What will you expect/ not expect in a UK holiday cottage when they reopen?

[Movinghouseatlast]

I'm just writing my new guidelines for guests as we are hoping to reopen on 4th July. There have been some changes to cleaning etc. I was just wondering what guests will think?

Check in is now 5pm instead of 3pm to allow for extra cleaning.

Guests have to strip the beds and put bedding in cotton bags.

They have to put the rubbish out. I have also asked to leave the cottage as you would wish to find it.

They are asked to leave all windows open.

All extras are being removed- throws, cushions on beds, games, additional kitchen equipment as we just don't have time to wash and disinfect it all.

I usually leave a welcome hamper of an afternoon tea, homemade bread and granola, jam and butter decanted into dishes, croissants. I am still going to do this, but wonder what people will think? I think it is safer for the guests for me to cook all these things than to buy them.

I am only going to provide a few wrapped tea bags and coffee pods- usually unlimited and loose in a jar.

I would be interested to know your thoughts! Thanks.

[nicknamehelp]

I would make clear cushions etc are being removed so can bring own if want.
Make sure there are adequate cleaning materials.

[Movinghouseatlast]

I always leave cleaning materials, that wouldn't be a change.

[NailsNeedDoing]

Everything your doing sounds great and I wouldn’t have a complaint with any of it. As you’ve asked though and if I’m being really picky I’d say -

Afternoon tea doesn’t work so well with a later check in as by 5 people will just want to get checked in and organised then be thinking about dinner. I think I’d prefer packaged butter and jam rather than it being decanted without being able to see where it came from or being able to see labels.

For people that have already paid, I’d want to offer a discount/small refund for the later check in time. While I understand that you want to be able to do extra cleaning, I think I’d wonder what extra cleaning was required that wasn’t being done between guests anyway. I’d already have expected everything to be thoroughly cleaned between guests before coronavirus.

What is the kitchen equipment that will be removed? Some people book places specifically because they are well supplied with kitchen equipment so I’d make it very clear to guests that some things they were expecting might not be there, and offer a small discount based on that. Also if you have advertised with the offer unlimited coffee and tea and are now not offering that, you need to make it clear before people arrive along with a reason, because I can’t see how coronavirus makes a difference to how much tea and coffee you provide.

Good luck with your reopening!

[Movinghouseatlast]

Of course everything is cleaned between guests normally.

Extra cleaning is basically cleaning everything twice! Also steaming mattresses, curtains, sofas then using disinfectant spray. Then fogging (manually) with anti viral.

Interesting that your perception is that the cottage wasn't clean enough in the first place though!

[Movinghouseatlast]

I don't advertise tea and coffee at all. It is there. I'm assuming people wont want to dip their hand in a jar of tea bags nowadays.

[NailsNeedDoing]

It’s not that I didn’t think it was clean enough in the first place. Really it’s not, that sounds horrible. It’s the opposite if anything, that I’d already have thought it would be clean enough if it was done in the usual way between guests. But if you’re doing all those extra things then that’s great! I wouldn’t normally have expected mattresses and curtains to be steamed between guests so it hadn’t occurred to me, but if you’re doing them then tell your guests that those are the extra precautions you’re putting in place because it will either be reassuring, or informative for the guests like me who hadn’t thought about it.

[Allflightscancelled]

I agree with nAils. I wouldn't want or expect any more than usual. But if you are doing more then I'd be a bit impressed.

[WillYouDoTheFandango]

I wouldn’t even think about teabags. If I’m pouring boiling water on it, I assume any bugs would be dead.

[Tropical2]

If I was staying in a holiday cottage I would put all the dishes, glasses, cutlery etc into the dishwasher on arrival, so that I know it's all clean and not touched by anyone else. If your property has a dishwasher and you were to do this for me, so that all I have to do when I arrive is put it away that would be great. I would still expect you to provide all the kitchen equipment but with extra washing up liquid/dishwasher tablets so I could clean it all before use.

I would not be touching any books on shelves or any leaflets left out on places to visit. I agree that you should remove all cushions on the sofa unless you are washing them between guests, same with cushions and throws on the beds. I would be bringing my own pillows and duvets for the whole family unless you are going to wash those between guests too? I would expect you to change the mattress protectors between guests.

I would prefer that the welcome hamper contained packaged/unopened goods. I would bring my own tea and coffee etc.

[BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz]

Are you normally full back to back with bookings? Are you expecting an immediate return to this?

If not, I'd just leave everything as normal, clean as usual, but leave a clear 72 hours between check out and check in.

Sure, it's fewer reservations, but surely this is the easiest option all round? And guests will still get the full experience? I'd hate to go stay somewhere for a holiday and find all the kitchen utensils gone, no cushions in the sofa, no board games etc.

[ineedaholidaynow]

I would have thought throws on sofas would be a good idea and then you can swap and clean them between guests.

[Movinghouseatlast]

We can't leave 72 hours, it is fully booked!

[CrazyVictorian]

Honestly I would not expect disinfecting between guests. I thought the science was divided on whether the virus lived on surfaces and to what extent.

I hear of people (non vulnerable) disinfecting their post and shopping and I honestly just think they're bonkers. Even vulnerable people, surely the risk is minute.

If I was that concerned about the virus I would not be booking a cottage. I have for end August and I just expect it to be a normal standard of cleanliness, no fiddling extras.

[EinsteinaGogo]

I'd struggle with the later check in.

The 4pm check in is a pain for me as it is. We travel from the South East to Cornwall, and the killing time bit until the cottage is available is always a rubbish bit.

Even more so now, with less open.

[HelloClouds]

Really interesting thread!

We have a house in the countryside in Spain and I've always provided lots of toys, DVDs, children's books as we get a lot of young families holidaying there. I'm thinking that all that will have to go now. I'm really interested to know what prospective guests are thinking!

[Caspianberg]

We also have a holiday cottage, in mainland Europe, rentals fully re-opened and we are full back to back all summer now.

I wouldn't want all of those things removed, and neither would our guests imo. Most booked last year so booked based on those things being there.

Here:
Bedding - we will change still. mattress protectors have always been used and swapped. Wont be steaming mattresses

Throws, cushions etc - same as usual. We have double of everything, all covers and throws are already taken out, new set in and first set then washed for following week. So this will remain. I wouldn't want unwashed stuff left in before anyway.

Sofas - always hoovered and damp cloth wiped. We wont be steaming them.

Curtains - we won't be steaming them.

Food - welcome baskets remain. Salt/pepper/oil removed

Kitchen stuff - this has always all been removed and dishwasher, drawers cleaned and everything back. This will remain.

Toys and games - have 2 baskets. Will do half and half so guests arent touching anything for at least 7 days (we have min 7 day stay). then rotate.

Communal areas- extra daily cleaning

For us there is actually very little difference. We have always had a high level of cleaning (imo) and this will continue. Its mainly physical greetings etc that will cease. Our check out is 10am, and check in 4pm. We have a 5hr turn around.

[RedskyAtnight]

I would expect to strip beds and put out rubbish anyway, so no problem with any of that. I agree with removing random throws and cushions etc (find these things a nuisance anyway) but not sure what you mean about extra kitchen equipment?

I wouldn't expect more cleaning than a through clean through of the level I think holiday cottages should do anyway. So if your cleaning was good already, I wouldn't expect any more. When I say a thorough clean, I mean things like making sure all the crockery/cutlery has been washed, cleaning the oven and fridge, mopping floors- including into corners, hoovering under sofas rather than just the main bit of the room etc. If I'm particularly worried about anything I'll clean it myself when I get there.

Re welcome back - I'd suggest small pack of bought tea bags/butter/jam/milk and maybe "nice" shop bought cake? I'd rather have shop bought than homemade from an infection point of view.

[Drivingdownthe101]

I wouldn’t want or expect anything different to usual really. A 5pm check in would be a real pain for us with three young children who are usually eating dinner by then so I wouldn’t book somewhere if that was the case. If I had that imposed on me after booking I’d want some form of compensation.
We have a very expensive luxury holiday cottage booked in August; we decided that as we haven’t been able to go anywhere for months we would really push the boat out. If any of the features we’ve booked for were taken away I would be disappointed and hope for some money back.

[Chemenger]

To be honest I wouldn’t expect anything more than usual. If I was booking a “luxury” stay I would be pretty disappointed to find lots of the little extras like cushions etc removed and would expect a discount. There are so few people actually infected now that the chances of the one family before me having left the virus on a surface that I then manage to transfer to my nose in sufficient amounts to infect me is too small to worry about.

[Kindlingwood]

I think removing cushions is a bit rubbish be honest. If people don’t want to use them for whatever risk, then they can pop them in a corner.

But these are bulky items that are an added hassle for a small car full of luggage and crap that carting kids a it brings.

We book cottages because we can leave some stuff at home and just ‘move in’.

I’ve got a cottage booked for August and not planning on doing anything different. As long as we’ve got clean linen and a clean (as normal) cottage then it’ll be fine. Surely?

Obviously I’m happy to take bins ot/strip bed etc if that’s not a normal requirement you have but I wouldn’t want it much different.

And 5pm check in is very tough. Does the cottage really need that extra level of scrubbing?

[ineedaholidaynow]

As a school governor I was advised, when discussing the extended opening of schools, that I was covered by the school’s insurance if someone tried to sue me if a pupil or member of staff caught Coronavirus.

Maybe the excess cleaning on holiday cottages is being done to cover any potential claims.

[maddiemookins16mum]

5pm is late if check out is at 10am? Cushions/throws? Why not just swap what you have with a clean set every change over (otherwise the same could be said for curtains and duvets and even fabric sofas.

[Movinghouseatlast]

It is very interesting, as these are the guidelines from Visit England (currently only in draft form)

So it seems some don't expect heightened cleaning or understand that it takes longer, is for your safety etc. So a bit of education needs to happen to the public.

[Drivingdownthe101]

I don’t really want ‘education’, I want the holiday I booked and paid for.
If all the little details that were the reason for my booking were removed, I would rather cancel.

[Movinghouseatlast]

@ineedaholidaynow

As a school governor I was advised, when discussing the extended opening of schools, that I was covered by the school’s insurance if someone tried to sue me if a pupil or member of staff caught Coronavirus.

Maybe the excess cleaning on holiday cottages is being done to cover any potential claims.

Holiday cottage insurance, which is eye wateringly expensive, doesn't cover us for anything to do with Covid.

We can't claim on our business interruption insurance for example.