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?

A soft toy and welcome pack for children? Absolutely not. Yes if you’re staying in a luxury 5 star hotel but not in a bog standard airb&b

I've just re-read my list. I don't think any of that stuff is really over and above. Apparently I have simple wishes.

Charcoal for the barbecue would be great? A facility to order fresh supplies through you if no nearby shop? Even if just a few bits to arrive to. (It's different if you've asked ) e.g. milk, Butter, specific number of eggs (if I'm staying 4 nights I want 8. Not 6 or 12.)

I enjoy a paperback exchange too.

We stayed in one with Posh crockery and home made cake. It was lovely.

Definitely extension leads for charging phones, Kindles etc.

A hairdryer. I'm always happy when I can plug the hairdryer in next to a mirror and then leave it on a nearby surface to cool down.

A TV with decent channels and subtitle option.

Enough bin liners, kitchen roll, silver foil, washing up liquid, dishwasher tabs, hand wash (in each bathroom not just in one only) loo roll, milk to last at least a couple of days. A box or two of tissues.

Easy wins:

Good WiFi and a phone charging point. (Built in so chargers don’t get stolen!)
If it’s near the beach, beach towels that are fine to take to the beach! A beach umbrella would be lovely- as would normal umbrellas.
Picnic blankets and a cool box and tupperware.
Nice bathroom products- full sized, not minis- shampoo, conditioner, body wash- obviously you’d have to find a way to secure it....
Toy box for kids and a couple of good games for adults- scrabble would be ideal.
Good ground coffee and a cafetière. Oh and a small carton of milk in the fridge!
First aid kit- especially plasters!
Heated clothes airer.
Antibacterial Cleaning wipes! I know they’re awful for the environment but it’s a holiday...

Lovely to have/dream stuff:

I would love a bottle of wine and some local produce for the first mornings breakfast, but it wouldn’t be expected. It would just make my day!

Decent selection of classic novels. The sorts of stuff you read when you’re at leisure.

If it’s an area that’s good for cycling- a Bicycle with helmets and trailer for a kid.

If advertised as suitable for children/families, then some usable toys/games and a games console with some games.

We lost count of the number of places we stayed in with some grotty old games which weren't complete (pieces missing etc), and even jigsaws without all the pieces. How about a games console without any games (the cases were there but no discs)?

Attention to detail is the key. Same with kitchen utensils etc. A two slice toaster isn't adequate for a 4 bed house advertised as suitable for 8 people, nor is a slimline dishwasher! Nor is wine glasses and a wine chiller when there's no bottle opener!

Back to the OP, it's not so much as wanting "more", it's more a matter of wanting what's there to be working, complete, etc. That's was "delights" us!

I'd concentrate more on having lots of photos showing prospective guests exactly how the house looks and what it contains, together with an extensive list of fixtures, fittings, utensils, etc. Rather than luxuries/gimmicks, I'd rather know that you're going to provide a dishwasher tablet for each day, that there are a couple of spare electrical extension leads, a list of the xBox games available, whether there's a washing line and pegs, etc. - these are the more practical matters that mean I don't have to pack so much and lug it there only to find I didn't need to!

OP you haven’t talked about pricing. The more stuff you provide the more time you or someone else will have to spend maintaining/cleaning/replacing.

For instance, even if you only provide cheap shampoo and conditioner, somebody will have to go in and top up the bottles at every changeover.

Whatever anyone says on this thread, we don’t know whether your local market expects/is prepared to pay for that.

USB charging ports
Good wifi with the code obvious
Plenty of loo roll
And yes, most importantly:

COMFY BEDS!

A couple of books about the local area esp. good walks/interesting history/famous artists/local food, etc.

I love the freedom of self catering but not the work that goes with it so for me anything like a cleaning service, pub meal delivery, farm shop delivery or anything like that which makes a family stay less work for parents, is good in my book.

The last holiday cottage we stayed in had a converted barn which housed a washing machine, tumble dryer , drying rack and ironing board for guests, a table tennis table and darts board for teens and a corner for smaller children with a doll's house, building bricks etc. It wasn't over-done, quite simple, but very thoughtful.

They also supplied for a very small fee (I think it was £2 a weekend and £5 for a week) a "beach bag" arrangement, which allowed you to choose from a selection of beach equipment they had, all laid out and spanking clean in a massive cupboard; extra large beach towels, beach balls and bats, wellingtons, children's fishing nets on a pole and buckets, etc. There was a dedicated place where you returned it to, and then you would find it all clean again in the cupboard the next morning.

Another place had a guy who would come in a van from a bicycle shop at the beginning of your stay and bring bicycles and helmets suitable for your height/weight/age, he would adjust them all for you and give you a bit of instruction about gear changing etc, and then would come back at the end of your stay and pick them up.

The same place had contacts with a firm who would make up picnic hampers for a day out and you could specify what you wanted in advance from an on-line menu. They were really lovely too - always came with a surprise little something or other!

Another place had a hide (sp?) in the grounds from which to watch birds and wildlife and a wildlife camera actually in the cottage from which you could watch a nest box (inside and out). The DC loved that!

Finally, agree with pps that a shelf of books and board games and streamed TV are always welcome in case of bad weather. And of course, a file with suggestions of local places to visit that is kept up to date.

You can't please everyone all the time though op, because guests will have different priorities. One place we stayed at had a "suggestions for improvement" comment book and people were asking for the most ridiculous things like free champagne on arrival or random things like crampons!

Also a dustpan and brush or broom to sweep out the sand.

Meant to respond about condiments etc: I think in these Covid- ridden times then hygiene has to take precedence over everything and personally I wouldn't want to use oil from a bottle that's been half-used by someone else. Maybe a welcome pack where condiments had been decanted in to smaller containers would be better? That would be more important to me than mini toiletries, because we tend to travel with full size shampoo and shower gel etc for a week's holiday. Even for a weekend we would being our own I think.

Wow-
Smart speakers
Smart TV
King bed
Good towels
Nice local toiletries
Beach stuff (if near a beach) to borrow (buckets and spades, crabbing stuff etc.
Tumble dryer
Extra blankets

Welcome basket
Bottled water
Milk
Biscuits or cake
Good Coffee and tea

Hand soap, salt, pepper, oil, herbs, teabags, sugar and ice would all be very welcome. Ketchup too - although my kids use so much that buying a bottle is rarely a waste! I would really appreciate fresh milk too so I can make a cup of tea straight away. Wine and some nice savoury snacks would be a lovely treat that is easy to provide.

I don't think most people would worry about germs/freshness and if they do they can always choose not to use them.

I would really appreciate a hairdryer but only if I knew in advance because otherwise I would pack mine. I hate not having a hairdryer and even take one camping.

I can't imagine being bothered about pillows or thread counts. Just fresh and clean are all I ask.

For practicalities - knowing what to do with rubbish or whether beds should be stripped are really helpful.

Most important - make sure all the kitchen stuff including cutlery is properly de greased and clean between guests. So many times we have started a holiday by having to wash stuff up.
Fresh clean dish cloths and washing up sponges please!

Strong hooks on doors everywhere, and especially in the bathroom for hanging damp towels - or a decent sized towel rail.

Somewhere in the bathroom other than the floor to put soapbag etc.

A good shower.

Minimal ornaments and general stuff.

I always made sure of the following. Quality towels. Bottle of local wine. Large bottle of water. Dishwasher tabs and laundry capsules. Spare batteries for air con and tv remotes. Shampoo conditioner and hand soap. Washing up liquid and brand new scourers. Decent Pans. Towels for the beach. Free book on the local area with nice pictures.

A decent music system, with really good speakers. We've got one in our holiday cottage, and we get endless glowing reviews about it.

All those things (body boards, games, picnic basket, highchair etc) are great, if you know in advance that they are available. If you have already brought all those things with you it's just annoying to arrive and find that you needn't have brought it all! So a good list of what's available is a very good idea.

Clothes airer for towels, swimwear etc.

I’ve just remembered something else! A place we stayed at in France one year had a sort of ‘trust’ cupboard in the main bathroom with things like tampons, shampoo and basic medicines and a note taped to the inside of the door asking could people please replace like for like or leave money in the kitchen with a note at handover. There was probably a maximum of £25 worth of toiletries and medicines in it.

I remember it fondly because we used the children’s liquid paracetamol when we accidentally smashed our bottle.

It was particularly handy because the house was in the middle of nowhere and no 24-hour pharmacies nearby. Probably not worth doing if you have a Tesco Express at the end of the street!

Sticking to the "what would delight you" - decent pans and a decent oven.

It's always a bit of a gamble what you're going to get, so when I go away in the UK I have a huge amount of stuff that I take with me "just in case" such as tea towels, washing capsules, washing up liquid, etc.

The best holiday cottages are those where I can just put my own box of supplies in a cupboard and take them home again at the end. And those where I come away buying duplicates of things they had in the cottage because they were so good. So far I have a new washing airer, toaster and frying pans thanks to the ones provided in various cottages over the years!

One thing I do appreciate with a cottage is instruction manuals - no two ovens are the same and I always end up googling it to figure out what the symbols mean, how to turn it on and how to set the timer, etc.

I would recommend staying there yourself for a few days and playing tourist.

When it comes to choosing a holiday let, anywhere that says it provides something a bit extra (even if it’s simple like a pint of fresh milk and teabags) is a good indicator to me that the rest of the accommodation will be up to scratch as it suggests the owner had put in a bit of extra thought and effort. It’s not like I care that much about a pint of milk itself, but i’d be more likely to book somewhere that provided a pint of milk because it’d give me a good impression.

I often book on Airbnb and little thoughtful things often get commented on in the reviews so that all helps create a good impression that would make me choose one place over another.

Blackout curtains.

I think it's always lovely when there's a welcome basket with unopened milk, tea, coffee, biscuits, a bottles of wine. I also like a coffee machine and pods or coffee and a music system of some sort, i.e speaker to stream from spotify or similar. Lots of towels and good bedding. Nice mugs.

@Worknoplay

Blackout curtains.

Yes! Curtains are always much too light and wake up the kids at silly o’clock...