If you were staying at a self catered cottage

[bruffin]

That says it supplies towels, what would you expect ,size and how many?

I would "expect" a bath towel per person and a hand towel per bathroom.

One bath/shower mat, one large towel (not huge) per person staying and at least 2 face flannels.
This seems to be standard in most places we've stayed, whether S/C, B&Bs or hotels.

But then most self-catering places will also have washing and drying facilities somewhere too - so you'd be expected to wash/dry your own towels.

It varies! I've had everything from 1 huge fluffy bedsheet and 2 hand towels per person, to a small piece of 'cardboard' per pereson that wouldn't cover my knees never mind dry anyone! I always take a bath sheet these days, as you just never know.

I have long hair, so at the very minimum I need a bath towel and a towel, or what am i supposed to do? Dry myself with hair dripping everywhere?

From experience, I expect at the very least 1 bath towel, 1 regular towel per person - but face towel is welcome.

plus separate hand towels and bath mat.

Spare for longer than 2 nights.

However, the norm seems to be to supply only one bath towel and one hand towel per person, meaning that you can't wrap yourself and your hair in lovely big towels and unless you are travelling with people who don't need hair towels, you need to multitask the hand washing towels

Or less than that if you are in a triple or family room. You can usually get more towels if you ask but often one set per person is not supplied as standard.

Bath and hand towel per person, also a bath mat/towel and tea towels too.

This is what you get when you 'hire' linen abroad in campsite cabins/lodges, so that's the minimum.

For up to one week, as a minimum I'd expect a bath towel and hand towel per person, a hand towel in every bathroom and cloakroom, a bath mat in every bathroom, and a hand towel, oven gloves and 2 tea towels in the kitchen. At a seaside location, I'd expect a beach towel per person. I wouldn't expect face cloths, or bath sheets instead of bath towels, but they are a welcome bonus. In reality I've experienced everything from a thin, small bath towel per person and nothing else, to a floor to ceiling linen press full of luxury towels with a note to 'use whatever you need'. Strangely, the quality and quantity of towels hasn't always matched the quality and cost of the accommodation. As we know on MN, folk can be funny about towels.

many would find using a towel even more than once unimaginably grim

Presumably more grim than the continued destruction of the planet involved in daily towel washing?

For 5 days I would expect two sets of towels (bath sheet, hand towel and flannel each plus extras for each bathroom), though, if it's on the luxury side.

Could it be a mistake? We are regular renters of one cottage and a couple of times the cleaner has forgotten to put towels out at all. Obviously it was quickly rectified.

They say it is a face cloth, hand towel and bath towel per person but sometimes it will be face cloths and 2 both towels each. Also a couple of tea towels and a clean bath mat.

many would find using a towel even more than once unimaginably grim

then maybe they should learn to shower properly, using soap and rinsing to get rid of the grime, not just get wet and use the towels to "clean" themselves.

That's one of the first things you teach children, don't use hand towels until your hands are clean!

I'd expect one bath towel and one hand towel. Ideally I'd like 2 of each if staying a week. I usually take an extra towel with me. I usually take my own tea towels as these can be hit and miss.

Thanks everyone,
I am going to wrote a good review and just put a note about the towel situation.
Its a nice place and we would go back.

I'm with the PP who is startled by people destroying the planet with excessive laundering of their own towels! However I do wish landlords would go for one bath sheet per adult which cover all sizes and something (not necessarily a floor towel - just a wooden thing for safety) for the bathroom floor . That would do me for a week. I can bring my own flannel and beach towels. I can see the problem for LLs if they have turnarounds under a week.

I never get why you get a personal hand towel in hotels and cottages. Doesn't everyone just hang one hand towel per bathroom or kitchen like you would at home?