Getting More (and Better) Reviews for Your Family Resort
Practical ways for family resorts to earn more guest reviews, respond with care, and turn reviews into direct bookings.
◀ Go BackThink about the last time you tried a new restaurant or hired a contractor. Chances are you read a few reviews first. Your future guests do the same thing, and for a family deciding where to spend their one week of summer vacation, reviews carry a lot of weight.
Many family resorts in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan have a quiet problem: years of happy guests, and only a handful of reviews to show for it. The families who love you most can be the least likely to write a review, because they have been coming for twenty years and assume everyone already knows how great your place is. Meanwhile, a newer resort across the lake with a steady stream of fresh reviews looks like the safer choice to a family who has never heard of either. This guide covers how to earn more reviews, respond to them well, avoid the mistakes that can get you in trouble, and put reviews to work for your direct bookings.
Why Reviews Matter So Much for a Family Resort
For a family that has never been to your lake, reviews answer the questions your website cannot answer on its own:
- Is it really as nice as the photos?
- Are the owners friendly and easy to work with?
- Is it a good place for kids?
- Is the fishing any good?
- Will we want to come back?
Reviews from other families answer those questions with a credibility you cannot match yourself. And it is not just the star rating. Many guests read the actual words and notice how recent the reviews are. A resort with a perfect rating from a few reviews written years ago can look less trustworthy than one with a slightly lower rating and dozens of recent, detailed reviews.
Reviews can also help people find you in the first place. When someone searches for resorts near your lake or town, Google often shows a map of nearby businesses with their star ratings. A complete, well-reviewed Google Business Profile gives you a better chance of standing out there.
Start With Your Google Business Profile
If you are not sure where to start, Google is a practical first choice for many resorts. Reviews there appear right next to your resort’s name, map location, and phone number when people look you up. Check your own website analytics and ask new guests how they found you to see which platforms matter most for your resort.
Make sure your profile is in good shape before you start asking for reviews:
- Claim and verify it, if you have not already.
- Use your correct name, address, and phone number, matching what is on your website.
- Set your hours and seasons so guests know when you are open.
- Add a link to your website and booking page.
- Upload current photos of your cabins, lake, and grounds, and keep adding them each season.
- Write a clear description of what makes your resort special.
Once your profile is set up, you can get a short link that takes guests straight to the review form. That link is the key to everything that follows.
Ask Every Guest, at the Right Moment
A common reason resorts do not have more reviews is simply that they do not ask. Many happy guests are willing to write one. They just need a reminder and an easy way to do it.
Ask everyone. Make the request to every guest, not just the ones you think had a great time. Google’s review policies tell businesses not to selectively solicit positive reviews, a practice sometimes called review gating, and asking everyone also gets you more honest feedback.
Time it well. Good moments to ask include:
- At checkout, in person, when they are thanking you for a great week
- The day after they get home, in a short email while the trip is still fresh
- About a week later, with one gentle reminder for anyone who has not left one yet
Keep it personal. “We loved having your family with us this week. If you have a minute, a quick review on Google helps other families find us” goes a long way. A personal note from the owner beats a generic template.
Make it easy. Include your direct review link in every follow-up email. Put a small card with a QR code in each cabin and at the front desk. The fewer steps between “sure, I’ll leave one” and actually writing it, the more reviews you will get.
What Not to Do
A few well-meaning shortcuts can backfire. Two different sets of rules apply here: each review platform’s own policies, and federal consumer protection law. Both change over time, so check the current versions before you set up your process. This is general information, not legal advice.
Platform policies. Each site sets its own rules for reviews it hosts. As of this writing, Google’s review policies say businesses should not:
- Offer incentives, such as payment, discounts, or free goods or services, in exchange for reviews
- Discourage negative reviews or selectively ask for positive ones
Airbnb, VRBO, and other booking sites have their own rules about reviews and about contacting guests who booked through them. For guests who found you there, follow that platform’s rules rather than steering them elsewhere.
Federal rules. The Federal Trade Commission’s rule on consumer reviews and testimonials targets deceptive practices. Among other things, it prohibits:
- Writing, buying, or selling fake reviews
- Offering incentives that are conditioned on a review being positive
- Reviews from owners, staff, or relatives without clearly disclosing that relationship
- Suppressing reviews through threats or intimidation
The safest approach is simple: ask every guest for an honest review, offer nothing in return, and never write or buy reviews.
Responding to Reviews
Responding to reviews shows future guests that a real, attentive person runs your resort. It is also a good way to show what kind of host you are.
Respond to every review you can, positive and negative. It does not have to be long.
For positive reviews, thank them by name and mention something specific: “Thanks, Sarah! We’re so glad the kids caught their first walleye off the dock. See you next July.” A specific reply reads as genuine, and it reminds future guests of the experiences waiting for them.
For negative reviews, take a breath before you respond. Then:
- Thank them for the feedback
- Acknowledge their experience without arguing
- Explain briefly what you are doing about it, if anything
- Invite them to contact you directly to talk it through
Keep it short, calm, and professional. Remember that you are writing not only for the unhappy guest but for future guests who will read your response. A gracious reply gives them context and shows how you handle problems when they come up.
When the Complaint Is About “Rustic”
Many family resorts have cabins that have been in use for decades. For many guests, that is the charm. For others, it can be a surprise.
If you see reviews that mention dated cabins, thin walls, or older bathrooms, the fix often starts before the stay:
- Set expectations on your website. Describe your cabins honestly. “Classic lake cabins with knotty pine walls and simple, comfortable furnishings” sets a very different expectation than “luxury lake retreat.”
- Use current, honest photos that show the cabins as they really are.
- Highlight what makes them special, like the screened porches, the lake views, and the steps to the water.
- Respond graciously, acknowledging that your cabins are traditional and sharing any updates you have made.
Our guide on how your resort website works as your front door covers how to present your cabins honestly and attractively.
Put Reviews to Work on Your Own Website
Reviews on Google help people find you. Reviews on your own website help them book.
- Feature a few favorites on your homepage and booking pages.
- Use specific quotes that speak to what families care about: the fishing, the kids’ activities, the friendly owners, the clean cabins.
- Keep them fresh. Rotate in recent reviews each season.
- Link to your Google profile so visitors can read more.
When a family is on your site deciding whether to book, a few warm words from another family can tip the balance. For more on building trust that leads to direct bookings, see our guide on how fishing resorts win more direct bookings.
Learn From What Guests Tell You
Reviews are not just marketing. They are free advice from the people who know your resort best.
At the end of each season, read through your reviews and look for patterns. If several guests mention the same uncomfortable mattress, the same confusing directions, or the same slow Wi-Fi, that is a clear signal. Just as useful: the things guests praise over and over are what you should be highlighting in your marketing.
Fix what you can, highlight what works, and let guests know when you have made an improvement they asked for. “We heard you, and the mattresses in Cabins 3 and 5 are new this year” is a great line for your website and your next email.
Build Reviews Into Your Routine
Having lots of reviews depends less on luck than on habit: asking consistently, making it easy, and responding when guests take the time to write. Build it into your checkout routine and your follow-up emails.
CabinKey keeps every guest’s contact information in their guest profile, so you have an accurate list of who stayed and how to reach them when you send your own review requests. Guests who find you through reviews can then book their week directly on your site with online booking. See how CabinKey works.