Page 4 | People shouldn't open a high quality holiday let when they have no generosity for hosting.

CrapBucket · 29/12/2022 12:09

If I had critical relatives like OP I would deliberately invite them for a sub optimal stay... to weed out the freeloaders once I opened the business 😉

LlynTegid · 29/12/2022 12:10

The unreasonable thing above all is the intention of having a house used perhaps for only half the year when there is a shortage of housing in general, and in some parts of the country especially for key workers.

The Welsh plan for is it 300% council tax for such properties is most welcome, though I'd prefer something more drastic.

LouisCatorze · 29/12/2022 12:12

We have stayed in some premium holiday lets in our time (thinking well over £3K for a week). Usually there's one loo roll per loo/bathroom. During the pandemic there were often rules around bringing your own sheets/towels although that's not been usual in 'normal' times.

BenCoopersSupportWren · 29/12/2022 12:14

DairyDiary · 29/12/2022 11:39

YABU, obviously.

You’re not a paying guest, it’s not even open for business yet, you’re obviously not going to get the same experience.

When I was a student, I waited in a very high-end restaurant. At the end of a shift, the chefs would make up a load of “staff food”, usually chicken wings or burgers etc. The tables wouldn’t be laid how they would for guests, none of the other waiting staff asked how my meal was, the candles weren’t lit, the music wasn’t playing - but I didn’t think “well, it must be shit to be a customer here” because I had common sense above the level of the average sesame seed and could tell the difference between my experience and the experience of a paying customer even though it was in the same venue.

As an aside, how much toilet paper do you normally get through in 24 hours?!

That analogy doesn't work, you were employees. The OP was a guest.

Why would you give people you know and presumably like enough to open your home to them a less enjoyable experience than paying customers? When I host friends or family they get freshly made-up beds, an abundance of towels, I buy in food I know they enjoy and make sure they're warm and comfortable, because I want the people I care about to have a nice time and feel welcome.

poefaced · 29/12/2022 12:15

RatTastic · 29/12/2022 10:34

Sorry everyone, was multi tasking, and clearly under thinking.

So a relative has bought a four bedroom house, not far from their home, with the intention of running a 'deluxe' 'high quality' holiday rental.
You need to hear the words in quotes as if it was several grades above where you usually stay, the implication being you couldn't possibly recognise a top notch experience.

They've had it six months, it's painted, carpeted but the single bathroom is tired, the cloakroom you can hear everything in the sparsely furnished living room.

We were invited for free for 24 hours. Another relative present, had previously hosted the holiday house hosts over Xmas .

We wouldn't rent the house due to the location because it's not our thing so not looking for freebies.

I'm thinking that to truely run a high grade hospitality business you need a generous nature, even if that's with the businesses money. So why buy one chandelier when you could have two or go minimalist but with a John Pawson level of detail.
Anyway back to the visit - iabu that under catered, under prepared doesn't hint at personalities suited to this business type.

This is still clear as mud

Were you told there would be towels and bedding and loo roll or not?

You got a free stay and you’re moaning, I’d say they’re the generous one and you’re the moany CF, OP.

DairyDiary · 29/12/2022 12:28

BenCoopersSupportWren · 29/12/2022 12:14

That analogy doesn't work, you were employees. The OP was a guest.

Why would you give people you know and presumably like enough to open your home to them a less enjoyable experience than paying customers? When I host friends or family they get freshly made-up beds, an abundance of towels, I buy in food I know they enjoy and make sure they're warm and comfortable, because I want the people I care about to have a nice time and feel welcome.

Show quote history

She’s expecting the experience of a paying guest in a luxury holiday home when she’s not a paying guest or in a luxury holiday home. She has to be a whole new the level of beyond stupid to think it’s comparable. As you pointed out, they are completely and totally different.

It’s not a luxury holiday home, it’s a potential future luxury holiday home. She’s not a paying holiday maker, she’s a guest in a relative’s property. To think she can judge anything based on her experience (other than that she has the intelligence and grace of a rock) is dumb.

OP was given a free holiday and, not only is she exceptionally rude and ungrateful, she’s making ridiculous and irrelevant jibes at the people who gave her a free holiday. Her experience is not, in any way, an indicator of what it will be like when it’s open for business and she should stop being so bloody ungrateful for what she got for free.

LouisCatorze · 29/12/2022 12:31

I think you'd have to be a super generous host (particularly if not there yourself) to provide a de-luxe experience for 24 hours. Imagine the PITA of having to do all that laundry for used sheets and towels.

He gifted you free accommodation but would have fully expected to DIY the rest.

Years ago, a big group of us stayed in someone's second (really for their retirement) home for a long weekend. It wasn't de-luxe but it certainly was a nice gesture (pretty sure we didn't pay anything). We took our own towels and seem to recall we all slept in our own sleeping bags.

DreamingOfAGreenChristmas · 29/12/2022 12:32

Who knows? It will depend on the price they actually charge. People won’t book and pay for ‘deluxe’ accommodation at top price with only one bathroom. Not unless it is central Edinburgh during the festival or something.

oakleaffy · 29/12/2022 12:39

Willmafrockfit · 29/12/2022 10:29

i think they have now turned the internet off

Haha! 😂

2bazookas · 29/12/2022 12:40

You were not having the holiday let experience.
You stayed as friends. Entirely different .

TabithaTittlemouse · 29/12/2022 12:42

Did the host ask you to pretend to be paying customers and ask for feedback? As in a trial run?
Is what they offered you what they will offer guests?

Finally, are you drunk?

EalingW13 · 29/12/2022 12:43

I get where you’re coming from OP. We stayed in a holiday let over the summer that was billed as a luxury house (and with a price tag to match). The house was grubby and they provided one single dishwasher tablet — and no towels. It gave a very non-luxury feel.

taxguru · 29/12/2022 12:44

@RatTastic

People shouldn't open a high quality holiday let when they have no generosity for hosting.

They've not opened it yet though, have they? And you didn't pay, so you can't even begin to expect the same experience that paying guests will get once it's open.

AreOttersJustWetCats · 29/12/2022 12:44

You were there for 24hrs.... how much loo roll were you expecting from them? Do you all have IBS?

Stunningscreamer · 29/12/2022 12:46

JassyRadlett · 29/12/2022 11:52

This is exactly it. We stay in UK holiday lets a lot with my parents and they prefer to spend a bit extra for something special as we see them rarely.

There is a world of difference between the places that have given you a single tea towel, one dishwasher tablet and a tiny squirt of fairy liquid and totally empty cupboards and those who will have left some foil, oil, salt and pepper, some milk and butter to start you off etc.

The latter tends to be the sort of place that invest in slightly better pillows, nice cushions and throws for the living room, and thoughtful touches around the place that just make it nicer to stay.

The former tend to be as sparse as the owners can possibly get away with while still charging above average for the location. If it's a property that sleeps 8, there will be exactly 8 knives, 8 forks, 8 glasses, 8 mugs, etc etc.

We are often repeat visitors to a nice destination and we'll often stay somewhere twice or three times if it's worth it and if we've had a comfortable stay.

Show quote history

I agree. I would never return to the one loo roll kind of place and I'd pay more for the well equipped one, which would more than cover the extra facilities, so it seems false economy to run a holiday let like that.

They seem to want to run it on the cheap but will probably still charge top dollar. It works for a bit until the bad review and no repeat bookings.

LivelyBlake · 29/12/2022 12:50

YANBU

You need to give them feedback - that if they intend to run a luxury holiday let they should provide good cotton towels, bedlinen and more than one loo roll.

DuplicateUserName · 29/12/2022 12:50

EalingW13 · 29/12/2022 12:43

I get where you’re coming from OP. We stayed in a holiday let over the summer that was billed as a luxury house (and with a price tag to match). The house was grubby and they provided one single dishwasher tablet — and no towels. It gave a very non-luxury feel.

Bit different to accepting a stay in your BIL's new holiday let when he'd been elsewhere for Christmas, and probably didn't have the time to make it 'luxurious' for his non paying family.

DuplicateUserName · 29/12/2022 12:51

AreOttersJustWetCats · 29/12/2022 12:44

You were there for 24hrs.... how much loo roll were you expecting from them? Do you all have IBS?

😂😂😂

I think the OP fancies herself as some sort of hotel inspector.

She probably checked for dust with a white glove.

BahHumbug2022 · 29/12/2022 12:52

I get what the Op is saying.

They aren’t natural hosts.

When I stay in my parents spare room there’s clean sheets, lots of towels, baskets to put dirty washing, dressing gown, slippers, a little basket of things I might need like toothpaste, flannels, razors etc. And then it’s food and cups of coffee for days. My mums like this for everyone and she’s in her 70’s. Ops friends aren’t like this.

BahHumbug2022 · 29/12/2022 12:54

And my parents have a big wicker basket of loo rolls so no worries there.

viques · 29/12/2022 13:00

Four bedrooms and one bathroom? Even if they stuffed the pillows with unicorn hair and the duvets were cashmere there is no way that arrangement can can be luxurious, or even comfortable. One bathroom per bedroom is the minimum.

CoffeandTiaMaria · 29/12/2022 13:31

It seems that the OP’s expectations were much higher than reality!
Just got back from 24 hours at the soon to be improved holiday home. The hosts had provided for ten of us plus themselves, one loo roll, no bedding, no guest hand towels just their own personal towels
When they left us home alone for four hours they switched the heating off
Did they not tell you what you needed to bring?
It seems very odd to me to invite 10 people, not provide even the basics and to turn off the heating when the hosts went out!
Thank goodness it isn’t up and running as a luxury holiday let yet!

Untitledsquatboulder · 29/12/2022 13:40

The more I read on mumsnet the more I realise that some people have lost track if what hospitality actually is. If you invite people to stay with you you share what you have with them and that includes basic things like food, warmth and bedding. If you need them to bring something basic like a towel you tell them. If you can't do the above then maybe just dont have guests - you're either not in a position to host or temperamentally unsuited to it.

And no, 1 loo roll is not enough for 10 people.

AllTheAll · 29/12/2022 13:42

viques · 29/12/2022 13:00

Four bedrooms and one bathroom? Even if they stuffed the pillows with unicorn hair and the duvets were cashmere there is no way that arrangement can can be luxurious, or even comfortable. One bathroom per bedroom is the minimum.

Yes.
and everyone acting like "free" is a big treat. It really does have to be a luxury location for me to drop any expectation of bedding and loo roll, and not something equivalent to going to MILs. Oh, free place to stay on Lake Cuomo? No worries, I will buy bedding for YOU and leave it there. BIL's house an hour away from mine? I'm not impressed.

crosstalk · 29/12/2022 13:45

I can't quite get my head around 12 people staying in a 4 bedroom house with one bathroom and a second loo unless there were multiple living rooms with sofa beds or 4 kids with put you ups. I live in a 3 bed house with just one bathroom so if I do pay for a cottage I do expect more comfort - and even 8 people to a bathroom in a 4 bed house would not make it upmarket. They'd be better going for a 3 bed 2 bath (and third loo). And if I invited 10 friends to stay for a night in a disused house I'd certainly warn them what I expected them to bring.