Dishwasher or washing machine in holiday let?

[dontdillydallytoolong]

Hi. We are in the process of converting our annexe into a holiday let. There is one double bedroom and a smaller bedroom with bunk beds. There is space in the kitchen for either a washing machine or a dishwasher. Which would you prefer if you were staying? My husband is saying washing machine, but I am thinking dishwasher. Would like help to decide. Thanks.

YABU - washing machine
YANBU - dishwasher

@Pictish You won’t be booking the OP’s cottage anyway. It only sleeps 4. 2 of whom need to be small enough to fit in bunks.

And if it isn’t big enough to fit both appliances, it is clearly small. And space and price wise will attract a market that is not you?

OP, have you considered that it might be best to move into the converted cottage yourselves and let your own house to meet the demands of holidaying MNers?

We are a couple with a toddler. We'd rule out a holiday property with no dishwasher. A washing machine would be handy, but not a dealbreaker.

It's best to ignore the 'who does laundry on holiday/I take enough clothes posts now as those posters have clearly not RTFT with the bajillion explanations as to why you would put a wash on whilst on holiday!

small enough to fit in bunks.

bunk beds are usually single beds, perfectly suitable for adults.

I haven't read all the thread but I am leaning towards dishwasher.

Few people will use the washing machine if they're there for a short break but they will use the dishwasher without a doubt. So if it's a 'short break' type property then you should bear this in mind.

Without a doubt I would not ever use a dishwasher in a rental - personally think they aren’t terribly clean and washing dishes isn’t a long or difficult task.
If I’m city based most eating is out anyway and absolutely no need for one. If more rural type stay cooking is pretty simple stuff, nothing like home cooking, and eating out quite a bit too.
I have used washing machines in rentals (after hot rinse out) - beach towels and swim stuff, walking stuff. Far rather travel lighter Many rental just don’t have space to hang two weeks of clothes for everyone and not interested in living out of a suitcase if no need.

Friends who’ve used my cottage have used washing machine every day after whole days swimming/surfing and used outside line/airer. They’ve often barbecued/eaten out/cooked simply and shared the dishwashing.
No contest for me.

Dishwasher

We go away for two weeks and don’t want to take a lot of luggage so we like a washing machine. What is a pain is if there’s nowhere to hang the clothes to dry. Last time we bought a couple of Aires’s that clip on radiators at a car boot sale and left them there. One let told us we couldn’t dry clothes indoors but there was a garden washing line. We don’t eat in a lot so don’t need a dishwasher.

Gosh, the germophobes! Dishwashers aren't clean! Must wash the washing machine first! How do people manage in real life?

I see a holiday cottage as real life ! Not gramophobe I don’t think but definitely not interested in repeat strangers washing machine grunge. (Not very interested in my own!)

Nor germophobe. 😂

I think you need a dishwasher, as others have said no nice holiday cottages do not have a dishwasher. It's an easy way to cross properties off the list that aren't going to be up to scratch.

Dishwasher every time.

I've never used a washing machine on holiday. I take plenty of clothes and prefer to wash and iron everything when I get home.

Even if I ate out or had takeaways for the whole holiday I would still have tea cups, glasses, the plates the takeaways were on etc to wash. I could wash them by hand but would prefer not to!

Without a doubt I would not ever use a dishwasher in a rental - personally think they aren’t terribly clean and washing dishes isn’t a long or difficult task

It is if there are more than one of you. I stood by the sink after one breakfast for 20 minutes washing up everything from breakfast as people finished with the things.
We usually have a dishwasher in any holiday rentals and fill it and set it off before we leave

Interested to know how people coped if you only had a launderette to wash your clothes in.

Both preferably but I think a dishwasher is essential.

Washing machine. We've had several vomiting incidents on holidays which required full bedding wash. I wouldn't plan to wash otherwise on my holiday.

Dishwasher is nice to have but if you can only have one it's not essential.

Both. I wouldn’t go anywhere that didn’t have both.

bunk beds are usually single beds, perfectly suitable for adults

I’m the smallest person in my family at 5ft 8. The rest are 5ft 11 or over 6ft.

I don’t book anywhere with bunk beds for that reason. I remember ds age 13 was about 5ft 10. We had to get rid of his high sleeper as he couldn’t spread out in it. He’s 6ft 5 now. I think he’d have to fold himself up to fit in a bunk bed.

@ArseInTheCoOpWindow was your ds obese at 5”10 because that height is not an issue an a single bed.

No he was as thin as a lat, l couldn’t get school trousers to fit his waist.

A top bunk has bars on it. So a big person can’t lie with their arms out. I’d find him asleep sometimes with his arms stuck through the bars.

[quote MyDcAreMarvel]@ArseInTheCoOpWindow was your ds obese at 5”10 because that height is not an issue an a single bed.[/quote]
It isn’t necessarily an issue on a single bed, but it is an issue on a bunk.

Without a doubt I would not ever use a dishwasher in a rental - personally think they aren’t terribly clean

Why? They wash at much higher temperatures and for much longer than you ever will when washing by hand. And dishwasher detergent is quite a lot more powerful than washing up liquid.

We had a spell without a dishwasher and things like teaspoons needed so much elbow grease to get rid of the tea stains. No problem whatsoever now that we've got a dishwasher again.

@Nith

Without a doubt I would not ever use a dishwasher in a rental - personally think they aren’t terribly clean

Why? They wash at much higher temperatures and for much longer than you ever will when washing by hand. And dishwasher detergent is quite a lot more powerful than washing up liquid.

We had a spell without a dishwasher and things like teaspoons needed so much elbow grease to get rid of the tea stains. No problem whatsoever now that we've got a dishwasher again.

Elbow grease for tea spoons?

@Nith
I put them in vanish for a few minutes, used to use oxyclean but cant get in UK anymore. Vanish is brilliant for getting rid of tea stains on cutlery

I have stayed in countless self-catering places through my life so far and I say WASHING MACHINE (rainy days walking across the countryside/mud flats and falling over, etc). . It has an added bonus - you can wash the dirty sheets/towels in it between bookings instead of having to take them home. I've never owned a dishwasher and, unless you are a group of more than 5 people, can't see a desperate need for it on a holiday.