StyQR + CleanClac: the tool duo for aiming at 5-star reviews

A guest rarely leaves 4 stars because they had a bad stay. They leave 4 stars because there was a stray hair in the shower, or because they spent twenty minutes searching for the wifi code on arrival night. Average reviews almost always come from these two failings: imperfect cleaning, or information impossible to find at the wrong moment. Both can be fixed with the right tools: CleanClac for cleanliness, StyQR for the guest experience. Here’s a closer look at the duo, and the scenario of a stay that ends with 5 stars.

A 5-star review rests on two pillars, not just one

Two causes outweigh all others in negative reviews. The first is cleanliness: according to a Vrbo survey from April 2026 of 1,758 travellers, 78% of guests cite spotless cleanliness as the top sign of a quality listing (Vrbo / Businesswire). The second is information: in Touch Stay’s analysis of 37,359 guest conversations, wifi tops the list of questions asked, just ahead of check-in, and 88.7% of guests expect detailed arrival instructions (Touch Stay, 2025).

You can have the most beautiful property in your city: if the cleaning is sloppy or the guest feels lost, your rating drops. Hence the idea of the duo:

• CleanClac: secure cleanliness with automatically triggered cleans, illustrated checklists, and time-stamped photo proof.
• StyQR: secure information with a digital welcome book via QR code, answering questions before they’re even asked.

The two tools don’t overlap: one works before arrival, the other during the stay.

Pillar 1: spotless cleanliness with CleanClac

CleanClac is a cleaning management app (web, iPhone and Android) designed for short-term rentals. Its role: no cleans forgotten, no tasks skipped, and proof to back it up.

Cleans that create themselves

Thanks to iCal sync with Airbnb, Booking and Vrbo, every guest departure automatically creates a clean at the default slot for the property. With a PMS, CleanClac offers direct connectors for Beds24, Smoobu, Lodgify, Hostaway, Guesty and SuperHote: the PMS remains in charge of bookings, CleanClac pulls the calendar and manages the cleaning layer. No more spreadsheets, no more Sunday night texts.

Checklists for consistent results

Consistency is what separates a well-rated property from an average one. CleanClac provides illustrated checklists per property, based on a catalogue of around 200 tasks in sections: cleaning, finishing touches, linen, restocking, comfort and little extras. The cleaner ticks off as they go, the manager knows exactly what’s been done. To build yours, take inspiration from Complete Airbnb Cleaning Checklist: Never Miss a Spot.

Photo proof that can’t be backdated

At the end of the clean, the cleaner sends photos or a video time-stamped by the server, with a digital file fingerprint and GPS location. Neither the cleaner nor the manager can backdate the proof. If a guest disputes the property’s condition, you have a dated and geo-tagged file, ready to send to the platform.

Three other features reinforce the cleanliness pillar:

• Geolocated check-in: the cleaner checks in on site, real duration is measured, with a “Overtime” flag if it exceeds the estimate.
• Condition rating on arrival: from 1 to 5 stars, to document the state left by the departing guest.
• Consumables stock: gauge per property and threshold alert, so you never run out of toilet paper again.

As for pricing, CleanClac starts at £9.99/month for 1 property, 14-day free trial with no card required, and unlimited, free cleaners for life: you pay per property, never per team member.

Pillar 2: the guest experience with StyQR

StyQR is a French platform for a digital welcome book for holiday lets, launched in November 2018. The idea: all the useful stay information in a single link, shared by email or via a personalised QR code printed in the property. The guest scans, and everything’s there. The company claims over 20,000 users and a rating of 4.8/5 on Google and Trustpilot (StyQR official site).

What the welcome book contains

StyQR offers up to 12 configurable modules, including:

• Wifi code: the number one guest question, sorted before it’s even asked.
• Access codes and arrival info: key box, entry code, check-in and check-out times.
• House rules: recycling, noise, smoking, pets, set out once and for all.
• Useful contacts: emergency numbers and people to call if there’s a problem.
• Local recommendations: geo-tagged points of interest with photos and links, unlimited addresses.
• Guestbook: guests can leave a note, which you can moderate.

Features that make the difference for reviews

Three features really matter in practice. First, automatic multi-language translation (9 main languages, up to 14 depending on the plan): a German or Spanish guest understands your instructions effortlessly, avoiding misunderstandings that end in lukewarm reviews. Next, instant updates: change the wifi code, the welcome book is up to date everywhere, no need to reprint anything, as only the QR code is printed. Finally, engagement stats show what guests actually look at, so you can improve content over time.

The impact on reviews isn’t just theory: according to the Touch Stay 2025 study already mentioned, 77.4% of guests say a complete welcome book would positively influence their review, yet only 35.3% of hosts use a digital welcome book. So the digital welcome book remains a real differentiator.

StyQR pricing

For furnished lets and management companies, StyQR is €49 ex VAT per year per welcome book, about £4 per month, with seasonal plans with no renewal (from €9.90 ex VAT per month) and discounts for more than 10 properties. The trial is free for 14 days, no card required (StyQR pricing). Dedicated offers exist for hotels and campsites.

The perfect stay scenario, step by step

Here’s how the two tools work together on a real booking.

2 days before, the booking comes in. Your Airbnb calendar syncs: CleanClac creates the clean for departure day, at the default slot. Your cleaner sees it in their app. You enter nothing.

Departure day, 11am. The cleaner checks in on site (geolocation), rates the condition on arrival, then works through the illustrated checklist: cleaning, finishing touches, linen, restocking, comfort, little extras. The consumables gauge shows there’s little shower gel left: she restocks, the stock is updated.

Departure day, 1:30pm. Cleaning done. She sends photos time-stamped by the server: beds, bathroom, kitchen, living area. You approve remotely, proof in hand, as described in Cleaning Quality Control: Always Require Photos.

Arrival day, 4pm. The guest enters a spotless property. At the entrance, a frame with the StyQR QR code. They scan: wifi code copied in ten seconds, recycling instructions, induction hob manual, five recommended restaurants with photos. No need to message you.

During the stay. The welcome book answers questions as they come up: bakery opening hours, emergency number, latest check-out time. You no longer get repetitive questions.

Next departure day. Departure instructions are in the welcome book. The guest leaves a note in the guestbook, then a review on the platform. Spotless cleanliness, crystal-clear welcome: both pillars held, the rating follows.

What the duo costs, and what it brings in

For a host with one property, CleanClac at £9.99/month (or £59.99 yearly) and StyQR at €49 ex VAT/year comes to less than £15 per month on annual billing. In return, the stakes are much higher: listings rated 5 stars for cleanliness are booked about 25% more often, and a cleanliness rating slipping below 4.8 can cost around 20% of bookings according to sector data compiled in 2026. With an average annual income of about £11,200 per host in France, a few tenths of a rating point quickly add up to several hundred pounds.

Two apps can’t guarantee Superhost status, of course. But the two main causes of bad reviews (missed cleans, missing information) are exactly what these tools industrialise. The rest is down to your hospitality, and there’s an article dedicated to that: 25 little touches that transform your guests’ stay.

Set up the duo in an afternoon

Getting started is quick, and both tools offer a 14-day free trial with no card required, enough to test on real bookings before paying.

For CleanClac, about 45 minutes:

1. Create your account and add your properties.
2. Paste the iCal link from your Airbnb, Booking or Vrbo listings, or activate the PMS connector (Beds24, Smoobu, Lodgify, Hostaway, Guesty, SuperHote).
3. Set the default cleaning slot for each property.
4. Build your checklist from the task catalogue.
5. Invite your cleaners (free and unlimited) and enter the access details: codes, key box.

For StyQR, about 1 to 2 hours:

1. Create the welcome book and personalise it (logo, colours, photos).
2. Fill in the essential modules: wifi, arrival and departure, house rules, contacts.
3. Add 5 to 10 genuine local recommendations, the ones you’d give a friend.
4. Print the QR code, place it at the entrance and add the welcome book link to your pre-arrival messages.

From there, the system runs itself: each booking triggers its clean, each guest arrives informed. For multiple properties, StyQR lets you duplicate an existing welcome book, while CleanClac centralises all cleaning schedules on one screen.