Holiday home - what are your top 5 must haves - in order?

Clothes? I don’t wear the same underwear or t-shirts several times in a row. We go away for 2-3 weeks which means that each person either needs at least 14 separate outfits including socks and underwear or we run a washing machine once or twice and can pack half or less than half of the things we need.

This in turn translates into being more mobile, ability to travel by public transport whenever possible, splitting the time between several places or going on holiday in a full hiking mode (meaning we can carry everything on our backs and hike).

I wouldn’t mind having access to a laundromat/launderette but I have not seen one in probably 20 years.

Ideally at least two bedrooms but can make do with one if a high end couple retreat.
Location, ideally near sea, loch/lake or river
Washing machine

Desirable but not essential: hot tub and champagne flutes.

1. Minimum king size bed (that doesn't have a saggy mattress)
2. Dishwasher
3. Easy allocated parking
4. wifi and tv reception that works
5. Ensuite plus main bathroom

Inside toilet - a lot of holiday cottages don't have them in my country. Likewise for running water and electricity. I've done a rustic holiday to a cottage with none of those things (except there was a pump bringing lake water up to a hosepipe in the sauna for washing with) and while it was alright for a couple of days, I definitely prefer indoor plumbing.

Own beach (lakeside preferably) with a swimming jetty. A boat is a bonus but not a must have.

2 or 3 bedrooms, or a bedroom plus sleeping loft - doesn't matter if the kids share but I don't want to share as well!

Sauna is an absolute must, preferably wood-heated.

Grilling shelter of some sort.

1: min. 3 bedrooms - DD and DS are too old to share
2: location - DH and I absolutely refuse to drive on holiday, so has to be in walking distance of shops and restaurants
3: WiFi. I defy anyone to go on holiday with a teen and a tween and not need WiFi.
4: air con. We love the Med but it does get very hot.
5: swimming pool. Adore having our own pool to splash about in. Doesn’t need to be massive, there’s only 4 of us, but bigger than a plunge pool.

Enjoying all of these things right now - although the air con only being on between 10pm and 6am is problematic!

For the three of us it's pretty easy and the list would be location, nice relaxed space, well equipped kitchen, some outdoor space to BBQ, and parking.

For our bigger family group (usually 10) is the right configuration of bedrooms, enough bathrooms, but also the corresponding living space... we all want to eat together, and have space to sit on sofas at the same time. So many places say 'sleeps 10' but really they've crammed beds in and the lounge or dining table can't fit more than 6 for example.

Dishwasher is just a basic requirement

I would want two bedrooms, king size beds, two bathrooms, a view and a hot tub

I went to a place which had the most amazing kitchen equipment - think ice-cream maker level. It transformed the holiday, everyone wanted to cook, saved us a fortune and much more relaxed.

The must-have minimum for any place: DISHWASHER INCLUDING BLOODY TABLETS

Something you can actually cook on. Just about to vacate an Airbnb with a terrible induction hob. As soon as one ring gets hot, it automatically drops the temperature of any others that are on. It took an hour to cook pasta and sauce with sausages on the side (one vegetarian in the group) for six people. Wish I were kidding.

We're on holiday, we don't want to cook three course meals every night, but we also can't afford to take all six of us out to dinner every night for a week!

Enough beds and no footboards because they are challenging for tall people. We were zooming in on all the bed photos before booking.

Parking and/or transport links.

King size bed

Dishwasher, as I've had too many holidays where previouys guests didn't wash pots and pans properly. Grim

Helpful if a small supermarket nearby

Otherwise, provided the house is clean, we're pretty flexible

1. is it a residential area? I would never stay on a residential street. It’s so easy to get carried away in the holiday spirit and forget the impact you’re having on the people who actually live there.
2. — 5. as above

Has some character, whether that's modern and funky, traditional, quirky, whatever, it's just not a 'normal' apartment.

Nice view, somewhere where I can sit out and eat meals / read my book

Walking distance to shops, preferably lovely little independent ones like a baker and butcher etc!

Enough bedrooms, preferably ensuite for mine!

Nice pub nearby

I've started doing laundry towards end of holiday. Quite like coming home with clean clothes. But not essential

Large comfortable bed
washing machine
parking
not too far from decent supermarket
no children

Enough comfortable seating for everyone. Not a 2 seater sofa and then bloody dining chairs.

half decent pillows and bedding. No poly cotton.

some basics in the kitchen including cleaning things.

washing machine. Dishwasher

For a UK holiday it has to be,

1. Detached, we don't want to be hearing noise from next door.
2. At least 3 bedrooms, all with proper beds. (even though there's only 3 of us)
3. Off road parking.
4. No dogs allowed.
5. At least 2 bathrooms, preferably 3.
6. A separate area where my son can set up his PS5, yes we do let him take it on holiday.
7. A garden.
8. Nothing shared with anyone else.
9. A dishwasher.
10. It has to be modern looking, we don't like old cottages.

My list of requirements does narrow down the amount of holiday homes available but we always manage to find somewhere that ticks all the boxes.

Depends, abroad location -walking distance to shops/ bars/ restaurants, a private pool (or access to a shared pool, bedrooms, outside area and distance to airport.
in my home country, mostly as above except swap out airport and pool and change with allows lets as is want to take my dog.

No pets.
Enough bedrooms for everyone going.
At least two toilets.
A shower - sounds obvious but we stayed in one place with a shower attachment on the bath taps. I thought it would be ok for a week but it was awful.
Owners who are nowhere nearby.
Nothing shared with other people (garden, pool etc).
Comfortable sofa and armchairs to relax in the evening.
An oven big enough to cook more than one thing at a time and enough baking trays.
Dishwasher.

We have booked a place where parking was not available outside, but in a nearby public car park, for which we had a weekly pass. But never again, as too far to carry stuff.

We stayed in a flat in Tenby one year with no on site parking. One of us had to get up early every morning to feed the pay and display machine in the car park down the road (You couldn't pay for more than 24 hours at a time). Never again.

When I lm on holidays I don’t like driving so close to eg beach / forest, and pubs/cafes/shops is a must (or on a reasonable bus route)

Id like there to be a bit of outdoor space. in terms of the actual holiday home I’m not too fussy beyond a decent bed and a strong shower. I can make do with the most basic of kitchens for breakfast and likely to have charcuterie/picky tea depending on if the local shop is a farm shop or a coop. ;)

1. Off street parking that is a sensible size and easy to park in.

1. Walking distance (2km) to a shop or pub.

1. Nice bathroom with a decent shower and water pressure and plenty of hot water

1. Comfortable beds.

1. Garden for kids and dogs.

Enough bedrooms
King size bed in at least one of them
Quiet location (not on main road)
Log burner if going in winter
Private parking

Washing machine/ dishwasher/ no pets allowed are all definite plus points as well, but the five listed above are must have for us.

I agree with a lot of the requirements above, e.g. comfortable mattresses and proper wine glasses, but those are usually things that you find out after you arrive.

Number of beds;
Parking;
Outside Area
Outside Garden Area;

We have got all of these things wrong in the past. Once, we booked late and could only get a cottage with a sofa bed for eldest DS. He hated it, and had nowhere of his 'own' to unwind, etc.
We have booked a place where parking was not available outside, but in a nearby public car park, for which we had a weekly pass. But never again, as too far to carry stuff.
There have been a couple of occassions whereby parking was on the road outside, but in those cases there was space for this, (remote house; no one else would park there), but now I would try and go for offroad parking. The same house (with parking in public carpark) had no outside garden/patio at all, so now I know to find somewhere with at least an outside patio, but best have been those with gardens.
We usually prefer to stay in different locations, but went to one place in Norfolk 3 times, as it fitted all the criteria, and plenty around for DC to do.

Area
Own garden (I immediately reject "shared garden" - and so often it's not explained how many others will be sharing it)
Off-road parking
Enough bedrooms
No pets

Washing - if holidaying in the UK for more than a couple of days, I usually have a service wash at a launderette (drop it off one day and pick up the next). Worth every penny to come home with clean clothes.

Sorry also want no footboard on the bed and parking.