How Vacation Rentals & Hotels Turn Guest Feedback into Bookings
You’re losing bookings to properties worse than yours — not because they’re cheaper, but because they sound better.
Here’s the kicker: your guests already wrote your next marketing campaign. You just haven’t stolen it yet.
In this episode of Seen. Booked. Sane., Kay Walten, founder of Smart Pineapple, reveals how to turn guest reviews into marketing copy that drives direct bookings for vacation rentals, boutique hotels, and short-term rentals.
You’ll learn:
How to use the Review-to-Story Method to write listings that sound human
Why emotional storytelling outperforms feature lists
How to sell belonging instead of just location
Simple ways to use AI tools in hospitality without losing the personal touch
Quick tips to rewrite your OTA descriptions and automate with empathy
Because great stories get remembered.
Great guest experiences get rebooked.
And the hosts who sound human? They stay sane.
🧾 Episode Resources & Mentions
Smart Pineapple: https://www.smartpineapple.ai
AI for Hospitality Substack: https://www.aiforhospitality.info
Research referenced:
Zloteanu et al., 2018 – Digital Identity: The Effect of Trust and Reputation Information on User Judgement in the Sharing Economy.
Martinez et al., 2017 – The Impact of an Airbnb Host’s Listing Description “Sentiment” and Length on Occupancy Rates.
Hostfully Case Studies, 2024 – Revenue Growth Through Guest-Focused Messaging.
Lighthouse, 2024 – Vacation Rental Distribution Trends.
AirDNA, 2024 – U.S. Short-Term Rental Outlook.
💡 Listener Challenge
Find one line in your listing or website that sounds robotic.
Rewrite it using your guest’s own words — then tag @SmartPineapple or email hello@smartpineapple.ai to share your before-and-after.