How to remove a review on Airbnb: what qualifies and how to ask

Hosts cannot delete a guest's review themselves; you can ask Airbnb to remove it, and Airbnb decides — no one can guarantee removal. As of Oct 2026, Airbnb's Reviews Policy allows removal only in limited circumstances, such as irrelevant, fake, coerced, competitor or retaliatory reviews, or content that breaks its Content Policy. A low star rating on its own is not grounds.

By David Ho, founder, Silicon Valley by Belle · Published Oct 6, 2026 · Updated Oct 6, 2026

Policy statements below summarize Airbnb's own Help Center pages, linked inline, as of Oct 2026. Airbnb updates its policies; the linked pages are the authority, not this guide.

Can you remove a review on Airbnb?

Not directly. Airbnb says it doesn't moderate reviews before they're published. After publication, the host can ask Airbnb to review it for removal if they believe it breaks the Reviews Policy. That page states that reviews "may only be removed from our platform in limited circumstances," and that a review which does not violate the policy will remain published.

Which Airbnb reviews may be removed?

Source: Airbnb Reviews Policy and Content Policy, as of Oct 2026.

What does not qualify for removal

• A low rating. The Reviews Policy says a review won't be removed solely due to disagreement or dissatisfaction with the star rating.
• Subjective opinions. Airbnb notes that many reviews contain subjective opinions about the stay, such as a kitchen being small, and these are not a violation by themselves.
• Things outside your control. A review mentioning factors outside a host's control "doesn't necessarily violate" the policy.

If the review is simply unfair but honest, your tool is a calm public response, not a removal request.

Retaliatory reviews on Airbnb

Airbnb's definition is narrow. Per the Reviews Policy, a review is considered retaliatory only if the reviewer committed a policy violation, was notified of that violation, and then left a biased review because their violation was reported. The same page adds that a review discussing a Resolution Center or AirCover claim "isn't automatically considered retaliatory."

Airbnb's Resource Center (How to handle a retaliatory review) lists the kinds of serious violations involved — such as damage, overstaying, breaking house rules, or an unauthorized party — and gives an example: a guest smokes in the home against the house rules, the host finds cigarette butts and submits a reimbursement request for deep cleaning, and the guest refuses to pay and leaves an angry review. The host can dispute that review, and Airbnb investigates whether it qualifies for removal. That article also says plainly: "Requesting removal of a review doesn't guarantee it'll be removed." Practically, the timeline matters: you need to show that you reported the violation, the guest knew, and the review followed.

When a guest threatens a bad review

The Reviews Policy says hosts and guests may not threaten a negative review to obtain unwarranted compensation, a refund or another incentive, and reviews may not be provided or withheld in exchange for something of value. If a guest writes "refund me or I'll leave one star," do not argue: keep the conversation in Airbnb messages, do not offer anything in exchange for the review, and save the message. That message is the core of a later removal request.

How to request removal of an Airbnb review, step by step

1. Read the review against the policy. Name the specific category above that it breaks. "It's unfair" is not a category.
2. Collect evidence. Screenshots of the Airbnb message thread with dates, your report of the guest's violation and when the guest was told, photos, and any reservation alteration or claim records. Keep communication inside Airbnb messages, so it is on the record.
3. Submit the request through the Help Center. Airbnb's Remove or dispute a review page explains the current steps: choose the review and a reason, add details, and upload supporting documents. It lists who can dispute (including the listing owner and a full-access co-host), says Airbnb will email its decision, usually within 48 hours, and that you can submit a removal request for the same review up to two times.
4. Keep it short and factual. Quote the policy line, give dates, attach evidence. Do not include the guest's private information.
5. Respond publicly either way. Removal requests can be declined, and future guests read responses.

Timing: the Airbnb review window

Per Airbnb (as of Oct 2026): reviews for stays can be written for 14 days from the day of checkout, and they are posted only after both parties have submitted, or once the 14-day period ends, whichever comes first (How reviews work). A removal request, according to the dispute page, can be made at any time; acting promptly still helps, because evidence is fresh.

How to respond publicly to a negative review

Airbnb lets you post a public response to a review about you, as long as it follows the Reviews Policy; its Help Center explains where to do this. A good response is written for the next guest, not the last one:

Acknowledge, explain what changed, stay brief. Never reveal the guest's personal details, and do not argue about the refund or claim in public.

Who this guide is for

Cohost99's guest support plan includes preparing and filing review-removal requests: documentation from the first message, grounds mapped to the policy, evidence attached. It is a documented process, not a promised outcome — Airbnb decides.

Disclosure: Cohost99 is our service; we describe alternatives fairly. Category price ranges are typical published rates, not quotes, and vary by market.