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?

We went to a cottage in Norfolk when my kids were little. One toddler son was at that emptying the kitchen cupboards stage and we spent the entire time lifting him out of the way of the under sink cupboard that was full of bleach, dishwasher tabs etc. (Eventually secured with an elastic band). I suggested to the owner when we left that it might be a good idea to put a child lock on it, one that can twist out of the way if you don't need it and twisted back in place if you do.

I noticed in the reviews of the place a few weeks later that another guest had been really pleased that there was a child lock on the cupboard and how thoughtful it was of the host!

@EggysMom not everyone likes bleach around their towels/floors and some toilet systems can't have bleach. Please don't put bleach in someone else's toilet!

I would not drink water left in the fridge or use the ice.

We bring a sharp knife and a decent vegetable peeler everywhere we go... Opinel knives and Kuhn Ricon peelers.

We were talking about this just 2 days ago and most places we have stayed in do not have enough lounging space for the number of occupants. There were 5 of us and on L shaped sofa. It needed a couple of extra comfy chairs or even decent beanbags would have done.

Also if there is a sofa bed designed to sleep an extra 2 people, make sure there are enough dining chairs and space at the table for those people too.

That list from @Pepperama is extensive to the point of having a lot of unnecessary stuff on there, even my actual house doesn’t have a lot of that stuff!

My number 1 request in a holiday home is proper size wine glasses and pint glasses. Absolutely hate arriving to find the owner has raided an old pub and there is a thimble next to one of those comedy enormous wine glasses.

not everyone likes bleach around their towels/floors and some toilet systems can't have bleach. Please don't put bleach in someone else's toilet!

This is all the more reason for the host to leave their squirty toilet cleaner of choice. If a guest makes a mess of the toilet and there is no cleaning product they will have to buy their own which may or may not be compatible with the sewage system.

Decent solid coat hooks so we can hang 3x coats per person.

3 coats! I only own 3 coats and one of those is a scruffy old gardening coat. Unless it's somewhere with a very variable climate, I wouldn't be bringing more than one on holiday.

Going against the grain, I hate blackout curtains, I like to wake to the sunshine. I don't want to waste my holiday sleeping in until lunchtime because my body thinks it's still nighttime.

I don’t want bleach. If it’s there I won’t use it. Bleurgh.

OP I had an award winning cottage which I set up from scratch. To a large extent what you provide in the cottage will be determined by your target market. I know you said it’s a two bed by the sea, but are you targeting families? Or well heeled couples? The set up of the cottage (layout, standard of the furnishings etc) and of course your price are all closely linked.

So think very carefully about who your target market is, and what they’d be delighted with.

I would also echo a previous poster that what delights most people (in my experience of my guests) is quality, and that things look like new. I always aimed for people to feel like they were the first to stay in our cottage. That is hard - really hard - to do, and it’s also expensive to keep everything at that standard. The plus point is that people are more inclined to look after things than if they are already looking a bit tatty (when frankly they think, why bother?)

So on changeovers you need to be vigilant about checking everything from marks on the paint work that need to touched up with the paint brush if they won’t come off, to immediately replacing chipped crockery or that broken glass that got thrown away. Wonky handles, anything that is a bit loose or not quite right, dirty marks on furniture/ furnishings - it all needs to be A1 and it’s relentless (because you normally only have a couple of hours to get things fixed till your next check in).

You’ll also be amazed what the cost of kitting out even a two bed will be. If you really want to “delight” people you can’t just fill it with the stuff you have over from your own home; things are going to need to be new (I mean everything like all your kitchen equipment, saucepans, tea towels, crockery, cushions, throws, rugs, curtains, as well as bed linen towels etc). Some furniture doesn’t have to be new - but things like sofas and armchairs better be in A1 condition. It’s like kitting out a home from scratch, but MUCH more expensive because if it was your home you probably wouldn’t mind having a few mismatched plates etc to start with! If you’re cottage sleeps 4 say you’ll want at least 8 of everything (and make sure you have or can get spares so you can replace as you go along).

To start with I always went to town on an arrival hamper but you’d be amazed also at how the cost of that adds up - and comes straight out of your pocket!!!

So after a year or so I changed tactic, because what people mentioned was the loveliness of the cottage itself, and not the goodies I’d left in the fridge. Other than tea, coffee, sugar and a carton of milk the only food item I’d leave is a homemade cake and some homemade biscuits (which don’t actually cost that much). I’d give a bottle of wine or some flowers for returners (you can usually tell what people would prefer)!

Have fun. If you get it right its an INCREDIBLY rewarding job.

On top of the things you've mentioned I've 'enjoyed'
A bottle of olive oil, salt and pepper.
Cool bag / cool box / ice packs
Somewhere to dry clothes
A small handful of washing machine gel tabs to get us through day one or two
Decent bookshelf
A smallish plastic box full of kids toys. Old barbies / dinosaurs / plastic animals / big blocks for younger children. This in particular was a godsend!
Depending on the type of property; stair gates and a cot that is as prepared and as comfortable as the adult beds. Not some horrible rickety plastic mattressed cot which ensures nobody will get a good sleep! High chair.
Super bonus points for a baby bath seat or a plastic non slip mat for toddlers
Shampoo / conditioner / soap
Bubble bath in one nice place which was lovely!
Excellent WiFi

Oh and if it's a child friendly place - some Tupperware and kids cups / plates / cutlery. Whilst I take my own usually if I've forgotten a fork or having to feed a toddler out of glass all week is a bit stressful

I'm another who hates blackout curtains, if you really must have them it would please me to find you also have voiles so I don't have to completely close blackout curtains to get some privacy.

Have all the children's stuff optional, it's good to have stairgates, highchairs etc available but make them on request and don't leave them cluttering up the place for people who don't need them.

I think some people are confusing "holiday rental" with "5 star boutique hotel"

Pillow menu?

Even if you just have two doubles, that is a minimum of 8 of every type of pillow (but you would need some spares). How many "choices" would you have? Where would you store them?

Blackout blinds.
Somewhere to dry clothes or towels.
Tea towels
Paper towels
Cloths
Usb sockets

Its better to do a little well than lots poorly. See almost every episode of kitchen nightmares.

Actually, blackout blinds plus thin curtains is a better option, then I can just use the curtains and not bother with the blinds.

Apart from the obvious things I always leave the larder cupboard stocked with various herbs / spices as well as olive oil / salt and pepper. Partly because it's our holiday home and I don't want to have to remove all those bits every time there is a rental.

There are also always tea / coffee / herbal teas / coffee capsules / cafetière coffee available as well.

Normally there is some dried pasta / sugar / a jar of tomato sauce / flour in there as well - unused obviously. Although sugar probably might have been used.

We also have more plates / cutlery / glasses than is strictly necessary just to make life easier.

There are two hairdryers - one in each of the main bedrooms.

We also have board games / books / children's toys / children's bedtime story books (Julia Donaldson & that ilk)

Bath mat for the bath for anyone with a baby - needs replacing quite often.

Child steps to reach the sink.
A high chair.
A proper wooden cot.(brought in on request)
Potties - just in case
Microwave Steriliser
A foam jigsaw mat as the floors are wooden.

A few garden games (swingball)
Coolbag & picnic rug

HANDSOAP!

I always find it really annoying to turn up somewhere desperate for a pee to find no handsoap!

Loo rolls
Kitchen rolls
Bin bags

My kids are well beyond the baby stage but remembering those times it's easy to forget something so i think it's nice to have a few things just in case!

Oh and enough hangers in the wardrobes & coat cupboard! I always think hotels give the bare minimum which I find annoying!

Oh yes, and we have a free "bar" - a few bottles of this and that (gin, whisky,) - astonishingly it's never been abused!

As a menopausal I would appreciate a fan in the bedroom.

*I think some people are confusing "holiday rental" with "5 star boutique hotel"

Pillow menu?*

You are right, but then it depends who you are targeting (and the OP has not actually said). My cottage did not take children under ten years, and very much targeted couples having a spoiling, romantic break. So Egyptian cotton bed linen, duckdown duvets, L’Occitane toiletries and super fast broadband were what my guests loves. I wouldn’t have been providing LOccitane for families having a bucket and spade seaside holiday- it would have been a total waste!!

And you’d be amazed how often you have to provide hypoallergenic bedding so I did have to have microfibre pillows etc as well as feather, and they also all take up space to store.

@user1495884673

Yes 3 coats or coat-like things. Is that unusual?

We holiday most in the Channel islands and Canary islands and UK. The weather is variable to say the least. We will have a hoodie/fleece each and also a decent waterproof and possibly a lightweight waterproof too.

Hooks on the back of bedroom and bathroom doors.

Clear instructions relating to landfill and recycling waste.

Cycle store (if appropriate)

Decent outdoor furniture/bbq/fire pit

Enough supplies of washing up liquid, dishwasher capsules, toilet roll etc

Mirror on dressing table or in bathroom that magnifies.

Please check all lights and lamps have working bulbs

As it is a beachfront property a tide timetable and maybe some inexpensive binoculars would be a nice touch.

The holiday cottage company I keep returning to provide plenty of dishwasher tablets, clingfiim/foil, loo rolls, salt & pepper, bin bags etc it’s in Cornwall so everything for a cream tea is in the fridge with a bottle of wine and milk. There’s a vase of fresh flowers on the dining table and it certainly make it feel homely. In Dorset we were left an apple cake so something local to the area.
A pack with instructions on how to use the appliances is useful, and a guide of the local area with recommended restaurants is handy.
Please don’t be stingy one cottage I stayed in only had 1 of the beds in the twin room made up as the owner knew only 1 person was using the room, but what if you don’t want the bed by the window, with 1 cm of hand wash left in the bottom of the bottle and dried out air freshener in rooms. It didn’t make for a warm welcome

We would use and appreciate food like olive oil that is open and herbs and salt and pepper because they’re things you need a small amount of and don’t want to have to buy just for a weeks holiday or think about bringing with you. But maybe we’re not as worried about sanitary aspects as a lot of people?? (In normal times of course)

The last thread about this topic was ridiculous 🤣
Things like Tupperware, binoculars, beach tat, etc. will get nicked. Books will be taken, and ‘swapped’. For anything unnecessary just think ‘will I be happy enough to replace this every few months?’ if yes, go for it.