Arrived at holiday cottage and no towels!

[savingin2018welltryingto]

So we have arrived at a holiday cottage, we have stayed at many in the past and there are no towels. Although bizarre I know this happens ocassionally so went back to check the listing and there's no mention of this.

We are miles from anything so suggestions on a post card for showering tomorrow morning - the curtains?! Just kidding of course.

What's the most random thing you've found missing? Before this it was hand soap which I found ridiculous given the price.

I'm with the I've never not had towels provided unless specifically stated when I booked.

We've just got back from Wales and there was everything provided and enough towels to sink a battle ship!

DH works classifying and signing up cottages for a huge cottage company (one of the largest in the UK) and all the properties are required to supply towels and bedding as standard.

They won't take on properties that don't and they no longer take ones with electricity meters that take coins or where you pay for that, or other things, as extras.

We stayed in a “luxury” house in Devon, 21 of us. Towels were provided - one per room. Which meant we had something like 9 between us. One room had 4 beds and one small bath towel. There were also a total of 5 mirrors in the house, three in one room. The sitting room had 8 comfortable chairs. Bedroom furniture was the cheapest of cheap flat pack and was literally falling apart. Absolutely none of the fancy appliances worked it was a total rip off.
We stay in at least one self catering house a year and other than that one towels have always been provided. I wouldn’t book if I saw they weren’t because I would assume it was a sign of general stinginess.

For 1400 a week no towels is pretty rubbish, especially the message they sent about it.

We've booked a 3 bed cottage in Wales in August for 450 a week and there are apparently towels and bed linen provided, so if they can do it at that price...

I own a holiday cottage in Devon which is right next to my house so I can hopefully resolve issues quickly. My description says: Beds will be made up prior to your arrival and towels are provided, but you will need to bring your own beach towels. The towels I provide are a hand towel and bath towel per person, then 2 tea towels plus bath and pedestal mats.

It's not a luxury cottage (no nespresso machine, log burner or dishwasher) but there is a cafetiere. There is washing-up liquid, carex hand soap, a decent amount of kitchen roll and bin bags, with instructions to ask for more if they need them. I also make up a welcome tray with tea bags, chocolate biscuits and a jug of milk so guests can have a brew on arrival. I provide a couple of toilet rolls per week (nice branded ones). I charge £500 pw in August...

I've stayed in self-catering properties including caravans, in the UK and other countries in Europe, for around 20 years now. I would always check beforehand if towels were provided, if it wasn't specified in the description. As for people expecting toilet rolls etc. for every guest to last the duration, as standard, come off it. The norm ime is one in each bathroom to start you off (very mean if you don't get even that), after which you buy your own. Do you expect groceries to last you all for the holiday too? The clue's in the name - self-catering.

Also, a "free" welcome /guest pack is often effectively "adding" a hundred or more to the cost of ones stay. As my DH says, "you pay for gimmicks". But knock yourself out if you're happy to pay £££s for a bottle of wine and a cake. £1400 for one week for an average size family? Nowhere we've ever, nor ever would stay.

Have just double checked our SC booking (August, £350 for a Week) and it says towels provided. I'd be fuming at £1400 and no towels!

Malbecfan your place is a good price. Wow. I haven’t never found anywhere for that sort of money in the summer holiday weeks.

Where are you all staying for £400;a week In August? Caravan? I’m looking at £1400-£2500 a week sc in the uk.

The clue's in the name - self-catering.

Self catering to me means you cook or eat out. Not lug a 9 pack of bog roll across the country. I've only been to one place that provided half a toilet roll in each bathroom, I asked for more and they brought some.

DH works classifying and signing up cottages for a huge cottage company

Sykes or similar? I'd love that job! Self-catering properties vary SO much in their quality and we always book somewhere at least 4* and go with one of the big operators like Sykes or Cottages 4 You, or somewhere which has tourist board accreditation. Reading through the Scottish Tourist Board standards, it's only a requirement for 4 and 5 star properties to supply towels as standard, but they do say that if towels and linens aren't supplied, this should be clearly stated on the website.

I'd never stay anywhere with a coin operated meter. That's like something out of the 60s.

That's rubbish, OP, and I'd be ticked off as well. I've stayed in a range of places running from holiday cottages where the beds were damp and all the (sparse) cutlery was patently nicked from motorway service stations, to places so well-stocked that the kitchen was significantly more luxurious than my own.

Experience has taught me to take at least one towel and an emergency loo-roll, though, just in case.

Ah, this takes me back to when my XH booked a holiday cottage for us (and our five small children) in rural Wales, and forgot to mention that towels weren't included. He knew, but did he do anything about it? No, he expected me to know by some psychic osmosis, because he knew.

And of course he did fuck all of the packing. Bathing five children under eight with nothing but a tea towel in darkest Wales at Easter - now that was fun. Eventually bought some towels in a supermarket, and then divorced him.

I've stayed in self-catering "villas" around Europe, as well as cottages around the UK, about once a year for 20 years and never ever ever taken towels with me and never needed to.

Hope there is a satisfactory solution. I'm sure the OP will take a towel with them on every holiday in future.

Know are you Op? Did the anyone reply?!

It's quite usual in France to not have linen provided. As we drive, we are now wise to this game and stuff all our linen, towels, the towels and toilet and kitchen rolls in with us now! Would be annoyed if I was flying and I found it out...

I find it harder to get cheaper now given that we need to accommodate 5. The choice is a lot less for starters. Upto about £800. For 4 would be cheaper.

We go north Yorkshire coast or Northumberland on the whole. Never a caravan, they seem very expensive.

If anyone has any gems they've stayed in I would be very interested, always looking for more to add to the list. Preferably with towels

Can you say how many for and roughly where in the world?
Dogs etc?
I go to a beautiful place in Scotland. Allows dogs, is in a woods, not far from a beach but not sea views. Has towels and washer /dryer and dishwasher. And provides washing tabs etc.

windywednesday not caravans here, a lovely place in Staffordshire with a games room for the DCs. It has great reviews, I spent a lot of time searching for something in our price range. Obviously beach destinations etc were out, but there's beautiful countryside up there.

We have a holiday flat in a Devon seaside town. We try and provide the basics and more - yes towels ! John Lewis ones if that's acceptable ! Anyway the flip side to owners providing luxury is good tenants. We've had binoculars and a dyson stolen, a backpack for carrying toddlers and most of our decent knives. It's really hard to get the balance right I terms of provisions as we are relying on local cleaners to do the change over.

I always take our own beach towels.

Oh and it's only 2 bedrooms but there's a sofa bed too, so we can sleep 5 of us. Agree that the jump from 4 person seems steep. I just make the DCs share.

We did have a super cheap Feb half term in a four bedroom house one year in Wales, that felt like luxury being bigger than our home, loads of towels too!

@PolkerrisBeach He got the job as we have a property with the agency. Lots and lots of driving. Paid by the visit so no job security and zero hours. You get a bonus if you get them signed, plus a 2nd visit paid for (for formal photographs). He is only part time and just "gives" them days he can do and then they fill them. His best month was about average earnings. This month he has earned £100 only but he has another, steady job 3 days a week.

He bloody loves the job and they are always looking for people. But, it would be crap if we were relying on it alone to pay bills etc. Worth doing if you live in a holiday hotspot. We live somewhere fairly remote so jobs are scarce.

Pm for more information if you really are keen.