Overview
The Reviews Management page is a comprehensive system for managing guest reviews, ratings, and feedback for your hotel properties. You can configure review settings, moderate reviews, and generate test reviews for testing purposes.
Purpose: Manage guest reviews, configure review system settings, moderate review submissions, and maintain review quality standards.
Accessing Reviews Management
- Go to Gliz Booking Engine > Reviews
- Choose from three main tabs:
- Review Settings – Configure review system
- Review Management – Moderate and manage reviews
- Add Reviews (Testing) – Generate test reviews
Review Settings Tab
Review Storage Mode
Storage Options
-
Local Storage: Store reviews in your main site database
- Best for: Small to medium scale hotels
- Benefits: Simple setup, all data in one place
- Limitations: May slow down main site with many reviews
-
External Storage: Store reviews on separate WordPress site
- Best for: Large scale hotels with many reviews
- Benefits: Better performance, scalability
- Requirements: Separate WordPress site setup
External Site Configuration
- Reviews Site URL: Enter your external reviews site URL
- API Key: Secure key for communication between sites
- Generate New API Key: Create new API key when needed
Setup Instructions for External Site
- Create new WordPress site at chosen subdomain
- Install same Gliz Review System plugin
- Use same API key on both sites
- Set external site to “External Mode”
Review Display Settings
Initial Reviews Display
- Number of Reviews: How many reviews to show initially (1-50)
- Load More: Additional reviews loaded via button
- Default: 10 reviews shown initially
Category Ratings
- Hide Category Ratings: Option to hide category ratings section
- When Enabled: Category ratings won’t display on room pages
- When Disabled: Category ratings show normally
Review Rating Categories
Category Guidelines
Suggested Categories:
- Cleanliness – Overall cleanliness and hygiene
- Accuracy – How well listing matches reality
- Check-in Process – Ease of arrival and check-in
- Location – Neighborhood quality and accessibility
- Value – Price vs. quality ratio
- Communication – Host responsiveness and helpfulness
Adding Categories
- Add Category Button: Add new rating categories
- Category Name: Enter descriptive category name
- Remove Button: Remove unwanted categories
- Minimum Required: At least 3 categories needed
Category Management
- Custom Categories: Add your own rating categories
- Category Examples: WiFi Quality, Amenities, Noise Level
- Required Minimum: 3 categories for system to function
Review Validation Settings
Word Count Requirements
- Minimum Word Count: Required words in review comments (1-500)
- Maximum Word Count: Maximum words allowed (50-2000)
- Default Minimum: 20 words
- Default Maximum: 1000 words
Validation Benefits
- Quality Control: Ensures meaningful reviews
- Spam Prevention: Prevents very short or very long reviews
- Guest Guidance: Helps guests write appropriate reviews
Custom Success Messages
Success Title
- Default: “Review Submitted Successfully!”
- Customizable: Change title shown after submission
- Purpose: Brand the success message
Success Message
- Default: “Thank you for your review. It will be visible after approval.”
- Customizable: Change main success message
- Purpose: Set expectations for review approval
System Status
Current Mode Display
- Local Storage: Shows “Local Storage” status
- External Storage: Shows “External Storage” status
- Status Badge: Color-coded status indicator
External Site Status
- Connection Check: Tests connection to external site
- Connected: Green badge when working
- Connection Failed: Red badge with error details
- Error Messages: Shows specific connection issues
Database Tables
- Ready: Green badge when tables exist
- Tables Need Creation: Yellow warning when tables missing
- Automatic Creation: Tables created automatically when needed
Review Management Tab
Filter Reviews
Status Filter
- All Reviews: Show all reviews regardless of status
- Pending: Reviews awaiting approval (shows count)
- Approved: Reviews that have been approved (shows count)
- Rejected: Reviews that have been rejected (shows count)
- Trash: Reviews moved to trash (shows count)
Property Filter
- All Properties: Show reviews from all properties
- Specific Property: Filter by individual property
- Property Dropdown: Lists all published properties
- Alphabetical Order: Properties listed alphabetically
Apply Filter
- Apply Filter Button: Apply selected filters
- Auto-Submit: Filters apply automatically when changed
- URL Persistence: Filter settings saved in URL
Reviews Table
Table Columns
- Checkbox: Select reviews for bulk actions
- Guest: Guest name and email address
- Property: Property name with edit link
- Rating: Star rating display with numeric value
- Comment: Truncated comment with “View Full” button
- Date: Review submission date
- Status: Current review status with icons
- Featured: Featured status with star icons
- Actions: Available action buttons
Review Information
- Guest Details: Name and email displayed
- Property Link: Click to edit property
- Rating Display: 5-star system with decimal value
- Comment Preview: First 20 words with “View Full” button
- Date Format: Month, day, year format
- Status Icons: Visual status indicators
Status Indicators
- Approved: Green checkmark icon
- Rejected: Red X icon
- Pending: Blue clock icon
- Trash: Gray trash icon
Featured Status
- Featured: Green filled star icon
- Not Featured: Red empty star icon
- Star Icons: Visual featured status indicators
Individual Review Actions
Pending Reviews
- Approve Button: Approve review for display
- Reject Button: Reject review
- Delete Button: Permanently delete review
Rejected Reviews
- Approve Button: Approve previously rejected review
- Delete Button: Permanently delete review
Approved Reviews
- Reject Button: Reject previously approved review
- Delete Button: Permanently delete review
Delete Confirmation
- Confirmation Dialog: “Are you sure you want to delete this review?”
- Permanent Action: Cannot be undone
- Safety Measure: Prevents accidental deletion
Bulk Actions
Bulk Action Options
- Approve: Approve all selected reviews
- Reject: Reject all selected reviews
- Move to Trash: Move reviews to trash
- Delete Permanently: Permanently delete reviews
Bulk Action Process
- Select Reviews: Check boxes for reviews to modify
- Choose Action: Select bulk action from dropdown
- Apply: Click “Apply” button to execute
- Confirmation: Action applied to all selected reviews
Pagination
Pagination Display
- Page Information: “Showing page X of Y”
- Previous Button: Go to previous page
- Page Numbers: Click specific page numbers
- Next Button: Go to next page
- Current Page: Highlighted in blue
Pagination Features
- 20 Reviews Per Page: Default pagination size
- Page Range: Shows 2 pages before and after current
- URL Persistence: Page number saved in URL
- Filter Preservation: Pagination maintains active filters
Review Modal
Modal Features
- Full Review Display: Shows complete review details
- Close Button: X button to close modal
- Review Details: All review information displayed
- Action Buttons: Available actions for the review
Modal Content
- Guest Information: Full guest details
- Property Information: Complete property details
- Rating Breakdown: Overall and category ratings
- Full Comment: Complete review text
- Review Date: Submission date and time
- Status Information: Current review status
- Featured Status: Whether review is featured
Add Reviews (Testing) Tab
Generate Test Reviews
Purpose
- Testing: Create realistic reviews for testing
- Development: Test review display and functionality
- Demo: Show review system to clients
- Quality Assurance: Test review moderation features
Property Selection
- Property Dropdown: Choose property to generate reviews for
- All Properties: Lists all published properties
- Required Field: Must select a property
- Alphabetical Order: Properties listed alphabetically
Review Count
- Number of Reviews: How many test reviews to generate
- Range: 1-50 reviews
- Default: 5 reviews
- Number Input: Easy number selection
Category Ratings
- Include Category Ratings: Checkbox to include category ratings
- When Checked: Each review includes category ratings
- When Unchecked: Only overall rating included
- Default: Checked (includes category ratings)
Review Status
- Approved: Reviews created as approved
- Pending: Reviews created as pending
- Random: Mix of approved and pending
- Default: Approved status
Generate Button
- Generate Reviews: Create test reviews
- Processing: Shows progress during generation
- Success Message: Confirms successful generation
- Error Handling: Shows errors if generation fails
Test Review Features
Realistic Data
- Guest Names: Realistic guest names
- Email Addresses: Valid email format
- Review Comments: Meaningful review text
- Ratings: Random but realistic ratings
- Dates: Recent submission dates
Category Ratings
- Multiple Categories: Ratings for all configured categories
- Realistic Scores: Appropriate ratings for each category
- Varied Ratings: Different scores across categories
- Overall Rating: Calculated from category ratings
Review Content
- Varied Comments: Different types of review comments
- Appropriate Length: Meets word count requirements
- Realistic Language: Natural review language
- Property-Specific: Comments relevant to property type
Review System Functions
Review Moderation
Approval Process
- Pending Reviews: New reviews start as pending
- Admin Approval: Reviews need admin approval
- Approval Button: One-click approval
- Status Change: Changes from pending to approved
Rejection Process
- Reject Button: Reject inappropriate reviews
- Status Change: Changes to rejected status
- Hidden from Public: Rejected reviews not displayed
- Reversible: Can approve rejected reviews later
Featured Reviews
- Mark as Featured: Highlight important reviews
- Featured Display: Featured reviews shown prominently
- Star Icon: Visual indicator for featured status
- Toggle Feature: Can add/remove featured status
Review Display
Public Display
- Approved Only: Only approved reviews shown publicly
- Rating Display: Star ratings and numeric values
- Comment Display: Full review comments
- Guest Names: Guest names shown (privacy settings)
Category Ratings
- Multiple Categories: Ratings for different aspects
- Average Ratings: Calculated averages per category
- Overall Rating: Combined rating score
- Rating Breakdown: Detailed rating display
Review Ordering
- Date Order: Most recent reviews first
- Featured First: Featured reviews shown first
- Rating Order: Can sort by rating
- Custom Order: Admin can set custom order
Review Validation
Word Count Validation
- Minimum Words: Enforced minimum word count
- Maximum Words: Enforced maximum word count
- Real-time Validation: Validates as user types
- Error Messages: Clear validation messages
Content Validation
- Spam Detection: Basic spam prevention
- Inappropriate Content: Content filtering
- Required Fields: All required fields validated
- Format Validation: Email and other format validation
Review Statistics
Review Counts
- Total Reviews: Count of all reviews
- Approved Reviews: Count of approved reviews
- Pending Reviews: Count of pending reviews
- Rejected Reviews: Count of rejected reviews
Rating Statistics
- Average Rating: Overall average rating
- Category Averages: Average ratings per category
- Rating Distribution: Breakdown of rating scores
- Trend Analysis: Rating trends over time
Troubleshooting
Common Issues
Reviews Not Displaying
- Check Status: Ensure reviews are approved
- Check Settings: Verify display settings
- Check Categories: Ensure categories are configured
- Check Database: Verify database tables exist
External Site Issues
- Check URL: Verify external site URL is correct
- Check API Key: Ensure API key matches on both sites
- Check Connection: Test connection to external site
- Check Permissions: Verify site permissions
Review Generation Issues
- Check Property: Ensure property is selected
- Check Count: Verify review count is valid
- Check Categories: Ensure categories are configured
- Check Database: Verify database tables exist
Bulk Action Issues
- Check Selection: Ensure reviews are selected
- Check Action: Verify bulk action is selected
- Check Permissions: Verify admin permissions
- Check Database: Verify database connection
Getting Help
Error Messages
- Read Messages: Check error messages carefully
- Take Screenshots: Capture error screenshots
- Note Steps: Record steps that caused error
Support Options
- Check Logs: Look for error logs
- Test Settings: Verify all settings are correct
- Contact Support: Reach out for technical help
Best Practices
Review Management
Regular Moderation
- Daily Check: Review pending reviews daily
- Quick Approval: Approve good reviews quickly
- Quality Control: Reject inappropriate reviews
- Featured Reviews: Mark excellent reviews as featured
Review Quality
- Encourage Detailed Reviews: Ask for specific feedback
- Respond to Reviews: Reply to guest reviews
- Monitor Trends: Watch for rating trends
- Address Issues: Fix problems mentioned in reviews
Review Settings
- Appropriate Categories: Choose relevant rating categories
- Reasonable Word Limits: Set appropriate word counts
- Clear Messages: Write clear success messages
- Regular Updates: Update settings as needed
System Maintenance
Regular Backups
- Database Backups: Backup review database regularly
- Settings Backups: Save review settings
- Test Restores: Verify backup integrity
Performance Monitoring
- Review Count: Monitor total review count
- Response Times: Check system performance
- Database Size: Monitor database growth
- External Site: Monitor external site performance
Security
- API Key Security: Keep API keys secure
- Regular Updates: Update plugin regularly
- Access Control: Limit admin access
- Spam Prevention: Monitor for spam reviews
This guide helps you manage your hotel’s review system effectively. For technical support, contact your system administrator.