Holiday cottage etiquette

[unlikelychump]

We are staying in a holiday cottage, never done this before. Staying 3 nights and this is our last one. We brought things with us like tea towels and washing up liquid but it was nice to find them here when we arrived. Also laid out was posh coffee, biscuits, milk, OJ and bucks fizz. We've had the OJ and milk but not the rest. There were two loo rolls. We've finished one in the downstairs loo and so there is between 2 bathrooms. 5 of us. We asked the hosts for another, they said no "it was a starter pack". It feels like we have breached the etiquette by asking.

I'm now questioning whether we are not supposed to use the other stuff... Or replace it.

Feels strange as I'd much have preferred 3 loo rolls than a pack of biscuits... I feel like going back and trying to trade :)

It is quite an upmarket cottage, lovely decos and beautifully done.

(Obviously I should have bought more loo rolls, I didn't remember it, before you all pile on my for my cheap habits)

What do you think?

Ps. I might find a ratty old one somewhere in the car. We are very rural in Cumbria.

It has just slightly taken the shine off how posh it feels I guess.

(Just to be clear I'm only interested in comments, I'm not going to change what we take, or the good reviews we give)

You can have what was left for you and its normal to top up the loo roll.

You blow your noses on loo roll? Move on from how we use it then... :)

You took your own tea towels and washing up liquid but didn’t think to take a pack of toilet rolls? We’ve stayed in holiday lets where there’s been one roll per bathroom and we been expected to buy our own after that and holiday lets where they’ve left plenty in a cupboard somewhere so I always take a pack with us just incase, worst case scenario it goes back home with us. Sometimes we’ve taken the remainder of the welcome pack home with us if we’ve liked the contents, other times we left it (none us like fruit cake so we always leave that behind).

I think it's getting harder to buy small packs of stuff like tea bags and coffee - you can split a pack of loo rolls and put a couple in the bathroom, or stick a couple of dishwasher tablets in a drawer, but you can't leave half a pack of teabags in the kitchen or decant a handful from a big pack into a jar, people complain about the packet having been opened.

And yes, wine, chocolates, biscuits, they're all 'part of the experience' and people are paying for what they perceive as an experience, not just some accommodation. I think it's fair to ask - some of the holiday lets we've stayed in have provided stuff it would never occur to us to ask for but we've been delighted to find it was available (beach towels and toys, wet weather gear, thermoses) - but also entirely fair for the owner/agent to say you have to provide anything beyond the absolute basics yourself.

I've never found a standard 'rule' on loo roll. Some provide a roll. Some have provided a huge stash. We always take a pack of 2 rolls just in case.

My daughter gets through that much on her own ! 😳

We could have got some all the times we were out, I have just realised that I assumed there would be some (ie I didn't really think about it)

All of this reminds me why I prefer a decent hotel. This is what I prefer when travelling with my husband. I do do self catering with my adult children and grandchild.

i always assume that they won’t provide anything! Generally I think the standard of self catered properties varies wildly. We’ve had some excellent ones and some not so good ones. So I take all my own essentials.

I’m more focussed on the quality of the beds, bathrooms etc than welcome packs.

The best thing is when owners are clear about what will be provided. This is rare, and can only usually be found out for customer reviews (if available).

I wouldn't be surprised at the "starter pack" approach in a basic place, but for something marketing itself as a bit of lux or upmarket experience I think it's unacceptable. I can see the issue for hosts, if they get a lot of guests who just take them with them when they leave. But I think they need to suck it up and provide more regardless if they want good reviews.

You don’t need to replace the consumables you’ve used up OP, but in a holiday home you’ll need to buy any extra once they’re used up. (Though I do think in this case they could have given you an extra loo roll just to be nice! You were only staying one more night.)
If I don’t use things like biscuits I tend to leave them behind, but you can take them if you wish. They’ll be factored into the cost of the holiday home anyway. Anything I’ve half used (biscuits, loo roll) I take as nobody else will want them, but that’s not the case for bottles of washing up liquid etc.

I think you just have to accept that you need to buy some more toilet roll.

Maybe consider making it the last time you have a holiday cottage instead of a hotel. Helping to price more local people out of a home.

I’d expect a new roll of paper in each loo - after that I’ll provide them.

Any ‘welcome pack’ of tea, coffee, biscuits, etc. - I wouldn’t think of replacing any of that.

We once arrived at a holiday let with 2 loos and no paper in either! I had to send dh out on an errand of mercy - I was bursting!

Depends how much you paid for the cottage. 4 plus I'd expect enough loo roll. Less than 4, I'd expect to provide.

What is it on MN today with policing people’s toilet paper use!
This is the second thread.

Some people need more than others because of medical conditions. You don’t need to think about it if you don’t want to but please just accept that without questioning it if so😅

One per loo is usual I would say, and if you need any more you buy them or bring them. I usually pack a couple as it's one less thing to buy locally.

Don't worry about whether you should have asked. You asked, they said no, move on. I'm sure they field all sorts of questions from guests. Maybe you just caught them on a bad day.

I do leave tea bags in a jar. In 7 years, 2 properties no one has ever complained

You never know what you are getting. I have a standard pack I take with me just in case. This includes washing tablets, dishwasher tablets, fairy liquid, anti bacterial spray and loo roll. Sometimes all these things are supplied. On one occasion none ( that was very good value accommodation so they are forgiven). We use a lot of toilet paper so I never want to run out. We even take extra toilet paper if staying in a premier inn.
I find welcome packs vary enormously. We have had nothing or wonderful ones.

I personally can’t understand how you’d use such little either 😂

It’s brilliant when they document exactly what’s included in the listing so it’s clear. I’m sure I’ve seen it sometimes.

We go through one a day at home, Regina Blitz bamboo it doesn't sound a lot to me. Oh goes ten times a day and I'm 3 times

After staying in AirBnBs all over the world there are no specific standards.
Pretty pissed off traveling to Vancouver and Melbourne to find that not even a small loaf of bread, milk ,tea,coffee etc after long haul flights!! And yes the ‘hosts’ knew we were coming from UK .
Other places in Canada and Australia we stayed at had full fridge ,seasoning,olive oil ,wine etc . So it’s just a lottery TBH ! Never had a problem with loo rolls 🤦‍♀️

You are welcome to take the items from the welcome basket, but you need to buy loo roll and sometimes dishwasher tabs.

Another cottage owner here. That’s tight! I leave a loo roll and a spare per toilet.
although I’m regularly surprised at how tight other setups are. We stayed at a cottage In October. Dog friendly. Garden straight into a tiled living room. Zero cleaning products, no mop 🤷‍♀️🤷‍♀️

🤣keep any bad/cheap wine as a “welcome”. I’d rather a furnished the place with a kitchen roll 🤣