To think self-catering places should ditch these Covid era things?

[Rainallnight]

We are staying in a (pricey) self catering cottage for half term.

we are required to strip our beds and put the linen into laundry bags before leaving. I don’t want to do this. I’m on holiday.

And check in wasn’t until 5pm for ‘extra cleaning’.

Two plus years of Covid have taught us hat it’s an airborne virus so opening the windows is the best thing you can do.

These other measures are unnecessary and are now there for the letting companies’ convenience rather than infection control.

It is driving me mad. AIBU?

Unfortunately they are all franchised and are operating with different rules. They breezily informed me if I want to do an 80 minute round trip I can visit a store where I won't need a mask. Absolute madness.

5pm is not a normal check in time, pre-covid it was 3/4pm.

However, I think a lot of the holiday companies are really struggling to get cleaners and that's why the check out time is later.

I strip beds if I have time, if not, I don't and it also depends on the check out time. If they want me out by 9am, I wouldn't have time to strip beds/take out bins etc. I'm not going to bed early on my last day just for someone else's convenience.

Our rules have just changed - a few days ago. Although it's still recommended (for us) to wear masks for close contact procedures, especially if a patient is vulnerable.

5pm check in is too late. The day is nearly finished. I’m sure it use to be around 2 or 3pm.

I hate stripping beds in rented accommodation. Last time we did it there was blood on the sheet where it tucked under the mattress. Made me feel quite sick. If I hadn’t seen it would never have known as the rest of the place was spotless. I’m on holiday. That’s what they have cleaners for.

If check out is before 10 and check in is after 3 i don't book the place. Once the consumer stops putting up with shoddy service the British hospitality trade will have to buck their idea's up. And don't get me started on paying £100+ a night to stay in a shed, bloody madness

I regularly stay at Premier Inns and while the 4pm check in seems to be shifting back to 3pm it's still not the 2pm that it once was. They don't do your room daily unless you specifically ask at reception and even then half the time they 'forget'. They are so breezy on check in about how you just have to ask at reception for anything you need and while that might seem like an easy task you are often left standing for 5 or so minutes while they go and source you some toilet paper (I now carry a roll in my case) - it makes the experience harder then it needs to be. I like to check in and check out and have no further interaction with staff.

I agree with you OP. We had that in a SC catering cottage in August 2020, at the height of the pandemic, and I'm shocked this nonsense is still going on in June 2022. It clearly suits some owners of holiday cottages to have guests do their work for them.

Some catteries are still adhering to the height of Covid rules too, because it no doubt suits them as well. Fuck that. I'll choose cottages and catteries that are there to suit the person who's paying for their services. I have no time for Covid fanatics now. I could just about tolerate them (with an eye roll) in 2020, but now they can get stuffed.

5pm check in - not good

stripping the bed - no problem

I fully agree. Some of the restrictions have been convenient for businesses and they will cling to them until it costs them business.

What kind of person dosn’t strip the beds when checking out anyway it takes 5 seconds

I agree with you OP.

They're using it as an excuse now.

We stayed in a sc cottage in May this year.

No board games, leaflets or books because of covid BUT they didn't supply any handwash for the kitchen or bathroom wtf

TV remote was allowed to stay

No cushions for the sofa which surely covers could be washed between visitors

The place we stayed in last year had late checking and 10am checkout to allow time for cleaning. And they also wanted beds stripped, floors hoovered, bathroom and kitchen cleaned to the condition it was in at arrival, etc etc etc.

We were on holiday with my in-laws who insist on doing all that anyway, but still it feels like taking the piss a bit.

All you can do is vote with your wallet.

If you book / pay, you're saying to the vendor "I'm fine with this".

5pm check in is annoying. Stripping beds doesn't bother me, it was often something that was asked prior to covid, as someone else mentioned, I remember the bad old days when you had to bring bedding and make up all the beds when you arrived. It tends to be when I find things that couldn't possibly be there because DC and DH have allegedly 'checked' the rooms for any possesions.

I hate late check-ins (after 2pm) and if it’s 5pm I think the rate should be reduced.
I person don’t have a problem stripping beds and often do it anyway to be helpful expecting when it’s an air bnb run by the person next door.

Yanbu. A lot of places are cutting services and blaming covid. We were about to sign up for a gym membership with Nuffield but they no longer provide a towel service 'because of the pandemic' and no plans to get back to it.

Our local branch of Cook won’t take cash ‘because Covid’. No, it’s because you can’t be arsed getting a float and go to the bank.

*personally
*especially

YANBU re the 5pm check in time.

I think it's normal to strip the beds even pre covid though?

Me. I'm not physically able.

I work pt for a self catering cottages company. They are now saying that guests can strip the beds if they want (but don't have to, previously they were asked to and linen bags left out). This has changed fairly recently - in the last month, I think. Personally I think stripping the beds doesn't take that long and at least the cleaners can see the state of things, and also they know which bits not to strip off (guests often strip off the undesheets/mattress protectors that don't go in the laundry).

Our check out time has always been 10am and check in 4pm. We need that time to do a decent job, especially in the school holidays when children and dogs have been running around with dirty feet and leaving grass and sand everywhere. The state some people leave the kitchens/bathrooms in, honestly I work flat out and only just finish in time. So there is a good reason for the decent time gap! During Covid we also had to spray every single surface with anti-viral cleaner, including all the bedding, curtains etc. There was a lot of extra work but no extra time - again, it was really tricky to finish.

So yes - agree about the sheets but disagree about the timings - spare a thought for the cleaners 😂

I've been to UK holiday lets for 30+ years and stripping the beds has always been required. That's not a new covid thing.

I stayed in a farm B&B for one night recently who no longer provided cooked breakfast "due to Covid" and also wanted the bed stripped "due to Covid" and me to leave by 9.30am. I agree OP, it's just an excuse for the owner to do less for the same money.

Good god, its 5mins of your time and just might help the poor sod thats cleaning up after you.

I went self catering during Easter Holidays
Wasn't asked to strip beds but was asked not to check in until 5 pm for extra cleaning which I felt was late...in the past it was 3 pm
I can't see how there has any extra cleaning...in fact we had to ring the local office to complain about the cleaning ...def had only had a quick lick !! ...under sofas pop corn and lots of dust ..under bed a sock and lots of dust ...kitchen had been wiped over but no attention to detail ....very irritating !!