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How to remove a Tripadvisor review

Tripadvisor moderates more actively than most platforms, which cuts both ways.

Marcus Ellery· Director of Removals· · 3 min read
A hotel corridor with soft morning light
Short answer

Report the review through the Tripadvisor Management Centre citing a specific guideline breach, such as hearsay from someone who did not visit, second-hand accounts, off-topic content or content about a competitor. Tripadvisor moderates submissions before publication and will act on clear breaches, but it will not remove a genuine guest's negative account of their stay.

Pre-moderation changes the calculus

Unlike most platforms, Tripadvisor screens submissions before they publish. That means outright abusive or obviously fake content is often caught before you ever see it, and the reviews that reach your page have already passed a filter.

The practical consequence is that your removal odds on a published review are lower, because it survived a check. Grounds have to be specific.

Grounds worth citing

  • Second-hand: the reviewer describes what someone else experienced rather than their own visit.
  • The review is about a different property, common with chains and similarly named venues.
  • Content about a competitor, or posted by one.
  • Irrelevant commentary, including politics or matters unrelated to the stay.
  • Personal information, or accusations of criminal conduct presented as fact.

The blackmail-review problem

Hospitality sees a specific pattern: a guest threatens a bad review unless they receive a refund or free stay. Tripadvisor treats this as a form of extortion and has a reporting route for it.

Document the threat before it becomes a review. A saved message demanding compensation in exchange for silence is strong evidence, and it is far more persuasive than reporting the review after the fact. The wider version of this problem is covered in responding to a viral bad review.

Save the threat. It is worth more than the complaint about the review.

Common questions

How long does Tripadvisor take to decide?

Typically several days to a couple of weeks, depending on whether the case needs a human moderator.

Can I remove my property from Tripadvisor?

Listings for operating businesses are generally maintained regardless of preference and are not removed on request.

Does responding publicly help?

Yes, more than on most platforms. Travellers read management responses closely, and a measured reply demonstrably influences booking decisions.

ME
Marcus Ellery
Director of Removals, ReputationHound
Marcus runs the removal desk. He works the escalation paths at platforms, hosts and registrars, and decides what we will and will not take on at scan.

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