but the weather was terrible all week."	The feedback is not about the hosting or property.
Bias or Fraud	"If you refund my stay, I'll change my 1-star review to a 5-star." (Extortion)	The review is not impartial and is used to manipulate the host.
Canceled Reservation	"This host was greedy and wouldn't refund my canceled trip." (No-Show)	The guest never completed the stay and is therefore ineligible to leave a review.
Party Violation	A guest who was evicted for an unauthorized party leaves a retaliatory review.	The review is a direct result of the host enforcing house rules against a major violation.

1. Reviews That Violate Airbnb's Content Policy

This is the broadest and most important category. It's designed to prevent harmful, abusive, or irrelevant content.

• Hate Speech and Discrimination: Any content that promotes violence, incites hatred, or discriminates against individuals based on race, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, disability, or other protected groups is strictly forbidden.
• Harassment and Threats: This includes personal attacks, bullying, threats of physical harm, or any language intended to intimidate the host.
• Doxing and Privacy Breaches: A guest cannot share your private information. This includes your full name (if not on your profile), home address, phone number, or other personally identifiable details.
• Irrelevance: The review must be about the stay. Content that complains about the weather, local transportation, or the host's political views is considered irrelevant and can be removed.

2. Reviews That Are Biased or Fraudulent

Airbnb's system relies on impartiality. If a review's integrity is compromised, it may be removed.

• Extortion: A guest cannot threaten a bad review to get a refund, a discount, or other benefits. This is a serious violation. If a guest messages you with a threat, save a screenshot immediately.
• Competitor Reviews: A competing host or listing cannot post a negative review to sabotage your business. This can be hard to prove but is a clear violation if you have evidence.
• "No Show" or Canceled Reservations: A guest who never checked in or who canceled their reservation is not eligible to leave a review. If a review appears from a canceled stay, it's almost always removed.

3. Reviews That Are Part of a "Party of Stay" Violation

In 2025, Airbnb is cracking down on unauthorized parties. If a guest is removed from your property for throwing a party that violates house rules and you have documented proof (messages, photos, a resolution center claim), any retaliatory negative review they leave may be eligible for removal. This is a newer, evolving part of the policy but is a powerful tool for hosts who have had their property disrespected.

How to Request a Review Removal: A Step-by-Step Process

Knowing the rules is half the battle. The other half is presenting your case effectively. For a detailed walkthrough, check out our step-by-step guide to removing an Airbnb guest review.

1. Act Quickly, But Don't Panic: Report the review as soon as possible, but first, take the time to identify the specific policy violation.
2. Gather Undeniable Evidence: Screenshots are your best friend. Document the review itself, any relevant messages from the guest (especially in cases of extortion), and any other proof you have.
3. Report Through the Official Channel: Go to your hosting dashboard, find the review, and click "Report." Do not try to solve it by calling the general support line initially.
4. Be Specific and Professional: In your report, be calm and factual. State the facts, cite the policy, and attach your evidence.
   • Weak: "This guest is lying and trying to ruin my business! This is so unfair!"
   • Strong: "This review violates the Content Policy against harassment. The guest uses threatening language in the second paragraph ('watch your back'). I have attached a screenshot of the review for your reference."

FAQ: Understanding the 2025 Policy Nuances

1. What if a guest's review contains a mix of opinion and a policy violation?

Airbnb may choose to remove only the violating portion of the review. For example, if a guest complains about the cleanliness (opinion) but also includes your personal phone number (violation), Airbnb might delete the phone number but leave the rest of the review.

2. A guest left a 1-star review with no text. Can I get it removed?

This is frustrating, but unfortunately, a rating without text is not a policy violation. It's considered the guest's subjective opinion of their stay and is not removable unless you can prove it's fraudulent (e.g., from a competitor).

3. Will Airbnb consider my side of the story if a review is just factually incorrect?

Generally, no. Airbnb does not mediate disputes of fact. If a guest says, "the Wi-Fi was slow," and you claim it was fast, Airbnb will not take sides. The only exception is if you have indisputable proof that a claim is false, such as a screenshot of a speed test from the time of the guest's stay.

4. How have the policies changed for 2025?

Airbnb is increasingly using AI to proactively flag and remove reviews that contain obvious violations like hate speech or private information. They are also taking a harder stance on retaliatory reviews connected to host-enforced house rules, especially regarding parties.

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The Bottom Line: Protect Your Business by Knowing the Rules

Navigating Airbnb's review policy requires a strategic, evidence-based approach. While you can't remove every review you dislike, you have more power than you think when a guest clearly crosses a line. By understanding the specific violations, gathering the right proof, and presenting your case professionally, you can protect your listing from the most damaging and illegitimate reviews.