Rakuten Group has revamped the review and rating features on its travel booking site “Rakuten Travel.”
A new profile page has been created for reviewers, which can be accessed from each review. This page displays a list of the reviewer’s past reviews, the number of “likes” they have received, and information on their accounts for “ROOM,” Rakuten’s shopping-focused social media platform, as well as external social media accounts. This allows users to choose accommodation in Japan by referring to reviewers whose travel style and preferences are similar to their own.
In addition to the existing review items of “Service,” “Location,” “Room,” “Facilities & Amenities,” “Bath,” and “Meals,” a new “Cleanliness” item has been added. Meals have also been divided into “Breakfast” and “Dinner” for both input and browsing. Furthermore, from early 2026, AI-powered review summary displays and suggested filter conditions will be gradually introduced to each property’s “Customer Reviews” page, along with the display of frequently used keywords and support for video posts.
For reviewers, the input burden has been reduced by allowing the scores for each item to be entered in bulk in linkage with the overall rating. In addition, users who have completed their stay will be prompted to post a review via a pop-up screen in the app, with the aim of increasing the number of reviews and enriching the information available. Collaboration with the AI agent for hotel selection, “Rakuten Travel AI Hotel Search,” will also be strengthened to provide more optimized accommodation recommendations tailored to each user.
