How does Booking.com calculate the review score?

Understanding how your review score is calculated can help you see why your overall rating may differ from individual guest comments. Here's a breakdown of Booking.com's review scoring system.

The Review Process on Booking.com

1. Review Invitation

After guests check out, Booking.com automatically sends them an email inviting them to review their stay. Guests have 90 days from their checkout date to submit a review.

2. Overall Score Calculation

Guests rate their overall experience on a scale of 1 to 10. This overall score is the only mandatory question required to submit a review.

Key point: Your overall Guest Review Score is calculated using a weighted formula based on scores submitted over the last 3 years. More recent reviews have a greater impact on your total score than older reviews.

3. Optional Subcategory Ratings

In addition to the overall score, guests can optionally rate specific aspects of their stay:

• Cleanliness
• Comfort
• Value for money
• Facilities
• Location
• Staff

These subcategory ratings provide valuable feedback but do not affect your overall score. They are completely independent of each other.

Why Your Overall Score May Not Match Subcategory Ratings

The overall score is neither an average nor a sum of the subcategories. Your guests' overall score reflects their personal, holistic impression of their entire stay—not just the specific categories listed.

Guests may factor in important aspects that aren't covered by Booking.com's subcategories, such as general design, family-friendliness, or other personal preferences. This is why a guest might leave positive comments but give a slightly lower overall score—they're rating different elements of their experience.

Summary

Your review score is determined by the overall scores guests submit, weighted toward more recent reviews over the past 3 years. Subcategory ratings provide helpful insights but don't influence your overall score. Understanding this difference helps you interpret feedback more effectively and identify areas for improvement.