Guest reviews are critical in the vacation rental business

I am stating this as a personal opinion but I really do believe that reviews and testimonials are the most important details you can provide about your vacation rental (besides the basic information on where, what, how big and how much). If you are anything like me, after finding a list of accommodation choices, gear choices or recipe choices, I go through the reviews and find out what others think about this. So whether I am reading about the actual experience of someone using the “luxury kitchen” in a vacation rental, the “sleeping bag that keeps you warm to -10C” or the “easiest-ever apple pie”, I find that the most authentic validation comes from people who have tried it out.

I understand that some skeptics question the truthfulness and true origin of (positive) reviews. However, I believe that website technology has advanced enough to ensure that these reports are from genuine customers.

What is your approach to testimonials and reviews? How important are they in your purchase decisions?

This article gives a great overview on how to consolidate and encourage reviews of your vacation rentals.