I have 187 five-star reviews on Airbnb. Guests rave about my Paris apartment. "Best stay ever!" "Can't wait to come back!" "We'll definitely book again!"
Except they don't. They say they'll come back, but they don't actually come back. At least, not through me.
For two years, I believed great reviews = repeat business. I was wrong. Here's what I learned: Five-star reviews make you visible to new guests. But they don't create repeat bookings. For that, you need something else entirely.
Let me tell you about Claire. She stayed in my apartment for 5 nights in April 2024. Left a glowing review. "We loved everything about this place! Sophie was the perfect host. Already planning our next Paris trip!"
Six months later, I checked Airbnb messages. No word from Claire. I assumed she hadn't returned to Paris yet.
Then, purely by chance, I was scrolling Instagram. There's Claire. In Paris. Posting photos from... a different Airbnb.
She came back. She just didn't come back to me. Why? Because I had no way to contact her outside Airbnb. No way to remind her I existed. No way to offer her a deal. Nothing.
The Cold Truth:
Airbnb doesn't want repeat bookings. At least, not for you. They want repeat bookings for Airbnb. When Claire searched "Paris apartment" again, Airbnb showed her 100 options. Mine wasn't special. It was one listing among thousands.
That's when I realized: Five-star reviews prove you're good. But they don't build loyalty. For loyalty, you need direct contact.
After losing Claire (and probably dozens of others), I did research. Spoke to property managers. Read case studies. Joined forums. Here's what I learned:
Repeat guests don't come from great service alone. They come from great service + consistent reminders + incentives.
Think about any other business you're loyal to. Your favorite restaurant doesn't just serve good food. They have your email. They send you birthday discounts. They tell you about new menu items. They remind you they exist.
Hotels understand this. Marriott doesn't hope you remember them. They have your email. They send offers. They have a loyalty program. Result? 50% of Marriott bookings are repeat guests.
But Airbnb hosts? We have... a message thread that guests never check again after checkout.
Here's what changed everything for me: I started collecting guest emails through WiFi login.
Every guest who stays with me connects to WiFi (100% of them—it's Paris, everyone needs internet). To connect, they enter their email on a branded splash page. That's it. Takes 5 seconds. They get WiFi. I get their email.
Legal? Absolutely. I'm providing WiFi (standard amenity) and requesting an email for access (standard practice everywhere). GDPR compliant with clear opt-in language.
Effective? Game-changing.
22% repeat rate. That means nearly 1 in 4 guests who stayed once came back. Before WiFi email capture? My repeat rate was 3%. And those 3% just happened to find my listing again on Airbnb (and I still paid commission).
Collecting emails is step one. Turning them into repeat bookings is step two. Here's my exact system:
Immediate automated email when they connect to WiFi:
Subject: Welcome to Paris! 🇫🇷
"Bonjour! I'm so happy you're staying with me. Here's everything to make your Paris adventure perfect..."
Contents:
This positions me as helpful. Sets a warm tone. Plants the seed for direct booking next time.
Subject: How was your Parisian adventure?
Contents:
Why this works: I'm still supporting Airbnb reviews (important for visibility), but I'm also offering a compelling reason to book direct next time.
This is the money email. 4 months after their stay:
Subject: Paris misses you... (Special offer inside)
Contents:
Conversion rate: 8.3%. That's 8.3% of recipients actually booking. At €480 average value, that's €3,984 revenue per 100 emails sent.
4-6 times per year, I send event-based emails:
These campaigns have a 12-18% conversion rate. Why? Because they're timely, relevant, and create urgency.
Real Example:
My "Christmas in Paris" campaign (sent to 280 past guests in October) generated 38 bookings. Average value: €520. Total revenue: €19,760. Commission saved: €3,359. Time to create and send email: 2 hours.
People always ask: "What software do you use?" Here's everything:
Total monthly cost: €108
Return: €3,000/month average in direct bookings
ROI: 2,778% (for every €1 spent, I get €27.78 back in saved commission + direct revenue)
No! Because you're providing value. Your welcome email has their WiFi password and local tips. Your review request thanks them. Your "Miss You" email offers a discount. You're not spamming. You're reminding them of a great experience and giving them a reason to return.
My unsubscribe rate: 2.7% over 12 months. That means 97.3% stay subscribed.
That's fine! Some will. But many won't—especially if you offer a discount. Remember: guests pay more on Airbnb (they have guest fees too). Booking direct is cheaper for them, more profitable for you. Win-win.
Neither did I! That's why I use Lodgify. Guests book online, payment is automatic, I get a notification. It's actually less work than Airbnb because there's no back-and-forth messaging about availability.
Remember Claire? The one who came back to Paris but booked a different Airbnb?
Three months after implementing my WiFi email system, I had a new guest. American couple. Left a five-star review. "Sophie is amazing! We'll definitely be back!"
This time, I believed them. Because this time, I had their emails.
Four months later, I sent my "Miss You" email. "Paris misses you... 20% off your next stay."
48 hours later: Direct booking. 5 nights. €540 revenue. €0 commission.
That couple has now stayed with me 4 times. Total revenue: €2,160. If they'd booked through Airbnb each time? I'd have paid €736 in commission fees.
But here's the best part: They've referred 3 other couples to me. All direct bookings. All because I had a way to stay in touch.
The Math of Loyalty:
One happy repeat guest is worth 3-5x a one-time guest. They book longer. They're less picky. They don't negotiate price. They refer friends. And they cost you €0 in commission.
This week: Set up WiFi email capture. I recommend CaptiFi (plug-and-play, takes 20 minutes).
Next week: Write your 4 core emails (Welcome, Review Request, Miss You, Event template). Use mine as inspiration. Make them personal to your property and city.
Week 3: Set up your direct booking site. Lodgify, Hospitable, or Guesty all work well.
Week 4: Launch. Start capturing emails. Watch your list grow. Send your first campaign at the 90-day mark.
Month 3-4: See your first repeat bookings come in. Calculate your commission savings. Smile.
Five-star reviews are fantastic. I love them. They help new guests find me. They validate my hospitality. They make me feel good.
But they don't pay my bills. Direct bookings do.
For two years, I thought great service alone would bring guests back. I was wrong. Great service gets them in the door once. But staying in touch—reminding them you exist, offering incentives, making booking easy—that's what brings them back.
Now, I have 342 emails. 342 past guests I can reach anytime. 342 people who've already proven they like my apartment. 342 potential repeat bookings that cost me nothing to acquire.
That's the difference between hoping for repeat business and building it systematically.
CaptiFi is the WiFi email capture system I use in my Paris apartment. Simple setup. Automatic email collection. GDPR compliant. Try it free for 30 days and start building your guest database today.
Start Your Free TrialSophie Dubois owns a vacation rental in the Marais district of Paris. She's an Airbnb Superhost with 187 five-star reviews and a 22% repeat guest rate. When she's not hosting, she's exploring neighborhood bistros, perfecting her French, and trying to convince her cat, Monsieur Whiskers, that tourists are friends, not intruders.