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...

In a lovely place in Devon now. We arrived to:

loo roll (single, I think, but only one loo anyway)
liquid soap (plenty)
hotel-style mini toiletries
tea towels and cleaning cloths
bin bags (various for the recycling, compost etc)
a few dishwasher tablets
washing up liquid
farm eggs
loaf of bread
pint of milk
butter
homemade rocky road
tea bags
coffee for cafetière
sugar cubes
ice in the freezer
charcoal for the barbecue
Wifi
Smart TV including Netflix

The owners are on site and we asked about a second pan (one provided, plus two deepish frying pans) and they went out to buy us one today.

Where are all these lovely places? I need details.

Only one loo roll in each toilet. You are renting the property only. You take your own items to use like washing up liquid, tea bags.

Wifi again is an outlay that cuts in to the profit and is non essential. I would like it but not expect it unless stated at the time of booking.

Threesoundslikealot your holiday place sounds great. Where is it?

Loo roll
Soap
Wifi.
First 2 enough to start but not necessarily enough to last the weekend
Currently at a Cotswolds holiday cottage with a party of 42

Toilet Rolls and soap. Anything else would be good but I wouldn't expect them

18 years of SC holidays in UK and Europe here. I'd expect one or two toilet rolls, nothing else. Anything more would be a bonus. The clue's in the name.

In our holiday let you would get all 5, plus:

Salt, pepper, ketchup sachets, individual butter, jam and marmalade, local chocolate or biscuits, posh crisps, small loaf of bread, TV with free sat, selection of dvds, books, games, proper coffee, small shower gel.
Reasons are because we want guests to enjoy their stay and feel welcome, return and encourage them to shop locally in the village.

Last year we stayed in what was a nice flat but no loo roll provided. I was a bit disappointed that they didn't have that. Luckily we had popped a spare one in the car. The others are nice but not essential. Wifi adds quite a bit on to rental usually so if not in particulars I wouldn't expect it.

Probably a health and safety nightmare to supply soap or washing up liquid due to allergies. Wouldn't expect food stuff or tea stuff. Maybe a loo roll to keep you going till you went shopping. WiFi only if advertised

I wouldn't even expect dish cloths either.

Those things listed I would expect to be in a welcome box and pay extra for.

Probably a health and safety nightmare to supply soap or washing up liquid due to allergies

That's a new one on me.

Apart from the milk all the places we've stayed have had all Of those things. Most places have notes stuff, there's even been wine a few times.

Apart from a loo roll there was nothing in our holiday cottage in Wales, and it was 10 miles from the nearest shop (we knew this and went prepared).
I've always assumed that I'd need to take everything 😊

I cleaned holiday cottages in rural Scotland. Loo roll and washing up liquid were always supplied.

I think tea bags and sugar, salt and pepper as well.

Not milk. I don't think wifi, but wifi should be advertised, just like hotels do (or don't.)

I don't get the health and safety aspect of soap and wu liquid either.

I would have thought that if you had such sensitive skin you would take a pair of wu gloves and your own soap anyway.

Actually, I've just had a minor light bulb moment. I posted further up about the things we leave in our holiday let - but I personally oversea this and turn it around each week. And it is a faff to make sure you've milk, coffee, new magazines, cake etc on hand each week.

I know of another house that is a student let for 9 months and then turns into a holiday let in the summer - this is turned around by agents and so aside from one loo roll, hand soap and clean linen and towels it doesn't have a welcome pack at all. So the level of welcome might depend entirely on whether the owner is turning the place around or if agents/cleaner are organising it.

Just realised i have incredibly low expectations. Because it's self-catering i assume i need to provide anything i'm going to consume. So i don't even assume there will be toilet roll.
I have to keep mentally reminding myself to pack towels though. I'm not eating them ffs - they ought to be provided!

We holiday in cottages regularly and would only ever expect toilet roll from your list.

I've certainly never been left milk. Sometimes nice owners leave a bottle of wine!

I would expect toilet roll, a full roll in each toilet.

Washing up liquid/dishwasher tabs IME are hit and miss but should be provided along with dish cloths and tea towels.

Soap is a rare find.

Milk/tea/wifi are all the kind of thing I'd expect to find out about before booking.

We have stayed in a couple of places with a coffee pod machine that was not listed as a feature but no pods. We found that really annoying and pointless.

Depends if a Welcome pack is included. If not we take our own things. Sometimes there a few bits and pieces left by the previous holiday makers.

Expect all and more but it does depend upon the owners. I have had a lovely hamper to zilch from one cottage owner who then announced she was staying next door in an annexe when the cottage had been described as detached and private. She would have been using "our" garden and eating out area when we had paid a lot of money.

Thankfully the company involved rang her and tactfully pointed out that another date might be more appropriate!

I think its a bit off to not even have a pint of milk for customers who have probably travelled a long way, together with some sugar, tea bags etc, perhaps a prepared tray. Good business really as owners like return bookings and recommendations. Doesn't cost much to promote good will.

I think its particularly important as Cornwall in particular (my favourite) is so very expensive in the summer holidays. One cottage owner who had moved her cottage to a more upmarket company (shall remain unnamed) wrote and asked if we would like to return. Well yes, of course we would but it had gone up in price from £1,300 per week to £2,500. Theres your answer.

I returned home yesterday from the holiday cottage we go to every year. It had all of these things.

I would put them in this order
1.Toilet roll

1. Soap
2. Washing up liquid/few dishwasher tablets
3. A few Tea bags
4. A pint of milk
5. WiFi

The holiday cottage I go to did not used to leave milk. They started leaving milk, biscuits and jam last year.

We've just come to a UK holiday let. Expected wifi, and hoped for toilet roll. We have both. Lots of cleaning supplies here but no food.
So many dietary issues and preferences in the world these days I think owners would find it difficult, although a pint of milk would have been appreciated but we brought our own anyway.

Just been setting up my holiday let and was told be various professionals that if you want to have a five star review you need to have everything on your list.

If your let was cheap, no. Paid a premium? Yes.