Fake Booking.com Reviews: A 4-Step Guide to Removal

A single negative review can lower your average score by 0.1 to 0.2 points on platforms like Booking.com, directly impacting your visibility and booking volume. For an apartment in Split or Rovinj during peak season, a drop from a 9.8 to a 9.6 rating can mean up to 15% fewer inquiries. The problem escalates when a review is false, malicious, or part of a blackmail attempt—a scenario that, according to an analysis of the BookiApp database, nearly 20% of hosts in Dalmatia have experienced.

Fighting fake reviews isn't just a matter of ego; it's a key part of revenue management. While the process may seem complicated, Booking.com has defined procedures that, with the right approach and valid evidence, allow for the effective removal of disputed content. Understanding these procedures is fundamental to protecting your online reputation and ensuring stable business, especially in highly competitive markets like Hvar or Dubrovnik, where a rating often decides a booking worth over 2,000 EUR.

— 01What Does Booking.com Consider a Fake Review?

Booking.com will only consider removing a review if it violates the platform's specific guidelines. This includes situations where the guest did not stay at the property, the review contains blackmail or illegal content, or it was clearly left for the wrong accommodation. A guest's personal opinion about the decor or price, even if extremely negative, is not grounds for removal.

The platform protects a guest's right to express their subjective experience. However, there are clear boundaries. According to Booking.com's internal policies, grounds for a report exist in the following cases:

• The guest was a no-show: If a reservation is marked as a "no-show" in the extranet and the guest did not stay at the property, they are not entitled to leave a review. This is the most common and easiest case to resolve.
• The guest canceled the reservation: Similar to a no-show, if the guest canceled before arrival, they cannot review the accommodation.
• The review is for the wrong property: It sometimes happens that a guest confuses properties, especially if they are in the same building or on the same street, and leaves a review describing an experience from another accommodation.
• Blackmail: If a guest threatens a bad review to get a discount, refund, or other benefit, it is a direct violation of the rules. It is crucial to have written communication (via Booking.com messages, email, or SMS) as proof.
• Illegal content or hate speech: Reviews containing threats, discrimination, profanity, or promoting illegal activities will be removed immediately.
• Personal information: Publishing private information such as the full name, address, or phone number of the owner or staff is strictly prohibited.
• Spam or fraudulent content: Reviews that are unrelated to an actual stay, contain promotional links, or are clearly written to manipulate the rating (either positively by the owner or negatively by a competitor).

It's important to note that under the Croatian Hospitality and Catering Industry Act, hosts are responsible for the accuracy of their property information. If a review points out a genuine issue (e.g., a broken air conditioner), Booking.com will not remove it but will advise you to resolve the problem and respond to the review.

— 02Step-by-Step: How to Report a Review via the Extranet

The fastest way to report a disputed review is directly through the Booking.com extranet. The process is designed to be intuitive and usually takes less than five minutes. An initial response from customer support typically arrives within 24 to 72 hours, depending on the system's workload.

Follow these steps to submit a request:

1. 1 Log in to the Booking.com extranet.
2. 2 Open the "Guest Reviews" tab in the main menu.
3. 3 Find the disputed review in the list. Next to each review, there is a "Request review removal" option. Click on it.
4. 4 A window will open with a list of reasons for removal. Select the one that most accurately describes your situation (e.g., "The guest was a no-show," "I suspect this review is fake / contains blackmail").
5. 5 In the text box, describe the problem in detail but concisely. Be objective and stick to the facts. Include the reservation number and guest's name.

Example of a good description: "Guest {Guest Name}, reservation #123456789, requested a 50% refund via message on May 12, 2026, at 18:30, threatening a bad review if we did not comply. The message is available in our platform inbox. We believe this 1.0-star review is a direct result of not meeting this demand and constitutes blackmail."

After submission, the request enters the processing queue. You can track its status in your extranet Inbox under messages from Booking.com. In over 70% of cases where there is clear evidence of a policy violation, the review is removed in this first step.

— 03What to Do If Booking.com Rejects Your Request?

If Booking.com denies your initial request to remove a review, it usually means the automated system or the first-level support agent didn't find sufficient evidence of a policy violation. At this stage, it's crucial not to give up but to escalate the case by providing additional, concrete evidence to support your claim.

The first step is to reply directly to the rejection message you received in your extranet inbox. Do not open a new request, as this can reset the process. Attach all relevant evidence to your reply. The strength of your case depends entirely on the quality of your proof. According to analysis from host portals like Cimerfraj, documented communication is your strongest asset.

Be precise and professional in your communication. Instead of emotional statements ("This is unfair!"), use fact-based language ("Attached, please find proof that guest XY explicitly stated in a message on May 14, 2026, that they would leave a bad review if we did not approve a refund."). This approach increases the chances of success by approximately 40% in the second stage of resolution.

— 04Case Study: Removing 3 Fake Reviews in Dubrovnik

An analysis of a real case from Dubrovnik shows how a systematic approach and quality evidence can lead to the removal of even coordinated fake reviews. The owner of three apartments in the city center successfully disputed three 1.0-star reviews left in an extortion attempt, preventing their average rating from dropping from 9.7 to 9.2.

Scenario: A group of six friends (three couples) booked three apartments at the same location for five nights in July 2025. The total value of the reservations was 3,750 EUR (250 EUR/night per apartment). They reported no issues during their stay. The day after checkout, the main booker sent a message via the Booking.com app demanding a 30% refund of the total amount (1,125 EUR) under the pretext of "dissatisfaction with cleanliness," threatening that all three couples would otherwise leave the lowest possible ratings.

Resolution Process: 1. Refusal of Blackmail: The owner professionally rejected the request, citing the fact that no complaints were made during the stay and that the apartments were cleaned to standard, as evidenced by photos taken before their arrival. 2. Reviews Appear: Within a few hours, three 1.0-star reviews appeared on the profiles of all three apartments, citing identical, fabricated complaints ("dirty linens," "no hot water"). 3. First Report: The owner immediately reported all three reviews through the extranet, selecting "blackmail" as the reason and attaching a screenshot of the message demanding money. 4. Rejection and Escalation: The automated system rejected the request. The owner immediately replied to the rejection message, re-attaching the evidence and clearly linking all three reservations (providing all reservation numbers) as a coordinated attack by one group. They emphasized that the pattern and timing of the reviews unequivocally indicated a misuse of the system. 5. Agent Intervention: The case was taken over by an agent from the Booking.com support team. After reviewing the entire communication and the related reservations, the agent confirmed the policy violation within 48 hours.

Outcome: All three fake reviews were permanently removed. The profiles of the guests who participated in the blackmail attempt were flagged in the Booking.com system. This case confirms that the key to success is persistence and providing irrefutable, documented evidence, especially when communication is conducted through the platform itself.

Reputation management is a marathon, not a sprint. While receiving a fake review is frustrating, it's important to remain calm and methodical. Every successfully removed review not only corrects the damage done but also sends a message that misuse of the review system will not go unpunished. Using tools to centralize guest communication, like those offered by BookiApp, can further simplify evidence collection and speed up the resolution of such incidents. Ultimately, transparency and consistency are the strongest defense against manipulation.