What 'out of the ordinary' things would really delight you in a holiday rental?

[Malin52]

Just bought a holiday rental property (yes, I'm in another country with no COVID restrictions except the border remains closed) and I'm super keen to make sure my guests have a really lovely experience.

I've had many experiences of my own of staying in holiday homes with crap or limited amenities that ruins a holiday so between that and the various threads on here I've got a pretty decent list of 'non negotiables' ie full length mirrors, table lamps, 2x the crockery/glassware for max capacity, range of sharp knives, potato peelers, sieves, enough lounge/dining space for everyone, good towels, various saucepans and oven dishes, food serving dishes and tools, games and books you can actually read rather than a job lot of shite picked up at a knockdown price (the beginners guide to Visual Basic in one place I am reminded of) etc.

But I'm Keen to know what would really make you think your hosts had really thought about your needs? Some of those things that you wouldn't normally find but you wish were there or things you have to remember and pack, or go out and buy

Rental is a two bed , beachfront location

Some thoughts I've had:

• basic cooking bits on top of oil, salt/pepper such as mixed herbs, chilli?
• kitchen consumables such as paper towels, cling film, tin foil?
• couple of Tupperware boxes for picnics, cool bag and ice packs,
• ice made up in the freezer
• chilled tap water in a glass bottle the fridge
• beach bits: sunshades, blankets, body boards
• reuseable bags for the supermarket
• sugar, teabags, coffee.

Anything else?

How would you feel about using food items someone else had used previous such as the herbs, oil, sugar etc? What if there was a decanted sealed jar of ketchup in the fridge (bbq on the deck and I always find buying yet another ketchup just for a couple of burgers v annoying). Would the ice and water delight you or make you go eurggh?!

Thoughts welcome? Too much effort for the potential for someone to think it's all a big grim?

Nice fresh towels
Nice hand soap
A few biscuits/mini cakes on arrival
A COMFY BED!

You're brave, people end up trying to outdo themselves on these threads, declaring that anything under a 90" tv and 3567765 thread count sheets makes for a holiday from hell.
I wouldn't use sugar/coffee that had been opened but I also don't like sachets, though I totally agree with you on the ketchup conundrum.

If I chose one random thing, it would be somewhere to dry wet clothes - radiators/a heated airer or a tumble dryer. Holiday homes are often really lacking in this, especially if the weather is not good enough to dry outside.

I wouldn't put out any food items that you're not prepared for people to take. That is a lot of inventory for yourself or your cleaner to track at the end of each rental. I also wouldn't want to use food items that were already open, so no oil herbs ketchup, as you can't trust people to be sanitary. A box of goodies like biscuits, tea bags, tea and coffee sachets, condiment sachets that you are happy to replenish would be better. One or two nice to have, BIG items that are easy to spot if they are missing, umbrella and such. The reason for the random selection of books you see is people will take the nice books and leave another one as a swap. Board games and jigsaws are brilliant in a rental, but nothing expensive.

We stayed in a holiday cottage in Scotland and the owners put us some local produce in the fridge for us, think local smoked salmon, cream cheese, eggs, bread and enough tea, coffee and milk to see us through a few days. It was a lovely touch and meant we didn't have to rush off food shopping as soon as we arrived, we could leave it until the following day

A coffee machine and coffee to go in it.

A kettle that isn't full of limescale

I used to clean for a very highly rated cottage on air B&B and the things that were always mentioned were:
Cleanliness
Shampoo and conditioner
And they had local produce enough for breakfast (sausages, bread, eggs, butter, milk and Welsh cakes).

They did have a couple of spices/ herbs and a small bottle of oil but nothing over the top.
They also had things like bucket and spade and a picnic blanket (but the cottage was very close to a beach).
But I think what stood out is that every time you go there it looked like new, the owners were very good at keeping up with anything that need doing in the cottage which then made it very easy to keep clean and they allowed pets as well but that is obviously personal preference.
Good luck with it I'm sure you've got everything that you need.

I wouldn't want to use food that is already open or have water in the fridge as no way of knowing how long it has been there. I love a welcome pack of local produce and tea bags and milk. Mainly I just want things to be clean and work well and easily and good instructions on how to get things working like the heating ,tv etc
I really love to read a nice visitors book and add to it. Oh, toilet roll always good to see more than a few squares.i think it is best to do the basics really well .

Oh and they stocked the kitchen with plates and glasses etc from IKEA and had a good amount of stock so they could be easily replaced, same with cushion covers and bedding in case there were stains that couldn't be removed (fake tan/ rust were the worst!)

An extension lead (I always seem to have a million things to charge on holiday - Kindle, ipad, phone, watch, headphones etc)

Decent tea towels

Mozzie repellent/citronella candles

Enough household supplies to get you started - washing powder, washing up liquid, dishwasher tablets, bin bags etc

A couple of board games or pack of cards

A bit of info about the local area including restaurants, tourist attractions etc

coolbag, picnic set (plastic glasses etc), washable picnic rug, beach towels, binoculars, tupperware, umbrella.
yes to dryer
no to food

A butler, a cook and a maid.

@SausagePourHomme good call out. I'm maybe being impossibly naive to think these thinks are even achievable.

I've also notice the more you offer out of kindness the more people expect from you. Saw a recent review of a holiday place that complained they had only been given 6 toilet rolls and 20 Nespresso capsules which hadn't been replenished. The hosts response made it clear that this was more than could be expected and it wasn't a hotel! Maybe I'd be setting myself up for ridiculous requests to replenish the ketchup every day.

I was getting very smug thinking how much of a great host I would be thinking of these things but thinking again there's probably a reason why most hosts don't provide this stuff...

Yes definitely a coffee machine!

But no to dried herbs/chilli (they will just be left open for ages, I wouldn't use them as I'd assume not fresh) and eurgh to ice, again I wouldn't be sure when it had been made and how hygienic. Ice trays and bottles ready to be filled by guest, sure

I appreciate:
A well-stocked kitchen, not one glass, one mug, one cup each.
High quality kitchenware
A good coffee machine
A lovely welcome pack in a basket e.g bread, milk, coffee, wine, a cake, flowers
Quality bed linen and mattress
A few cleaning materials, loo roll, dishwasher tablets.
Something to make the place smell nice e.g a good quality diffuser

@rattlemehearties coffee making facilities are the bane of our holiday rental life. Would you be delighted with a Nespresso machine and maybe two caps per person as a starting point ( local shop in walking distance sells the caps) or would a cafetière and a little pouch of coffee be better?

Oh, and no food left in cupboards. I really don’t like that at all. Although salt and pepper is handy.

A recent Airbnb came with an inventory so sharing here, hope owner does’t mind. It was perfect for a longer stay as a family (and so useful to know in advance what to pack and what is there).

The other essential is good WiFi. A little nightlight, blackout curtains, high chair, travel cot, toilet insert/potty if aimed at young families

Lounge
2 sofas
1 winged fabric armchair
1 coffee table
2 side tables
2 table lamps
TV unit
Set top box
Apple TV box
Surround sound bar
Books
Board games

Dining Room
Dining table with 6 chairs
2 winged arm chairs
Sofa bed
Vases
‘Google’ smart speaker

Kitchen
Gas hob/Electric cooker/microwave
Slow cooker
First aid kit
Kettle
Toaster
Nespresso coffee maker
Electric mixer
Crockery set of 8 - plates, side dishes, small bowls, pasta bowls, mugs
Storage containers
Egg cups
Gravy boat
Milk jug
Orange juicer
Butter dish
Tea pot
Glassware- tumblers, wine glasses, gin glasses and champagne flutes
Pyrex measure jug
Plastic mixing bowls
1 loaf tin, 1 12 cup cupcake tray and 2 sandwich tins.
Water jug with filter
Fruit bowl
Dish towels
Chopping boards
Measuring spoons
Knife block
Casserole dishes
Colander
Frying pans
Various size pots
Baking trays
Roasting tin
Wooden rolling pin
Wooden spoon
Potato masher
Garlic press
Pizza cutter
Ladle
Slotted spoon
Grater
Cork screw and bottle opener
Egg timer
Salt & pepper grinder
DAB radio
Smart tv
Place mats/coasters

Utility room
Fire blanket
Washer/dryer
Dishwasher
Ice maker
Iron board
Iron
Drying rack
Spare light bulbs
Spare toilet rolls/kitchen roll
Detergent and dishwasher tablets

Toilet/shower room
WC
Wash hand basin
Mirror
Hand wash & hand lotion dispenser
Shower cubicle with shower and body wash/shampoo dispensers
Shower mat

Master Bedroom
Double bed with wool mattress, mattress protector, fitted sheet and duvet
4 pillows
2 bedside tables
2 table lamps
Drawer set
Hairdryer
Wardrobe with hangers
Wood and glass office desk
Office chair
Television
Chair

Bedroom 2
Double bed with wool mattress, mattress protector, fitted sheet and duvet
4 pillows
2 bedside tables
2 bedside lamps
Drawer set
Mirror wardrobe with inbuilt storage
Television and set top box
Tub chair

Bedroom 3
Bunk beds with single duvets, fitted sheets and 2 pillows per bunk
Floor standing clothing storage and hangers
Drawer set

Bathroom
WC
Wash hand basin with storage
Bath with shower
Body wash and shampoo dispenser
Heated towel rail
Bath mat

6 bath towels and hand towels supplied and changed weekly for housekeeping service

Decent sized chunky mugs, English teabags,
Using the same oil and spices would be fine but not ketchup as I’d like to know how long things have bend open
I always appreciate a good guide to local area - where is good for dinner, cake, drinks, food shopping.
I don’t know that it’s people expect more when you provide more I just think that some people will complain about anything
I’d also love to go somewhere that has plastic bowls and plates and children’s cutlery

We stayed in the most amazing house in Sag Harbor a few years ago on Long Island.

The best bits that made us say wow were:

Fridge with all oils and ketchup and jam and flour milk and eggs which meant we could make pancakes for breakfast.

Lots of different crockery and properly decent pans for cooking.

Wine left as a gift.

The yoga mat under the stairs which meant I didn't need to workout on a towel, plus umbrellas to borrow.

Nest heating and cooling.

Washer and dryer stacked in the kitchen plus dishwasher.

Lovely towels and bathroom.

Oh and it was painted white, amazing art but nothing the kids could break, and I think had been designed by a designer so really did look the absolute business when you walked in with coffee table books etc.

[quote Malin52]@rattlemehearties coffee making facilities are the bane of our holiday rental life. Would you be delighted with a Nespresso machine and maybe two caps per person as a starting point ( local shop in walking distance sells the caps) or would a cafetière and a little pouch of coffee be better?[/quote]
Personality I'd like the novelty of the Nespresso machine as I don't have that at home and that's what you asked in your thread title.

I do have a cafetiere at home and it's annoying to wash up - plus you don't want coffee grounds down your sink from the cafetiere! We don't do that at home but your guests won't know or care not to do that.

Check dietary requirements if you leave local produce.
I am not sure a vegan wants to find a pack of sausages in the fridge. And many people nowadays are sensitive to waste.

I honestly don’t expect food to be left.

Great list @actiongirl1978

Jury's out on the ketchup!

I think the most annoying thing for me is opening the freezer in a rental in a hot country only to find a tiny little empty ice cube tray

Two fucking hours to wait for a gin and tonic...

Thinking of a welcome basket of biscuits/nice crisps, wine, flowers from the garden and some lemons from the trees. In the fridge eggs from the chooks, pint of milk, small slab of butter.

Space in the kitchen to store your own food and a decent size fridge freezer.

Rental owners seem to think that only space to store the things provided in the cupboards is required and don’t get me started on only a fridge with an ice box!

In the weeks before we go away we like to make double of some meals to go in the freezer / buy ready meals so there’s less cooking when we’re away and it would be helpful to be able to put them in a freezer so they could come home again if we decided to have takeaway for example. And the kids like chips, so space for those in a freezer would be good.