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.

We have booked a holiday cottage from early July. Under the circumstances the company has said we don’t need to pay the balance until a week before.

I hadn’t even thought about this type of stuff. I really wouldn’t want to go if there is additional cleaning that is going to delay entry, and stripping down of the offering such as removal of luxuries.

I’m paying a really large amount for what was meant to be an amazing experience. I will definitely now be checking as to any extra precautions they are taking, to see if we would still want to go.

For those saying a 5 pm check in is far too late I would suggest that they try stripping and disinfecting every bit of bedding in every bedroom, and disinfecting all furniture in the house.

Washing every single piece of kitchen equipment and crockery and cleaning and disinfecting every "touch point" in their homes. This includes plugs, door handles, light switches, bannisters. Controls on TV, kitchen appliances etc etc. Even the lower walls ( children touch our stair walls constantly)

Spraying all carpets and curtains etc with disinfectant. Wiping down all books, DVDs, toys etc etc. Essentially everything in your house.

Then the outside garden furniture. The gate latches, bins. rotary drier, pegs and peg bag.

Could you do that in 5 hours? Probably not. This is why a lot of the extras will have to be removed. It just isn't feasible.

Essentially we look like we will have to do a deep clean and disinfect between every guest and it will add at least a couple of hours to each changeover. Large luxury properties will take even longer. Even a 5pm check in will be pushing it. 7pm looks more realistic for some properties and if the place has been left a tip by previous guests then goodness only knows.

Well I’d prefer you to leave some days between bookings then. And stick to the 3pm check in. Sounds safer and less stressful all round.

I understand you said you are fully booked but maybe you will have some cancellations and can use these to get some wriggle room.

If 72 hours between bookings is what is being recommended to hotels then it might be good practice for holiday cottages too. I don’t see why your customers should lose out on hours of a precious holiday. It’s your problem to solve not to educative your customers!. So no need to have back to back bookings. You take a bit of a hit rather than your customers.

Well I was looking forward to my (possible) holiday in August.

Don't take stuff out the kitchen, there is rarely enough as it is. If you are concerned about books and toys, do a rotation like a pp does.

Good Luck though, I know it has been a tough few months, but if you are not careful you risk losing the repeat customers.

People are questioning why check in is later etc, so it has to be explained what we are required to do in addition to what we usually do.

You don’t need a later check-in. You don’t need to clean anything twice (which is one of the reasons you gave for a later check-in), and considering you’re removing so many extras your job should be easier.

You are significantly reducing the experience. Are you going to reduce the price to reflect that?

Right @Elphame so leave a day in between bookings then or more. Stop being all about the ££ and try think what your customers want and need.

I’d hate a 5pm check in and I wouldn’t book with you.

Mumsnet shocks me at times. I'm getting nasty comments "you arent cleaning it properly", people being really personal on a post about holiday cottages? I was canvassing opinion, and yet people delight in putting the boot in. My faith in human nature really is taking a bashing!

Guidelines say we have to clean with soapy water then clean again with an anti viral which stays on the surface.

For those saying a 5 pm check in is far too late I would suggest that they try stripping and disinfecting every bit of bedding in every bedroom, and disinfecting all furniture in the house

Knowing all that doesnt change the fact that for many people 5pm is still too late. Regardless of the reason I wouldnt book somewhere with such a late check in time.

[quote Movinghouseatlast]@vanillandhoney you misunderstand me. People are questioning why check in is later etc, so it has to be explained what we are required to do in addition to what we usually do.[/quote]
That's fair enough.

I do think it's going to annoy more people than it pleases, though, and it seems very OTT to me. Removing cushions from sofas etc. is just daft - surely you just remove the covers and wash them?

Or, if cushions are deemed risky, what about pillows and duvets? Or sofas at all?

Essentially we look like we will have to do a deep clean and disinfect between every guest and it will add at least a couple of hours to each changeover. Large luxury properties will take even longer. Even a 5pm check in will be pushing it. 7pm looks more realistic for some properties and if the place has been left a tip by previous guests then goodness only knows

That’s fine. Doesn’t change the fact that a 5pm (or 7pm) check in would be far too late for me, and as id booked on the basis of an earlier check in I’d expect to be given the opportunity to cancel without penalty, as it wouldn’t suit me and I wouldn’t have booked on that basis.

I'm getting nasty comments "you arent cleaning it properly", people being really personal on a post about holiday cottages?

Who said you aren’t cleaning it properly?

I personally said if you need to clean things twice then you aren’t cleaning properly because you wouldn’t need to do it again if you’d cleaned effectively the first time.

That, however, is different to saying you aren’t cleaning it properly at all.

If I pause and think about it, I can see you are trying to comply and make stuff safe for everyone. So... yeah. Well done for trying to do the right thing.

You have come across as quite preachy on this thread though, which has got some backs up.

What about moving check out to 9:30am and check in till 4? Gives you an extra hour and a half?

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For those saying a 5 pm check in is far too late I would suggest that they try stripping and disinfecting every bit of bedding in every bedroom, and disinfecting all furniture in the house.

Washing every single piece of kitchen equipment and crockery and cleaning and disinfecting every "touch point" in their homes. This includes plugs, door handles, light switches, bannisters. Controls on TV, kitchen appliances etc etc. Even the lower walls ( children touch our stair walls constantly)

Spraying all carpets and curtains etc with disinfectant. Wiping down all books, DVDs, toys etc etc. Essentially everything in your house.

Then the outside garden furniture. The gate latches, bins. rotary drier, pegs and peg bag.

How the hell have we got to this point? This surely has to be some kind of weird nightmare. This isn't living, I'm not sure if it is even existing, it is just hell.

I would be really annoyed to find limited equipment in the kitchen! I wouldn't have a problem with stripping the beds as I do that anyway. Removing excess soft furnishings is sensible. I have booked a cottage in Pembrokeshire for a week in August and I really hope we are going to be able to go.

5pm check in wouldn't bother me

I prefer individually wrapped tea, coffee, hot chocolate, biscuits, milk

Perhaps leave some bin bags, cleaning stuff, washing up liquid for the customers to use

For people worried about cleanliness, virus etc

I assume that they would not travel to go on holiday, but remain in their own home

I'd be happy to strip the beds and remove rubbish but the delayed check in would annoy me and I'd expect a small amount to be reimbursed to reflect that. I would also be wary of removing items - if they were useful enough to provide in the first place, please don't spoil the experience by taking anything anyway.

Our cottage holiday is booked for August and has already cost a premium. Please don't spoil the experience!

As a regular cottage booker I’d be understanding about some levels of compromise, and we normally check in late anyway, but would certainly like the normal welcome hamper - it’s no more risky than stuff we’ve bought ourselves.

I would strongly suggest that you split books, games, DVDs, local leaflets and maps, into two boxes, rotate them between alternate weeks and inform guests what you’ve done so they can either not worry, or leave them in the box if they’re still concerned.

Just to add - lots of the reviews for the cottage we booked raved about the welcome hamper and homemade cake. It was one of the things that appealed to me!

Hope my lovely cottage doesn't ditch the cake or the tea bags!! If people feel anxious they will choose not to use them but they are a lovely touch for the rest of us who just want an enjoyable break after a shit year!

I think the disconnect comes between what you seem to be being asked to do by VisitEngland, or whoever, and what the majority of your user base actually wants you to do.

No one who is worried about the (incredibly remote) chance of catching something from a light switch is going to book a holiday cottage. For those happy to do so, your normal cleaning is fine.

I would love to stay in your cottage as it sounds super clean. Steaming the mattresses etc is great. People may want to bring their own bedding and cutlery. Mention that they can bring own games etc if they want.

Delatron - that's fine. Sykes has lots of nice cheap cottages which won't be cleaned to the standard. You'll find one with an early check in there.

If I have to leave 72 hours ( that's 4 days) between changeovers then I'm going to be cancelling 50% of my bookings and disappointing a lot of people. If everyone does this then UK holiday accommodation supply will be halved. Many of us won't even be re-opening. I'm holding my prices but next year UK properties will be much harder to find and will cost more. If I was in it for the ££ I certainly wouldn't be a holiday cottage owner!

@TheGreatWave - I know, it's just crazy. The risk is low and guests are far more likely to pick up the virus whilst stopping at the services on their way!

A late check in would be difficult and I would want compensation for losing some of my holiday.

<a class="break-all" href="https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/handle/10665/331937/WHO-2019-nCoV-Hotels-2020.2-eng.pdf&ved=2ahUKEwji-qS4qoHqAhW1UhUIHTN7AAEQFjAAegQIBhAB&usg=AOvVaw1fpIFpTfbBiw2XtHsRAll7&cshid=1592138641698" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/handle/10665/331937/WHO-2019-nCoV-Hotels-2020.2-eng.pdf&ved=2ahUKEwji-qS4qoHqAhW1UhUIHTN7AAEQFjAAegQIBhAB&usg=AOvVaw1fpIFpTfbBiw2XtHsRAll7&cshid=1592138641698

Sorry for the huge link, but I work in the tourism industry, admittedly with hotels rather than cottages. Everyone is using the WHO guidelines to create policies - in the link above, so worth taking a look so you can say you are following WHO guidance.

I'd have hoped the UK government would have come up with something, in the same way as shops and businesses need to be Covid secure, but they haven't yet and it doesn't give much time for those planning to open on the 4th July.

You should be clear about all the extra deep cleaning you are doing. That will hopefully stop people whinging about the 5pm "late" check in. You shouldn't offer a discount as you are actually doing much more work than usual to ensure the safety of guests.