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?

Oh and don’t get me started on glass chopping boards. I swear many cottage owners have never actually STAYED in their property 🤣

I didn’t know loo rolls aren’t supplied in cottages in the UK.

Actually you need a licence to leave alcohol, so I don't!

They are, but not for the whole stay unless you are only there for a couple of days.

All the fancy welcome pack goodies are yours to take. Personally I’d expect at least a loo roll plus spare per toilet, regardless of the length of stay. IME, most places include more loo roll, plus basics like cleaning products and washing up liquid because frankly, they want you to maintain the place. It wasn’t a faux pas to ask, if you don’t ask you don’t know. As this thread shows, there’s no hard and fast rule. Personally, I’d leave a lovely feedback comment but note that for such an upmarket cottage, with 5 people and three nights, you’d have expected more loo roll provided. The owner can choose to disagree. No rights or wrongs. You’re the paying customer.

That's good, I'd based the assumption on never having stayed in a holiday let with open packs/decanted stuff, and on seeing people swerve unlabelled or decanted stuff when attending catered events. I'm all for a bit less overpackaging and a bit more flexibility!

If I ran a holiday cottage I’d leave one on the roll and three spare per bathroom. Not the cheapest but supermarket own brand or whatever works out cheap but reasonable quality.

id also leave two dishwasher tablets per day of stay, a full bottle of washing up liquid in a glass pump action bottle with a “please leave in cottage” label and the same for the hand soap in all bathrooms. Add four tea towels, decent oven gloves, enough cookware to make a roast dinner, decent knives, a roll of foil, a roll of kitchen towel, a spray kitchen cleaner and some toilet cleaner, oil, salt and pepper, tea / coffee / sugar, a pint of milk and a load of bread.

I think it’s fairly easy to stock and accept that some people will nick all the loo rolls and some will use their own.

Do tou need a licence? Is it considered a sale of alcohol because people have paid for the accommodation?

Just google "is loo roll included in self catering". Self catering gives you a few bits and pieces to get you going, and the welcome pack of biscuits, water etc is something extra that the owner may give you.

Nah it's not! Do you use just a square or two each in your house? Each to their own, but we go through 2 every 3 days and there is only 2 of us. I use loo roll for nose blowing too.

When we have stayed in self catering cottage there was one toilet roll in each toilet.
We expected to buy more plus milk, bread and anything else we need.
Often there are biscuits / wine on the side on arrival but not always.

Yes, that's why. Obviously it's very unlikely you'd get found out.

We run holiday lets - we leave loads of toilet rolls so find it weird they would be so tight about a cheap necessity and yet leave things like Bucks Fizz.

In answer to your question, you can use anything they have left and you don't need to replace it.

A couple of loo rolls per loo is hardly a big ask.

It can vary from place to place. The better equipped ones have washing up liquid, dishwasher tablets etc, but not all do. I don’t think you were out of order asking, though.

We broke a glass once and replaced it (with a supermarket pack of four). The owners were appreciative but said they would have considered that as ordinary wear and tear. (We didn’t want get a hefty bill afterwards! ).

We must have stayed in around 30 cottages over the years. They always just provide a couple of toilet rolls and then you have to buy more. Meanwhile most provide a week's worth of dishwasher tablets and kitchen roll - i find it odd but that's how it always works.

I do not think you are being unreasonable at all op, how they can you possibly expect 5 people to use 2 rolls for their stay is beyond me

Personally I am, and have always been, a 1 roll per pooh person and I cannot help that.

Exactly! Also, let’s not forget some people may have need for more due to health conditions. Also, if it’s my time of the month, unfortunately I can go through them v quickly! 🫣

So personally I think ideally more than 2 should have been provided for 5 people but that said, my ex who has more experience of this type of accommodation always used to bring a large pack with him so I guess that’s normal etiquette to just provide one or so per toilet.

I own a holiday let. I leave my guests 2 loo rolls, tea bags, instant coffee, a few pods, a small milk, a little welcome hamper but also some squash, cooking oil, kitchen roll, washing up liquid and a brand new but very basic washing up sponge. I also leave tea towels and an oven glove.
i provide towels too.

im my welcome hamper is some local alcohol, porridge pots and some local biscuits. If it’s a peak booking they get more goodies.

inknow I don’t have to leave any of this but I want good feedback!!

Actually that isn't correct, alcohol can be left by hosts as part of a complimentary gift. I manage 7 holiday cottages ( pretty much the only industry left In our town!) Some owners pay for a welcome pack some don't, (we have a company that supplies them but they aren't cheap!) those that don't normally supply tea, coffee, biscuits and packet milk. We also leave 2 loo rolls per toilet we are able to supply more but we can't allow access to where they are kept as some guests have been known to help themselves to anything that's in there!🤣🤣

They are supplied but only 1 or 2 rolls per toilet. So it’s not enough for a large family for a week’s stay, for example, but you won’t need to rush out to the shop straightaway.

If it’s Airbnb I thought that loo roll should be provided?
I would take all food stuff home with you.

The stuff that was left for you is free (or rather included in the rental cost) you don't have to replace it. But if you need more you just pop into a local shop and buy it.

Your ‘starter pack’ is a welcome basket. It’s just a nice touch most self catering cottage’s do. When you book a cottage they usually are self catering which means you take your own food and loo roll.

We do a starter pack too in our holiday let. Enough to start you off but you buy any consumables .