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Original poster

What little things annoy you in a holiday home?

317 replies

Callistone · 28/05/2019 21:23

We're in a lovely holiday home at the moment, really nice decor, plenty of crockery and cutlery, a food cupboard of cool bags and beach rugs to help yourself too, definitely one to visit again.

However they have provided three dishwasher tablets and no spare bin bags. Hardly the end of the world but for the price of the rental I always get mildly irritated when they are so stingy with something inexpensive like dishwasher tablets. If it was me I'd just have them in stock like washing up liquid.

Anything irritate you?

OP posts:
BikeRunSki · 28/05/2019 21:35

I meant bedside lamps, not bedside tables

LolaSmiles · 28/05/2019 21:36

I thought it was just me and DH who get irrationally irritated by blunt knives and glass chopping boards.

Butterymuffin · 28/05/2019 21:38

WiFi that only works in one specific spot, usually a very communal one where you don't want to be checking email or sorting out your sudden work catastrophe

Having bedding supplied but having to put duvet covers etc on yourself. I don't come on holiday for that, I come on holiday to immediately collapse onto a bed someone else has made.

No decent corkscrew. I don't mean it has to be one of the wanky £30 ones, just not the super cheap variety that are really hard to use.

BettyBooJustDoinTheDoo · 28/05/2019 21:38

I have stayed in many holiday cottages and the one thing I always look for in the photos before I book is how big and comfortable the sofa is, so many have titchy tiny sofas which is not conducive to winter nights in front of the log burner, the cottage could have every other amenity under the sun but I would not book it if the sofa was of the dolls house variety, which so many are.

Original poster
Callistone · 28/05/2019 21:38

No bath mat either. We're using a spare pillow case as we had to bring our own towels and didn't bring any spares!

OP posts:
TheRLodger · 28/05/2019 21:39

No decent size mugs
No corkscrew especially in France
Those silly square pillows and duvets
When there’s 4 of all cutlery and crockery which is annoying if you need a bowl for cooking say

wildhairdontcare · 28/05/2019 21:39

We went away for a weekend in February. Beautiful, five bedrooms, enough beds to sleep fourteen people... and a dining table with eight seats Hmm

DameMargaretofChalfont · 28/05/2019 21:39

The lack of spare light bulbs drives me mad.

We stayed in a lovely cottage once but 4 bulbs didn't work and after paying £550 for a week I begrudged forking out my own money for something as basis as light bulbs.

Equally it seemed really petty to contact the owner - but we did and they were replaced on day 2.

I think something as basic as this should be checked by the cleaners.

Kernobhead · 28/05/2019 21:41

Insufficient comfy seating for the number of people who can stay

Furniture which is clearly the owners old stuff, especially conservatory furniture in the living room

No parking, especially if the options suggested are car parks that cost a fortune, or car parks that you can’t leave your car overnight... not helpful!

Langrish · 28/05/2019 21:42

Can work round most things if the place is clean. Shocking how many high-end, pricey places (particularly in UK) are quite dirty.

PersilOrAriel · 28/05/2019 21:42

I have an apartment I rent out for holiday lets. It sleeps 4 but I made sure we have 12 of all crockery and cutlery items. I figured the extra outlay would be recouped by not having the expense of guests having to run the dishwasher after every meal.

Original poster
Callistone · 28/05/2019 21:42

I definitely agree that the owners haven't even tried staying in some holiday lets, so they don't pick out all the issues.

We stayed in one a few years back which looked fantastic but was so terribly stocked. Even the fridge had been turned off before we arrived. Barely any knives, I'd have been happy with shit ones by the end of the week. And hardly any curtains or blinds at all, we spent half a day pinning blankets and spare duvets to windows.

The owner was a minor 80s actress. She managed to double book us that first weekend and didn't even think it was worth apologising for!

OP posts:
beela · 28/05/2019 21:45

We stayed in one last year with a great selection of dvds, but no dvd player. Bizarre.

Agree with all of the others, esp blunt knives, small cups and glasses, and no cupboard space for food.

needmorespace · 28/05/2019 21:46

bulbs not working - really boils my blood

BarbarAnna · 28/05/2019 21:46

We stayed in one once, on the Isle of Wight so a lot of visitors would have a long journey including a ferry. No loo roll, at all, in the several loos on arrival. But loads of really helpful bits in the kitchen like sandwich bags, Tupperware, flask, picnic bag which you wouldn’t expect. Over 30 minutes to nearest shop!

Nicpem1982 · 28/05/2019 21:46

Small wine glasses and no cafetiere

MerryMarigold · 28/05/2019 21:47

Stayed in a lovely one in Feb. Really cheap, but there were little bedside clocks in every bedroom which was v sweet addition and home baked biscuits when we arrived. It's the little things that make or break.

TigerDroveAgain · 28/05/2019 21:47

Always take a veg knife and corkscrew! These are the basics but nearly always missing. I hate it when kitchen/laundry staples are missing : just tight.

MrsMoastyToasty · 28/05/2019 21:48

They usually have cups and saucers but no mugs.
There's never a hook on the doors to hang a coat/bathrobe/towel.

Scrowy · 28/05/2019 21:48

We leave a dishwasher tablet per person for a weeks stay, and let people know that they can ask for more if they want them (along with lightbulbs, toilet rolls etc).

If we leave a full pack/ box of dishwasher tablets they have a tendency to walk away with alarming speed.

SenecaFalls · 28/05/2019 21:49

WiFi not working properly is the main annoyance for me.

overthehorizon · 28/05/2019 21:49

Pointless silly ornaments everywhere. Generally made out of glass, china or sharp metal. With lots of throat-sized bits on that are easy to pull off.

IN A HOUSE ADVERTISED AS SUITABLE FOR TODDLERS!

We won't be going back. Also any high chair other than the Ikea one. Just go and get one.

LastChanceFinalOffer · 28/05/2019 21:49

We stayed in a very nice apartment last year. They provided 1 bin liner and 2 dishwasher tab for 10 days.

We once stayed in Self Catering where they had no tv channels working, no phone coverage and no wifi. They charged extra for heating and electric. They had a toy area but all the toys were broken. Parking was up a steep path so we had to make several trips to bring DC and bags to/from the car.

Landfilly · 28/05/2019 21:50

No plug near mirror for drying hair
No mirror in bedroom

Bookywook · 28/05/2019 21:50

Agree with many of the above comments. We're away at the moment and on Day 1 I had to go to a gift shop to buy a proper mug for my tea... The ones here are thimble-sized.
Annoyingly there's no soap/hand wash in the bathrooms, no Fairy in the kitchen, no bin bags. We had to bring our own towels, but that was fine as I knew beforehand.
In the tiny kitchen, there is just one plug so you cannot boil the kettle, use the coffee maker and put the toast on at the same time. We had to go out and buy matches to light the gas hob as no ignition button. And there's no oven. Weird!! We're in the Netherlands.

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