To think that a 7pm check-in is too late when you have young kids

[sqirrelfriends]

I woke up to an email this morning from the company I booked a holiday cottage with for next month.

For corona reasons:

7pm check in (instead of 3pm)
9am check out (instead of 10)
Removal of all high risk items (they mentioned board games and the DVD player but I would imagine it's going to be barren)

We would have to drive about 4 hours to get there with a young child, 7pm just seems too late to me to check in, and equally 9am is too early to check out, especially with all the extra stuff we would need to bring. Am I being unreasonable to think it would never take 10 hours to clean a cottage? And would you be cancelling?

@FrangipaniBlue it's not drama, it's just more stress than I would like when I'm on holiday. I'm allowed to take it next year instead so I don't know why I wouldn't.

We're not desperate for a holiday as we had two weeks in the Caribbean in November (and had massive issues with our toddler not sleeping) and I don't fancy a repeat.

The issue I suppose some will have is that in an ordinary holiday season most people would go out for lunch, visit an attraction etc before checking in.
This year will be completely different with most places shut or long lines, so apart from a picnic in the car, most people will probably want to check in to the accommodation as soon as possible.

Telling people to just spend the day doing activities and go out for lunch isn’t going to be so straightforward for many this year.

@sqirrelfriends. I just read your last post about your toddler not sleeping when you went away in November - is his routine always such an issue, it sounds like harder work than usual?

@Coffeepot72 he sleeps really well, as long as he's had his dinner, bath, milk, stories and teeth cleaned. If you try and mix it up by getting him ready early, or in the wrong order it's a no-go. He also will not sleep in a pram and never did, even when he was little.

It's highly frustrating, especially since I have friends who can get their LO's ready and pop them to bed in their pram before going out for a late dinner. At least in normal circumstances he's a good sleeper.

Why have you got a toilet on your car roof?

Just had to go back and read your posts twice Malbecfan. You have a holiday cottage but you might not let it this year because it's nice not running into tourists all the time. Perhaps you're in the wrong business if you don't welcome tourists?

@BigSandyBalls2015 that really made me laugh, I had to go back and read my posts to see what you were talking about.

I meant the toilet situation at the beach.

I don't for one minute believe they'll be doing these "deep cleans" they claim. They can be pretty slapdash at the best of times so I cant6imagine them steaming carpets and mattresses.

@LaureBerthaud I've never used this company before, but everywhere I've stayed in the past I've had to do at least some cleaning. Most of the time I've had to re-wash all the kitchen stuff as it's been put away wet and smells mildewy

The only additional cleaning they've mentioned is disinfecting touch points. They may be steaming everything, but haven't mentioned it.

Before lockdown I used to do all the touch points at work (I didn't have to, I just didn't fancy catching corona), it took less than 15 minutes.

Have they said they won't move the booking OP?

We're waiting for them to get back to us @DownToTheSeaAgain

@sqirrelfriends

We're waiting for them to get back to us *@DownToTheSeaAgain*

Have they got back to you yet?

We have booked with Yorkshire Holiday Cottages. There is no one booked in the day before our holiday is due to start. I rang to ask if we could possibly check in before 7pm because we have two small children who are usually in bed at 7pm. She was quite rude, saying "We can't guarantee anyone can be in before 7pm."

She could have said, "I understand and I'll see what I can do." I wasn't asking for a guarantee, I was just asking to see if it would be possible! In the end she said she would put a note on the system. Their communications on this have been terrible. They are showing very little understanding or flexibility. I understand how difficult it is for them and for holiday cottage owners and for cleaners. But it seems a one way street at the moment. Not good.

@Seasiderabbit no, we haven't heard. The holiday cottage company emailed twice to say they haven't heard back from the owner. Then the owner got in touch with my husband to say she had been trying to call them and wasn't able to get through (DH didn't ask her for an answer though).

I've checked and the prices have gone up massively for that week so I doubt the owner will have much trouble finding someone. Also really hoping we don't have to go, after seeing what's gone on at Bournemouth.