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Original poster

How much to expect to be included within a holiday cottage?

173 replies

luckysdadsway · 20/08/2025 06:58

We are currently away for 7 nights in a beautiful holiday cottage. We paid £2000 for the week.

Little things have really irritated me. There is a dishwasher for example but not a single dishwasher tablet included, a washing machine but no wash tablet, a fancy coffee machine but not coffee pods for it. No washing up liquid, the only bin bag included was the one in the bin. For a family of 5 for the week, one bin bag wouldn't be enough!

The instructions clearly say leave as you found it. I'm happy to do that, but surely if they want me to clean then they'd at least provide a dish cloth and some surface spray? Perhaps I've been spoilt in the past, however I'm sure even a haven caravan we've stayed in had a little cleaning bundle with a dish cloth, washing up liquid etc.

What would you expect to be included at that price point?

OP posts:
Radiatorvalves · 20/08/2025 07:02

I agree with you. A small welcome basket with perhaps 7 d/w tabs, small washing up liquid etc. we stayed in a lovely villa this year (milk cheese beer etc provided) and my generally positive comment included a similar mention. Cost for a week was £4k!

We have a holiday house that’s used (for modest fee) by friends and family and I ensure that there are a few tabs and cleaning stuff. I don’t do milk etc though.

Original poster
luckysdadsway · 20/08/2025 07:07

Thank you! Maybe £2000 isn't much these days for a holiday which is why there wasn't anything included! It just seemed a lot to then have to go buy bin bags!

OP posts:
Radionowhere · 20/08/2025 07:08

Yes that would annoy me. The lack of bin bags in particular for some reason. I would leave it tidy but I wouldn't bother cleaning.

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Holidays
Octavia64 · 20/08/2025 07:09

Holiday cottages vary massively.

i’ve been using them for over 40 years. These days as standard they provide towels and linen (a massive improvement) but welcome packs of bin liners and dishwasher tablets are not always there.

I usually take a starter pack with me as you can never be sure.

MissScarletInTheBallroom · 20/08/2025 07:10

I agree with you.

The last place we stayed was around £1000 for the week and came fully equipped with all the cooking and cleaning equipment (plus toilet rolls and bin bags) you might need.

We did have to buy ground coffee because there wasn't a coffee machine, only a cafetiere.

They left a tray with various different types of teabags and little packets of biscuits, as well as a cake.

When my family come to visit me they stay in an Airbnb down the road and the owner usually leaves them a baguette and a bottle of wine, and last time they even provided a home cooked meal.

Coconutter24 · 20/08/2025 07:11

As it’s self catering I would expect to take everything that I need. I have found though most places will have a handful of dishwasher tabs and washing up liquid
If they have a coffee machine I would expect them to leave a few pods/beans

hattie43 · 20/08/2025 07:12

I would expect it fully stocked at that price . I’d just want to bring my suitcase of clothes and skincare/ make up . I’d expect towels , shower gel in the bathroom and definitely the basics in the kitchen , tea coffee bread milk washing tablets / liquid .

schmalex · 20/08/2025 07:13

Who did you book it through? I find it's an airbnb then it's completely hit and miss (I don't use them anymore unless I'm desperate as they're so expensive now). If it's through a rental organisation who vets the properties you'll tend to get a better standard.

ClunkyPigeon · 20/08/2025 07:13

I think it’s got worse in the last few years. I stayed somewhere this summer (expensive!) that didn’t even provide hand soap in the loos. What annoys me the most is that generally families will then stock up, and many of them will leave odd helpful bits behind to save carting them home. It feels like the cottage owners actively remove the leftovers!

Perfectlystill · 20/08/2025 07:14

I agree, it's the meanest thing and makes you behave meanly too, taking all the stuff home with you that you had to buy.

I always pack one black bin bag, one loo roll etc but it's a pain and so mean. This year we rented a villa abroad that came with all the stuff and we were blown away! It was more expensive though - £3700 for ten days.

CatsorDogsrule · 20/08/2025 07:15

I would have taken all of those things with me, apart from the coffee pods. It's not unusual to get a spare bin liner and one or two dishwasher tabs.

There are usually some cleaning bits, agreed, but going for a week, I wouldn't expect to have all of your list supplied for the duration, just some basics as a starter for a day or two.

TooHigh · 20/08/2025 07:17

I would expect it to be stocked too. We stayed in a fabulous cottage in Wales in June that had everything - we felt totally spoilt. They even had a lovely welcome pack with locally made Welsh cakes, a bottle of wine, crisps and biscuits (along with all the cleaning stuff).

hangerup · 20/08/2025 07:18

I would at least expect a few dishwasher tabs, washing up liquid, etc if not enough for the week.

Returnofjude · 20/08/2025 07:22

Didn’t previous reviews pick up on this op?

noname272 · 20/08/2025 07:23

Our seaside home we rent out we provide a handful of dishwashing tabs, washing pods, a pack of coffee pods, tea bags and ample tea towels etc. This is to get guests going until they can do a shop, but we don’t supply the whole weeks worth, you would be surprised how many guests would take home the whole box / bottle if we left full supplies which is why this was stopped.

Louoby · 20/08/2025 07:23

If the cottage is self catering then you should expect to pay for all supplies. I cannot imagine you need to clean the cottage, surely the cost includes cleaners? I wouldn’t pay £2,000 and expect to do a deep clean

JoeTheDrummer · 20/08/2025 07:24

How many toilet rolls did they provide out of interest? We’re currently in a holiday let in Devon and they’ve provided one per person for a week which I feel isn’t enough!

I never understand this type of tightness in a holiday let - spend an extra £5-10 a week on loo rolls, cleaning stuff, hand soap etc and people will be more likely to write good reviews or return themselves. No matter how lovely a place is if I’ve had to go out and buy dishwasher tabs it’s going to make me feel hard done by!

bumblingbovine49 · 20/08/2025 07:26

I think the key for me is knowing exactly what will be provided. My essentials

I often bring those things with me from home as I don't want to spend loads of money on them while there and some may be needed before I get the chance to buy some. I just find it irritating to have brought stuff I dont need in the end as it is just more packing and storing and sometimes things get lost or left behind

Then again the one time I decided not.to bring any of it, the place was like yours with none of it there sigh!

averylongtimeago · 20/08/2025 07:27

In our gîte I leave dishwasher tablets (1 per day), a few washing pods, a selection of cleaning products inc washing up liquid (not full bottles as these get taken home “by mistake”) and hand wash by each sink, a few bin bags and each set of guests get a new dish cloth and sponge. And loo rolls of course.
I don’t call it a “welcome pack” - that’s the bottles of local wine, fruit juice and vegetables.

That is the least I would expect in a house costing £2000pw, (more than I charge!)- the cleaning stuff costs me less than €5 per stay and (hopefully) gets used so my changeover is easier.

mamagogo1 · 20/08/2025 07:29

Vary a lot, but I was left basic cleaning stuff, spare bin bag, washing up liquid (no dishwasher) and tabs for the communal laundry staying in a caravan (privately owned on tiny site) also milk, homemade bread still warm and and lemon drizzle cake plus tea, coffee, sugar, jam, salt and pepper with instructions that if you used the last could you replace so we did leave a new jam and half a litre of fresh milk, rest weren’t finished

Zonder · 20/08/2025 07:31

I expect there to be enough dishwasher, washing machine, washing up and toilet roll stuff to last a couple of days and usually plan to shop the day after we arrive. I would judge a place that didn't provide that.

Fizbosshoes · 20/08/2025 07:33

I agree! We rented a (very basic) caravan in France several years ago. It was listed (and priced) as mid range rather than basic so I can't imagine what thd basic one was like! I'm used to camping so just automatically put in anti bac spray, cloths, tea towels etc....which was just as well as they provided absolutely nothing-not even a toilet roll.

Like you @luckysdadsway the rep said on the last day would we mind giving it a thorough clean because she had lots of changeovers that day. I did mind since they had provided no materials other than a broom to facilitate a deep clean.

Last year we went away to an apartment in Spain, our flight was delayed and we arrived really late on a Saturday, after the offices were closed and had to collect the key from a box. We had to buy dishwasher tablets, washing up liquid etc the next day. On the Monday we had to fill some forms in at the office and saw they sold a small pack of cleaning stuff for €8 or 10. Honestly I'd rather they stuck €10 euro on the cost for the week and left it in the apartment. (They did however leave a small welcome pack of food)

Silverbirchleaf · 20/08/2025 07:36

It’s hit and miss. In some basics are provided, others not. I routinely always take with me some dishwasher tabs, washing up liquid, tea towels, toilet rolls etc.

Regarding cleaning, I’ll leave it tidy, bins emptied, surfaces wiped etc but I’m not doing a deep clean (especially if they’ve not provided cleaning stuff!).

BiddyPopthe2nd · 20/08/2025 07:39

I normally expect a loo roll in each toilet, each bin lined, but while it’s nice to get more, there often isn’t anything else at all.

I always bring a 100ml squeeze bottle of wash up liquid, a bag with a handful of dishwasher tabs and washing machine capsules, a roll of kitchen towel, a fresh J cloth and fresh wash up scrubbier, a hand towel and tea towel (both clean but used from home), a salt and pepper mill (the cheap glass ones with the in-built mill from the spices aisle in the supermarket), a 250ml bottle of olive oil (I just refill the empty bottle at home before I travel), a roll of tin foil and a roll of cling film (both the cheap small sized ones, and live in my SC box so part used), a part used roll of bin liners, and a bottle of spray cleaner.

And a sharp knife, potato peeler, corkscrew, 1 wooden spoon, a small chopping board, and a set of measuring spoons (that was free with a magazine one time) also live in my box. As you never know what you get and I want to be able to cook nice food easily rather than struggle - it’s my holiday too.

Ddakji · 20/08/2025 07:42

Louoby · 20/08/2025 07:23

If the cottage is self catering then you should expect to pay for all supplies. I cannot imagine you need to clean the cottage, surely the cost includes cleaners? I wouldn’t pay £2,000 and expect to do a deep clean

The cottage we go to repeatedly (much cheaper than the OP is paying) has plenty of dishwasher and laundry tabs, a couple of spare loo rolls and kitchen rolls, washing up liquid, sponge, cloth, cleaner, spare bin liners, spare kitchen caddy liners, etc etc.

I don’t clean it as such but I clean up after cooking etc.