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.

Has anyone in the world actually caught Covid from an infected sofa cushion?! Those guidelines are insanity. I’d expect a holiday cottage now to be as clean and hygienic as I’d usually hope them to be, nothing more than that.

@heartsonacake

The public don’t need educating or lecturing; it’s been months now.

If you’re not going to provide the service you usually do—and you’re clearly not, a 5pm check-in is far too late—you need to reduce the price and make everything you’re removing explicit.

You shouldn’t have to be cleaning everything twice; if you are finding that you need to, you aren’t cleaning it properly the first time.

The first clean removes dirt and bacteria, the second clean use a different substance for the virus. You would be stupid not to clean a holiday let to a high standard as you need positive feedback, so it does not indicate a badly cleaned property cleaning twice. You generally do not steam clean all fabric/carpets between changeovers hence the extra time. Not all holiday lets will need extra time.

@samstha

CherryPavlova, if I'm paying £1800 for three nights I certainly would not expect to strip the beds or put out rubbish!

You can stay in my let anytime at £1800.00 for three-nights! no need to take out any trash or strip beds!! I'm putting my prices up. :-)

Ah it’s quite special and because our daughter should have been getting married that weekend. Plus it’s my husband’s birthday. It felt necessary to splash out. I don’t expect anyone to take my rubbish out. I tend to strip my bed in a hotel too; it feels like a good thing to make lower paid hospitality staff’s life very slightly easier.

Is it a family friendly cottage? If so a 5pm check in is an absolute no no. 4 at the latest. We usually book an online shop to arrive as we check in, so it’s always a bit chaotic getting on and unpacked and getting suitcases unpacked, getting dinner on and kids to bed that first night, and that’s with a 3pm check in.

Adults only, I’d be OK with a 5pm.

I’d continue to leave some welcome bits, people who mind won’t use them and you’ll soon see what the consensus is.

@AnneBullen

Is it a family friendly cottage? If so a 5pm check in is an absolute no no. 4 at the latest. We usually book an online shop to arrive as we check in, so it’s always a bit chaotic getting on and unpacked and getting suitcases unpacked, getting dinner on and kids to bed that first night, and that’s with a 3pm check in.

Adults only, I’d be OK with a 5pm.

I’d continue to leave some welcome bits, people who mind won’t use them and you’ll soon see what the consensus is.

That's exactly what we do with the 3pm check in. There bang on 3 with a food delivery between 3-4! 5pm would be a total pain in the arse.

That's exactly what would put me off a 5pm check in. We arrive sort out rooms have a look round unpack have a coffee then go & do food/drink shopping. To arrive at 5 and then do that would be hopeless

If I rent a cottage there is no way I'm paying for 7 days but only getting 6, then having me strip the bed and take the bins out before I leave. With reduced facilities.

I get the cleaning sentiment but folks need a holiday too!

As a pp said, 9am checkout is getting up at 6am to do the cleaning, cottage prep.

I reckon a week in summer, in the UK, would cost about a grand - no thanks.

We’re going a holiday let (hopefully) for a week at the end of August. I certainly wouldn’t expect ‘loose’ items to be removed and would be disappointed if kitchen equipment was missing. Nothing worse than self catering without a well stocked kitchen. Also, it is by the beach and the owners provide a cupboard full of beach equipment. I would be annoyed if this wasn’t available.

Honestly, I think a good clean is fine. No need to strip the place of luxuries.

We always stop and do the shopping on the way, so a 5pm check in would be fine for us, even when the DCs were younger, it only takes half an hour or so to unpack the car, quick bit to eat, job done. We usually get up at 8 and out by about 9.30 on checkout day, breakfast, half an hour to pack, DH and the DCs load the car while I do bins, strip beds etc. So I wouldn't have a problem with a 9am checkout either.

The later check in would annoy me (annoy anyone)
I would also expect to still see cushions and throws and general comforts, or the cottage will not be welcoming.

I would provide information about the cleaning - what products were used and extra measures you are implementing to keep your guests safe. Things like remote controls should have clear coverings that are changed over etc. Steaming if you can is great.

Most guests if they care enough about it, will bring their own dettol and clean the cottage anyway. If they are uncomfortable with the cushions they can store them in the cupboard. Ditto anything else. I would provide everything you would normally and let your guests decide for themselves.

Check out should never be before 10am

We tried shopping on the way once and hated it as the car was already full so squeezing it in was challenging!

5pm is too late for the majority on here, so the odd person saying it's fine for them, well great, but loads wouldn't want it.

I'd be happy with check in time of no later than 4pm. We always leave early, before 9 am on day of departure so that wouldn't bother me, but I can see for those with younger kids a checkout of before 10 am would be difficult.

We always strip beds and take out rubbish so that wouldn't bother me. I won't be gettjng out Hoover and cleaning surfaces if the cleaners are coming in anyway, don't see the point. I would be unhappy with kitchen equipment being less than it already is, and taking out cushions would annoy me, maybe have a second set and just clean and spray at home in between clients? I would love knowing the duvet and pillows are fresh and have been steamed between each visit, as let's face it that's where most of the germs are likely to be.

The check in time would hugely bother me. I would also want to clean myself on arrival so not being able to get in until 5pm would not allow much time to do that before dinner.

I never understand what "leave the cottage as you would wish to find it" means in relation to holiday cottages. I would wish to find the holiday cottage cleaned thoroughly from top to bottom with beds made etc, but as a guest I don't expect to do that - I expect the holiday cottage's cleaners to do it

I manage 2 holiday properties and for me, it really means the basics. And actually most people leave it in a similar, perfectly acceptable condition.

To me, it's only really showing a little respect for the person cleaning after you. I'm always happy to see flushed toilets, furniture left in the same rooms as it started in, no rubbish on the surfaces or rotting food left out. A cursory wipe down of the bathroom is nice as I'd rather not see too much evidence of bodily functions. Stripped beds are a bonus.

You are paying to go into a clean property and no one expects holiday makers to clean their cottage ready for someone to go into. Just don't be skanky!

I would assume that anyone comfortable enough to stay in a holiday cottage this year (myself included) would be comfortable enough to touch teabags and sofa cushions too. I can’t see how removing things like this will help, you can’t remove the sofa and the virus could just as easily be on there.

It would be the check in and out times that would be the deal breaker for me too!

Shopping on the way doesn’t work for us, the car is always totally jammed full on the way to a holiday cottage. If at all possible we have food delivered. Where we usually go the food delivery vans are out in force in the late afternoon on a Saturday, would be a pain for everyone if checkin was later.

Dh and I have been looking at cottages and a huge number of them now have a check in time of 7pm. Presumably to allow for extra cleaning but it put us off.

I would expect to have a kitchen equipped to a reasonable standard. In self catering properties people cook for themselves at least some of the time.

I wonder how hotels are getting round this ? They'll go bankrupt surely if they have to steam clean a mattress after each guest - although based on some places I've been to maybe a mattress clean would be a good thing.

To be fair I'm so desperate to get away somewhere this summer I don't really care what time you let me in or turf me out, I'll still go. Although if there is an option to opt out of the OTT cleaning elements I'd rather just do that to,benefit the owner and ourselves. Happy to sign a document saying I won't sue if I get covid-19 pretty sure we've had it already but the nanny state won't let me pay for my own test to findout.

The worst injury one of our party has had at a cottage is when the dishwasher wasn't fitted in properly and fell onto the person's thumb causing huge amount of blood loss, trip to the hospital (several hours away) another trip later in the week for reconstructive plastic surgery and the person has lost feeling from the digit and wasn't able to drive for many weeks. That place was the one with the dusty twigs as well so don't have fond memories. I'd take my slight chances with covid-19 over that any day.

5pm is too late for the majority on here, so the odd person saying it's fine for them, well great, but loads wouldn't want it

That doesn't mean that person's view is invalid. If it comes down to a 5pm checkout or ruling out an otherwise perfect cottage or indeed a holiday altogether as I imagine SC cottages in the UK are going to be in high demand later this summer then I'm happy to compromise on check-in / checkout times, it's a minor inconvenience compared to not getting a holiday at all.

I’m assuming you will have to self cater more as restaurants etc won’t be able to be at full capacity even if SD is changed to 1m

@ExpletiveDelighted

5pm is too late for the majority on here, so the odd person saying it's fine for them, well great, but loads wouldn't want it

That doesn't mean that person's view is invalid. If it comes down to a 5pm checkout or ruling out an otherwise perfect cottage or indeed a holiday altogether as I imagine SC cottages in the UK are going to be in high demand later this summer then I'm happy to compromise on check-in / checkout times, it's a minor inconvenience compared to not getting a holiday at all.

That's what we felt about 5pm. Loads of cottages we looked at said 7pm which felt a bit too late. 7pm wouldnt have been a complete deal breaker for the perfect cottage but it was off putting.

@ExpletiveDelighted

5pm is too late for the majority on here, so the odd person saying it's fine for them, well great, but loads wouldn't want it

That doesn't mean that person's view is invalid. If it comes down to a 5pm checkout or ruling out an otherwise perfect cottage or indeed a holiday altogether as I imagine SC cottages in the UK are going to be in high demand later this summer then I'm happy to compromise on check-in / checkout times, it's a minor inconvenience compared to not getting a holiday at all.

If we have to compromise, we will. But holiday cottage owners on here are asking what we'd prefer, and 5pm is too late for many (though would probably be tolerated through gritted teeth).

It would start the holiday really badly for us personally though as the kids would be a sodding nightmare that first night due to the rushing around on arrival.

@ineedaholidaynow

I’m assuming you will have to self cater more as restaurants etc won’t be able to be at full capacity even if SD is changed to 1m

That's what we generally do on a SC holiday! We probably only eat out once, but will probably get something via Deliveroo etc instead!

Reading the comments with interest, as an owner.
I get the point about check in times, but it takes me the full time most changeovers normally- so I am not sure what to do about that (can't just hire extra cleaners- the good local ones are all busy!)

Cleaning: part of my risk assessment is my risk in being exposed to the virus while cleaning. I am going to ask guests to leave all windows open when they leave to ventilate the house. Also to strip beds and bag the laundry including duvets and pillows so I can quarantine them for a few days before handling. Rubbish: guests should empty all bins and put personal waste in sealed bags in non- recycling bin. I really really don't want to be finding used sanitary towels or used condoms . Oh, and please fill the dishwasher (top up with crockery from the cupboards if not enough dirty ones) and leave running.

I will of course be wearing a mask and gloves.