Holiday lets - what I really missed this year

[noramum]

There are quite a number of holiday let threads so I though I tell you what annoyed me the last two weeks and what I really liked:

1. If you have an oven in the kitchen an oven proof dish for doing a pasta-bake would be appreciated.
   

1. I know Teflon pans can be scratched easily but I couldn't even cook eggs in the ones provided without destroying them. I wanted fried eggs not scrambled.
   

1. If you provided books for your guests please do not offer the ones you inherited from Aunty Minny she bought as a young woman and died with 90.
   

1. You may have your religious opinion but not everybody may share it. Providing a bible in each bedside table, weekly newsletter with bible quotes, a children bible story book as the "to take home"-gift and various other religious books and DVDs on display really annoyed me. Sorry, I am very open to other people's beliefs but I don't want them pushed into my face.
   

1. Some small food containers for left overs or to take on a day out would be nice.
   

1. More than one chopping board.
   

I liked

a clean and spacious apartment which was ready to move in with beds made and enough nice towels and some basic things like loo rolls and tea towels.

decent knifes, especially the large ones.

enough cutlery, china and glasses so I didn't have to put on the dishwasher each day.

a wide variety of information about the area, up-to-date leaflets and recommendation with nice restaurants, especially with child friendly options like a playground

Black-out blinds which were working.

[JiltedJohnsJulie]

We didn't have the religious stuff but then we didn't have enough glasses either...

[Johnogroats]

Nora - you would approve of our place! Strictly no Bibles and we tick your other boxes!

[superram]

To the lovely people in who's cottage we stayed in last week, we loved:
John Lewis blinds that fitted, lovely bathrooms and posh soap, tumble dryer, wifi, tv in more than one room (inlaws free zones).
We didn't like the plastic mattress protector, no cupboard room for food.

[superram]

Whose

[hanbee]

hoorah, ours all of those things! (Not the plastic mattress protector). Glad we've got something right!!

[MillyMollyMama]

We have found there are too many properties which used to belong to Granny but, when Granny sadly dies, the property is let out just how Granny used to have it. So not the best levels of comfort or quality.

I do provide everything you list, noramum, but I would appreciate guests replacing glasses and crockery they break, or at least telling the agent so replacements can be sourced quickly. I would like my picnic-ware (tiffin boxes, Tupperware, unbreakable plates, mugs, glasses, cutlery etc) to be returned to the house and not taken home. Ditto the guide books. When we try so hard to make a house comfortable, modern, (with wi fi, washer/dryer, iPod Dock, cotton mattress/pillow protectors, freezer, large fridge, food storage cupboards, top quality saucepans and frying pans, lots of oven proof dishes and a dishwasher), clean and welcoming I would appreciate it if guests could leave what they find in the house for other guests to enjoy.

Look forward to welcoming you all in the future!!!!

[spidey66]

I own a holiday let and am always keen to get feedback on how we can improve things for our guests. We love going on holiday in the area and want our guests to love it too.

We have got most of the stuff mentioned, though not much tupperware. Unfortunately we don't have a dishwasher as we don't have the space for one. We would have provided one if we had the space.

[spidey66]

I also agree with the pp about replacing small broken items-though I do provide a small amount of replacement mugs and glasses.

My property is a one bed flat in Cornwall with a double bedroom, shower room and living/kitchen/dining room. The living area has a sofa bed, table and chairs, well equipped kitchen (except for the dishwasher!) wifi, digital radio, freeview TV with intergral DVD, small supply of books, some travel guides, and leaflets about local activities. The flat is on the 1st floor and on the ground is a separate utility room with washing machine and dryer. It has a parking space (the area is short on parking spaces) and has sea views. It also comes with linen supplied.

I'm proud of it and I feel I offer good value for money. I'm always looking for constructive criticism from guests, I really want their holiday to be a positive experience for them.

[gazouille]

Our holiday let was in a great location on the south coast. However, I do feel that the pay in advance to secure deposit turned into the damage deposit (plus pay the entire amount in full upfront) as soon as I mentioned my son. I wanted to pay by paypal and he agreed. however, he began to complain about the sellers charge they had levied and ended up deducting it from the damage deposit even though that is not quite the done thing. I never appreciated the Katie Prince novel in the living room but I ran out of reading material and ended up reading it in the end (shhh!). Lifted an old bedside table to discover a green condom which appeared to have been there as long as the owner and in a state of advanced biodegradation (I assume it had not been recycled as the colour was definitely strange).

[Bunbaker]

Our holiday house in Wells-next-the-Sea was perfect in every way except for two things - no Wi-Fi and a too low cooker hood. OH ended up with a very bruised head by the end of the week.

[Stevie77]

For us it was no WiFi (which we knew of) but also no mobile reception. If your cottage has poor reception, WiFi is a must.

A comfortable sofa where the seating cushions have not sunk in, giving your guests backache.

Enough towels for all paying guests, bigger than a napkin and thicker than tissue.

But above all, when guests email the agency feedback do bother to get back to them. Norfolk Hideaways I am looking at you!