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A negative review on Booking cannot be deleted simply because the owner considers it unfair. But a negative review and an unlawful review are not the same thing.
As of April 7, 2026, Italy has specific criteria governing the legality of online reviews in the tourism sector. The change isn’t a button to delete unwelcome reviews—it’s the ability to file a more precise dispute, specifying which requirement is missing, which facts support that claim, and what evidence backs it up.
If a guest has stayed at the property and writes that the mattress was too hard or that the room seemed small, the opinion may be subjective and debatable, but that alone does not make it false.
The situation is different if the guest did not actually use the service and describes the cleanliness, bed, amenities, or other aspects that they could not have personally verified, or if the review concerns matters unrelated to the property or stems from a request for discounts or benefits.
Law No. 34 of March 11, 2026, effective as of April 7, 2026, devotes Chapter IV to combating fake reviews.
Article 19 sets forth, among other things, the following requirements: the review must be published no later than 30 days after the service was used; it must come from someone who has actually and personally used the service; it must be relevant to the product or facility; and it must not result from the promise or granting of discounts, benefits, or other incentives.
The same article stipulates that, due to a significant lack of current relevance, a review is no longer permissible two years after publication. Paragraph 2 also allows the legal representative of the reviewed entity or a delegate thereof to report reviews that do not meet these requirements, in accordance with the procedure set forth in Article 16 of the Digital Services Act, in order to have them removed.
Article 22 specifies that these provisions do not apply to reviews already published as of the law’s effective date. For a review published before April 7, 2026, Booking’s policies and other applicable protection measures therefore remain in effect, but this new regime does not apply.
Here’s an important point. In its public guidelines, Booking states that a user can review a property if they have stayed there or if they arrived at the property but did not end up staying there. Booking also states that it uses systems and staff to identify fake reviews and remove them when they are detected.
This means that simply saying “he didn’t stay here” isn’t always enough. You have to reconstruct the specific case and explain why, in light of the facts and applicable law, that review does not meet the required criteria.
You can visit the official " How Booking.com Works" page.
If the guest did not stay at the apartment and describes aspects of it that they could not have verified, gather the documentation related to the reservation, the failure to check in, and any messages exchanged.
The law requires that the review be relevant to the type of service or the characteristics of the establishment. An effective complaint must specify exactly which part of the content is unrelated to the experience being reviewed.
If a guest writes or implies, “Refund me or I’ll leave a negative review,” save the entire conversation. Whenever possible, avoid moving these exchanges outside of the Booking messaging system.
If the content includes threats, personal data, discriminatory material, illegal content, or other elements that are inconsistent with the platform’s standards, this indicates both a violation of Booking’s policies and, where applicable, a violation of the legality requirement under Italian law.
For reviews subject to the new regulations, Article 19 also introduces a two-year time limit on the grounds that they are no longer current. However, this does not constitute automatic removal: the facility must still file a report.
The rule of thumb is simple: don't challenge the opinion; challenge the verifiable fact.
Log in tothe Booking.com Extranet and use the support channel related to the reservation or guest reviews. The menu items in the interface may change over time, so the important thing is that the request is traceable and linked to the correct reservation.
Avoid generic messages like “This review is fake; please delete it.” A more effective report follows this format:
review → disputed claim → evidence → rule violated → request for removal.
Subject: Request to review and remove a review – reservation [NUMBER]
We request that you review the review posted regarding reservation no. [NUMBER], for the stay scheduled from [DATE] to [DATE].
We believe that the review does not meet the applicable requirements for the following reason: [SPECIFIC DESCRIPTION OF THE ISSUE].
The review contains references to [CLEANLINESS / SERVICES / APARTMENT / EXPERIENCE] that, based on the available documentation, the guest was unable to verify personally.
In support of this, we are providing/attaching: the booking status, message history, documentation regarding check-in or failure to check in, and [OTHER EVIDENCE].
For reviews published after April 7, 2026, we also note that Article 19 of Law No. 34 of March 11, 2026, stipulates—among the requirements for lawfulness—that the review must come from someone who has actually and personally used the service. Paragraph 2 allows the representative of the establishment or a delegate to report non-compliant reviews in accordance with the procedure set forth in Article 16 of EU Regulation 2022/2065, with the aim of having them removed.
We therefore request that the content be reviewed and, if the conditions are met, that it be removed. If our request is denied, we ask that you provide us with the reasons for the decision and any available avenues for appeal.
Article 16 of EU Regulation 2022/2065 requires hosting services to establish electronic mechanisms for reporting content deemed illegal and stipulates that such reports must be sufficiently precise and substantiated.
The DSA also provides for an acknowledgment of receipt when electronic contact information is provided, as well as a decision regarding the reported content, along with information on the options for appeal.
First of all, save your answer and use any review tools provided by the platform.
If, on the other hand, the issue concerns compliance with the obligations under the Digital Services Act regarding the handling of reports, the Digital Services Coordinator in Italy is AGCOM. The Authority provides a procedure for filing complaints pursuant to Article 53 of the DSA.
However, AGCOM is not simply a second customer service department for Booking: the complaint concerns an alleged violation of the platform’s obligations under the DSA, not a mere disagreement over the merits of a review.
If the guest actually stayed at the property and is describing a problem that actually occurred, trying at all costs to have the review removed may be the wrong strategy. In that case, it’s often more helpful to respond appropriately, correct the problem, and prevent the same criticism from being repeated.
Reputation management means quickly distinguishing between genuine feedback that can be used and content that has valid grounds for dispute.
Managing Booking doesn't end once your listing is published. Setup, pricing, communication with guests, and reputation all affect your performance on the platform.
You can learn more with our practical guide to Booking.com listings, or discover our service for creating and optimizing Booking.com listings and our comprehensive short-term rental management service in Genoa.
The information contained in this guide is provided for informational and operational purposes only and is not a substitute for legal advice. Booking.com policies and interfaces are subject to change over time.
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