To be sick of 'quick turnaround' holiday cottages and their half arsed cleaning

[Holidayfatigue24]

Hi,

Just wondered if anyone else was feeling this.

Got back yesterday from a few days away in a holiday cottage, but once again was left feeling pissed off at the level of cleanliness and general lack of facilities. This time was probably the worst, as the dishwasher didn't work, there was mould in the washing machine and there was absolutely nothing in terms of household essentials. I.e, butter, oil, dishcloths, toilet roll, milk - absolutely nothing. It just seems so bloody stingy! We paid good money because it's a popular area, but we still expect the basic levels of cleanliness at the very least!

I wouldn't expect biscuits and wine on arrival (although that didn't used to be unusual!) and I'd forgive a bit of dust here and there, but this just seems thoughtless and greedy.

Definitely seems to be becoming the norm now unfortunately. The last thing I want is to start the process of an official complaint, but I feel utterly ripped off, so I will.

I know I'm not being unreasonable to feel this way under the circumstances. I guess I just wondered if anyone else felt like this or have we just been really unlucky? ....

I've found the same with air b n b

Just not worth it

The price of holiday lets is utterly ridiculous atm.

What time did you check in/ out?

10am check out and 3/4pm check in is normal in most holiday cottages and hotels across the world.

You are not "paying for a chunk of the day you don't get". It's standard.

Expecting butter and oil to be left is weird - I've very rarely had that in holiday cottages. It's a nice bonus if they do leave any food but not expected.

Expecting it to be clean of course is normal, and they usually leave a cloth, some washing up liquid and loo rolls. Not leaving those is a bit stingy, especially if they expect you to leave the place as you found it.

A bit of dust is fine but the beds, kitchen and bathroom should be spotless.

I own a holiday home next to mine and clean it myself. Personally I’m sick of the guests who think it’s perfectly fine to leave skid marks in every single toilet, their plates to be dried and put away, table mats left filthy and kitchen tops not given the most basic wipe. The chunks of plaster ripped out the wall because the bed apparently needed a new location….chewing gum stuffed in bedside cabinets as well as used make up pads. It goes on and on. I clean as best as I possibly can and phone the guests as soon as it’s ready so they can check in (they are always nearby due to our location.) keeping a holiday house spotless when guests are from clean and tidy is difficult! I take pride but I own the place I imagine other cleaners wouldn’t!

The last place that I rented was spotlessly clean !
The essentials were provided

Bedding & towels were provided

It came with

A pint of milk
A shop bought cake
Washing up liquid, sponge, dish cloth, tea, coffee, sugar, bin bags, toilet roll, 2 dish washer tablets

The only item missing was the water in the hot tub & the company filled this after we complained.

I just came back from staying in a Rural Retreats property. The welcome gift was wine and a freshly baked Victoria sponge. It was very clean and lots of other supplies were there - olive oil, wine vinegar, condiments, coffee and tea, washing up liquid, dishwasher tablets and loo roll.

The previous place I stayed via Rural retreats had lots of basics but also a hamper of local produce like butter, eggs and bacon, bread, jam, cake and wine.

We’ve just stayed in a flat in London. They let us book in early and they asked us to text as we left so they could get the flat turned over asap so next people could come in.
Its things like that which make all the difference.

Ive stayed some places which have insisted you can’t go in until 3, and it’s been clear no one has been there for hours when you get there.

If I was somewhere like a proper holiday let I might expect a pint of milk. I’d definitely expect washing up liquid etc if you expect people to do the washing up before they leave.

I am think this is rather negative and unfair!

First if all, 10 am check out and 4 pm check in is pretty standard. I’ve never known it earlier or later and we stay in a lot of holiday cottages.

I’ve never been asked to strip a bed either although I know some cottages ask you to place bed linen and towels in the bath.

And I’ve only ever been asked to leave the dish washer running. And it’s only fair to empty your own bins I think?

And you don’t know what the owner had to do in that seven hours it was empty. She might have had a personal appointment and needed to get the cleaning done first, or she was waiting for a delivery to replace something. She might be waiting for an electrician or other tradesman to turn up.

And the days you turn up and leave are part i an overall fee surely? If you were paying fully for those two days, the prices could be even higher!

It’s been variable in the cottages/lodges we’ve stayed in over the last few years but I would say mostly they were very clean & included welcome packs with cleaning basics and possibly a treat - local cake /biscuits/scones or wine.

UK stay this year cost £2,600 for 7 nights but effectively you lose a day in accommodation as check in was from 4 and check out at 9am They ‘kindly’ offered a later check out and check in both for an additional fee. I think that’s money grabbing! As someone upthread said they offer check out at 11, check in at 3pm which are entirely reasonable times. Checking out at 9am and stripping your own beds for the cleaner doesn’t seem right to me at that price point. We stayed in a chain hotel during the journey that cost a lot less with check out at 11 & no bed stripping required.

The last few self catering places I've stayed haven't been clean enough. It's very disappointing.

Cleanliness yes YANBU
Food absolutely not YABU

Yes, I would be annoyed at this and would complain because it isn't the norm.at all.

I stay in holiday cottages in the UK and abroad at least 3 times a year and have never had a dirty or badly equipped one.

I have cottages in my garden that I rent out. I clean them myself and they are immaculate inside and out. It saddens me that self catering accommodation gets a bad press because so many owners go above and beyond to give people a great holiday and then owners who don't give a toss give us all a bad name.

I've also never been asked to clean or strip beds other than putting my rubbish outside. I also don't ask my guests to do anything at all. Most of them put the dishwasher on because it's common decency to clear up your dirty plates. Some strip the bed too.

It's not money grabbing.

What you pay covers your stay from 4pm on the day of arrival until 9am on your day of departure. If you want more time, you have to pay for it! Why expect it for free?

We usually do self catering holidays, only one in 18 years was terrible and that was damp and cold with slugs in the kitchen.

It would be really useful to include basic information as to what's included in terms of toilet rolls, hand soap, dishwasher tabs, kitchen basics (salt, tea etc) after booking so I know what not to pack.

I would appreciate there being salt, tea bags and coffee, a kitchen roll, plus dishwasher tabs for the stay, a few toilet rolls and any cleaning products.

Very rarely have we had a cake or pint of milk, and never a bottle of wine. All of which is understandable, but often reviews will talk about these things and you arrive to find the owner provides these inconsistently.

Because I’ve already paid £370 per night and they clearly can do a later check out at 10 or 11 they just choose not to or make more money out of it. I’d accepted the times on booking but what grated was it felt like they were trying to squeeze more money out of me (emails to offer earlier check in & check out for extra fees) and I don’t think that’s very good customer care. Perfectly nice stay otherwise but I found that off putting so unlikely to be a repeat visitor.

No hotels I stay at ever expect you to check out by 9am.

We have booked for next year. 2.1k for a week including early check in £45 and towel bale £20. That’s a 1pm in and 10am out.

The prices are shooting up though 2 years ago that would have been 1.3k for the week, towels included.

Though I mentioned to my mum about this and she reminded me that lodges/caravans/butlins type used to actually give early check in for free in a sense as the higher grade you where the earlier you got it. Now it doesn’t matter if it’s a £100 lodge or a 3k lodge it’s all 4pm unless you cough up more. So it is money grabbing on that sense.

Check in times changed during covid and stayed further apart, early check in fee’s became normal rather than park of the booking a higher end accommodation.

I think that’s it@OhmygodDont check in /out times were extended to allow extra cleaning during Covid and they’ve just left it that way. .

You don't sound very welcoming dear lord! I own a BNB and I spend hours cleaning it and yes I go out to the shops every stay and buy fresh milk, bread, yoghurts etc. Rubbish you saying that people wouldn't touch it during COVID. When we re opened people loved being able to get away and quite happily tucked into the welcome pack. You sound like you want to do the absolute bare minimum and give the rest of us hosts a bad name, I want my guests to feel very welcome when they stay and definitely go the extra mile.

What time was check in and checkout?

We would not leave you oil, milk and butter (!). We do leave you tea, coffee and chocolate sachets along with individually wrapped biscuits and milk portions. There is also a disposable salt and pepper mill unless taken by previous guests and we haven't yet noticed. Any foodstuffs left by previous guests are disposed of, as we can not guarantee that they are safe for the next guests.

We do leave you toilet rolls, handwash, washing up liquid, surface spray cleaner, new kitchen cloth, new sponge, dishwasher and washing machine tablets, wood, kindling, firelighters and matches. Oh and kitchen roll, foil and cling film too.

Did you tell the owner about the broken appliances? We don't have time to test that they are all working on a changeover so rely on being told by the guests that the (for example) back rings on the hob are not working or the kettle has died. They get a quick visual inspection of the leads to make sure that they are not damaged but that is it.

Hi I'm a bit surprised by cheesecakewrestler 's expectations of guests. So interested to check what the general expectations of owners are since I left a rental cottage yesterday.

What I did before leaving - cleaned out the fridge, emptied the kitchen bins and recycling and wiped down all surfaces, restored everything to how it was when I arrived except bedding and piles of used towels. Checked all toilets flushed and no nasty souvenirs left. I did however forget to empty the bathroom bin which contained make up wipes and some packaging for a toothbrush. So is that enough or am I a horrid guest?

I love it that you don’t have to take linen with you anymore, although this possibly coincides with getting g better quality places.

Sounds a bit crummy. We don’t often rent places like that as we’re so worried about being charged for damage we haven’t caused. However, we rented somewhere in France recently and it was gorgeous. Absolutely spotless, loads of cleaning products/loo roll/shampoo/shower gel and all the usual appliances. It’s often luck of the draw I guess.

Yanbu OP, standards are on the floor and prices through the roof.

Too many places in Britain are dirty.

We stumbled across a lovely place that nowhere else matches up to standards-wise. So for a weekend away we rebook and know that we can relax about that side of things.

I would expect cleanliness and appliances all clean and working, but I wouldn’t expect groceries of any type. I take my own.

Some holiday home owners are very generous, and do leave welcome boxes, wine etc, but I wouldn’t expect it. 🙂