Holiday cottage equipment....

[1hamwich4]

Just want a second opinion here. There is no drama, no outrage, no tragedy. We will not be complaining or anything. Yes, it is a first world issue.

We have just arrived at our holiday cottage. It is in the middle of a National Park, first week of the school hols, so not particularly cheap.

Which of these items would you expect to find in your cottage?

1. A few Tea bags
2. Pint of milk
3. Toilet roll
4. Guest soap
5. Washing up liquid/few dishwasher tablets
6. WiFi

If you can be bothered please tell me the order of likelihood that you might expect these in. I'm curious to know whether my reaction on arrival was reasonable or not...

Toilet roll and wifi if sated on the ad do the cottage. The rest only if left by previous guests.

Depends how much you pay really,we tend to go for cottages that are advertised as luxury so there's always a welcome basket and basics. I'd definitely expect loo roll and soap!

I think it's up to you when booking if there's WiFi or not.

** to check

We've enough experience to take all of those (except wifi), pleasantly surprised if it's provided - but we've learnt from bitter previous bookings not to expect it!! Sometimes the cottages we've paid most for have had the least in them.

Toilet roll
Guest soap
Washing up liquid/dishwasher tabs
Teabags
Milk
Wifi

Would expect all of them plus coffee and sugar.

Friends rent out a holiday property and provide all the above plus washing powder, bread, butter, eggs and bottled water not in huge quantities but enough to see you through a night plus other items can be provided on request at cost if people require.

Did it specifically mention a 'welcome pack' in the descripton?

I have been so disappointed in holiday cottages over the years - in fact we gave up for many years but went last year to a wonderful cottage .......... not beautiful, modern or even in the countryside but so well equipped. Booked again for this year.

Everything you mention provided, plus loads of 'back up supplies', posh biscuits, packet of fudge, tea towels, silver foil, cling film, every type of cleaning product you could dream of, sandwich bags, herbs, spices, oils etc. Even a choice of coffee makers. .

I wouldn't expect anything off your list to be honest. We take everything with us. Wifi is nice to have but not essential.

I think it definitely depends on price tag and type of property : caravans generally don't have any of this stuff for instance.

I'm normally more concerned with cooking equipment, e.g. do they have enough cups, plates etc. do they have a grater, bottle opener, scissors, oven trays, oven dishes etc.

If it's a cottage in the UK though you'd usually bring your own milk and choice of tea or coffee though presumably.
We were annoyed abroad by the lack of toilet paper, it feels like common courtesy to provide at least one roll per loo. Ditto a hand pump of soap - one of the bottles costs about 99p and they generally last for months.

"I really don't even get the expectations of tea and milk, never mind wine!"

Same here. We usually self cater, and tend not to stay in budget end properties, but we have never been left teabags or milk. I am fussy about tea anyway so always take my own.

I would only expect Wi-Fi if it was specified in the particulars.

I'd hope for loo roll (but always take my own) and everything else a welcome surprise. I always check beforehand whether wifi or not.

We stayed at a place last week that had all of your list, plus a bottle of wine, plenty of tea, coffee, hot choc, milk, chocs, cleaning materials including laundry and dishwasher tablets. It got a 5* Tripadvisor review from me.

I would only expect:
Loo rolls
Washing up liquid

Unless anything else was advertised. Kitchen equipment is much more important imo.

However, I am always very pleased to find guest soap and any basic food supplies. We went to a v cheap airbnb on the med this month and had a bottle of olive oil left as a welcome gift which was hugely welcome.

I tend to leave tea bags and coffee, salt and pepper if I have any left for future guests to avoid waste but don't expect them from the host iyswim.

If it's a cottage in the UK though you'd usually bring your own milk and choice of tea or coffee though presumably.
We were annoyed abroad by the lack of toilet paper, it feels like common courtesy to provide at least one roll per loo. Ditto a hand pump of soap - one of the bottles costs about 99p and they generally last for months.

Wifi is a relatively new requirement on my list.

I get pissed off at the lack of washing up liquid and dishwasher tablets. Especially if there's nowhere nearby.

The thing that gives me the most rage though is cheap equipment and blunt knives which are frankly dangerous!

Rookie- I wouldn't. Last place we stayed had home made sconces, bread and jam. The very least I'd expect is a tea and coffee and milk in the fridge.

• A loo roll in every toilet, no less than half used.
• Wifi code unless the details said no WIFI
• Some Washing up liquid and a few Dishwasher tablets
• Hand washing stuff in toilets, liquid soap though not bars of soap, that would be manky!

I wouldn't expect milk/tea etc unless the description said that they would be providing.

Considering the fortune you are expected to pay for these properties cleaning supplies etc should be included. I mean in the grand scheme of things a bottle of fairy, some cleaning spray, kitchen roll, loo rolls etc aren't going to cut into the budget too much! Doesn't have to be fancy stuff, just supermarket own brand.

Loo roll
Washing up liquid and sponge
Hand soap in the bathroom
The option to have some shopping done that I could pay for when I get there.
Local newspaper with a what's on guide.

OP, that sounds quite mean of them. They should have replaced the nearly used up stuff and put a couple of extra loo rolls in the bathroom.

What they did is almost worse than just not providing any thing!

I wouldn't expect tea bags or milk - although we've generally had those in places we've stayed. Wouldn't expect WiFi, but if I wanted it I would make sure I booked a place that had it.
Toilet rolls, soap and washing up liquid I would expect because they're not expensive and just make a better impression if a place has them.

I would expect enough toilet roll to last a couple of days. It's a necessity and if I were the owner is be aware that if the holiday makers forgot to bring some then...well it wouldn't be great would it?

Milk and tea bags, no.
WIFI - I'd expect it to be an option that I could perhaps pay extra for.

We're currently in a villa abroad & spent the first few hours running between the loos with the one loo roll that had been left for the 4 bathrooms! Whilst we all knew the situation & decided it was best placed in the cloakroom, most of us got caught out. I was not amused!
I should know by now that you rarely get soap but somehow never remember to bring it.
We have been joking about whether the cleaners ever have to buy their own cling film, tea bags etc or just live off left overs. No doubt they're on minimum wage so need it more than I do but I still begrudge buying a whole roll knowing I'll only use a little. However, what annoys me a lot more is beach stuff. Why can't villas have some sort of system where beach umbrellas, body boards etc are included and you lose a bit of your deposit if they go missing. They don't cost much but it is such a waste to discard them after a week's use.
To go back to your original question OP, I would only expect tea, dishwasher tabs etc if a "welcome pack" had been referred to.

I'd have poured over the house details and would have expected whatever it was they said they would provide. If nothing was mentioned in the write up I'd still expect some loo paper. I'd also be hoping there would be wifi even if it wasn't mentioned. I think some owners dare not mention wifi just in case it's not working.

I wouldn't expect milk, coffee or tea and I wouldn't turn up at a cottage without my own supply.

It would also depend on the cost. OP you say it cost several hundred quid for a four bedroom cottage in a national park. Is that a low or high several. If it was a cheap cottage I'd be less pissed off.

A friend of mine cleans holiday cottages and all of the above are supplied, along with a welcome pack with biscuits, cake and a bottle of wine. Of course one entitled twat complained that one bottle of wine didn't go very far between 6 of them . . .