Holiday home - what are your top 5 must haves - in order?

[Laiste]

Lighthearted, inspired by thread about bed size.

So mine are:

1. Area. We have one specific area when holidaying in uk.
2. Number of bedrooms.
3. Number of parking spaces and must be off street.
4. Garden.
5. No pets.

Honestly don't think to check for king or double bed size!

What's your top 5 in order?

1. Secure garden / patio for the dog
2. Off road parking
3. At least 2 comfortable sofas / armchairs - I like to sit on my own
4. Owners NOT on site
5. No en-suite

Proximity to local shops
No pets allowed
Dishwasher
Good, clean kitchen equipment and appliances
No creaking floorboards!

Just got back from a week away in a ‘cottage with character’ - the floorboards were so loud it was impossible to move around at night without waking people. It was almost unbearable. The sofas were covered with dog hair and the kitchen drawer had single lonely fork but a massive collection of misshaped, stained Tupperware and manky chopping boards 🤢

4 proper bedrooms
no smoking or pets
washing machine
some where walkable to eat / drink even if it’s just a bar on the beach

Off road designated parking
WiFi
Walking distance to beach/shops/pub/walks
Decent kitchen/dining area
More than one shower
Dishwasher and washing machine

It needs to be a 'home from home'. We do camping holidays when we rough it with the bare minimum, so when I go self catering I want all the home comforts and no effort.

My pet peeve is airbnbs that don't supply at least one dishwasher tablet per day. To have to go out and BUY them, especially when we don't live in the UK or have a dishwasher at home, is infuriating.
If you're not prepared to supply the tablets then please just don't supply the machine.

Enough proper bedrooms with doors for everyone and a kingsize for dh and I.

Comfortable and ample seating for all, not a sofa for 2 and then the other 3 make do on the dining chairs.

Good shower.

Off-road parking.

Bedding and towels included.

so much stuff I don’t care about but these things are in the top list of priorities!

Walking distance on a pavement to local amenities - shop, pub, cafe etc

Bed sizes specified. At least one King.

A proper bedroom for everyone

At least one bathroom for every 2 bedrooms.

Parking. Can be on street, as long as there's a permit if restricted.

Accessible shower/wc
king sized bed with decent bedding
washing machine
well equipped kitchen with adequate household supplies ie kitchen roll, washing up liquid etc
parking/garden

Enough toilets for everyone - they must have locks and a window.

Easy parking.

Green area for dogs.

Good laundry facilities.

Seaside 15 minute drive away max.

Pool
Aesthetics
Bedrooms
A/C
Closeness to restaurants

I want to make it law for AirBnB owners to specify the coffee machine in its listing so you don't have to make a guess what kind of pods when you're picking up food on the way. And to provide enough basic cleaning and food stuffs so you don't have start every holiday buying a box of 32 finish capsules and 500ml of olive oil. Don't care about welcome baskets or all that nonsense.

Clean cutlery tray/drawer - I have been to spotless holidays homes before but always, always the cutlery tray has crumbs etc in 🤢

Blackout curtains - especially in the kids’ rooms

Not having to strip beds when leaving - I think this is so cheeky especially given check out times are so early/check in times are so late generally nowadays

Decent mattresses - again, especially for the kids’ and these often get overlooked and they get cheap ones

Dishwasher - essential 😁

My Cat is welcome (so irritating when "Pets Welcome" really only means "dogs welcome")
Large safe garden for cat
Not more than two hours drive (don;t like cat being in the car too long)
Good WiFi
Easy to park close by

Last place I booked, I was was driving down, Tesco delivery sorted - & it struck me that I hadn't checked there was a freezer. (it did have one, I didn't have to eat 6 soleros at once).

I always read reviews carefully - I couldn't care less that someone arrived and there was only one dishwasher tablet, but it's useful to know in advance,

I never worry about the bed size until we are on holiday then remember that with dh being 6'4" we have a king for a reason (and a EU size one which is slightly longer as well, gutted ikea have stopped selling the mattresses for those!)

Usefully equipped kitchen

Washing machine

WiFi

Towels

Laid out well. Once had the loo off dcs bedroom. It wasn't awful but annoying at night to creep through with them sleeping.

What are you all washing on your holidays? I spend 8-10 weeks every year in holiday cottages and I've never used a washing machine, it wouldn't cross my mind.

Bed that's actual normal sized humans can fit on
A bath
A cooker that cooks in normal time
Comfortable sofa
Things to do within walking distance (even if it's a nice walk)

Mine are all focused around my child

Profiling bed

Overhead tracking

Parking big enough for our WAV

Hot tub with a hoist

Garden area that is wheelchair accessible

No kids?

Non negotiables for us are off road parking, bedroom arrangements that work for whoever is going- nobody sleeping in the living room - and a kitchen that is at least as well equipped as mine at home. I can't put those in any particular order as they are all essential. A reasonable degree of privacy is important but exactly how much depends to a degree on where we're going and for how long. For a mainstream holiday I would want to be very separate but I wouldn't mind some shared facilities or being attached to the owner's property for the weekend. If we are going somewhere hot I probably wouldn't book anywhere without a private pool unless there was absolutely no choice.

My number 1 is always a washing machine 😂 Means you can pack light and can properly wash& rinse swimwear/beach towels

Apart from that ideally:
Two bathrooms for 2 adults and 2 teenage DC
Dishwasher
Comfy sofas
Easy way to dispose of all rubbish.
Full clean - not paying £££ to strip beds thanks

I love doing washing on holiday I😂 I home with a suitcase full of clean clothes.

assuming it’s DH me amd two teen boys in a two bed place

1. Twin beds in at least one of the rooms - they are not going to share a double
2. Basic supplies - dishwasher tabs, washing up liquid, kitchen towel, toilet paper, oil / salt / pepper etc. And decent cleaning supplies if you want me to leave it clean!
3. Enough comfortable living room seating for everyone: the number of time I’ve gone with a group of 5-6 and there’s only seating for 4 🙄.
4. Lamps - table / standing lamps in reception areas, bedside lamps in bedrooms. No one likes the Big Light to be on.
5. Clean, clean, clean - it had to be clean.

I'm well past that age now but don't remember washing stuff when I did. You wouldn't wash if you were abroad (or are people doing that too?) so still not sure what you're washing.

No mezzanine bedrooms.
Dishwasher
washing machine
In a town
Near a bus route

I like coming home with the holiday clothes washed. It's no huge trouble to chuck a load or two of washing in on the penultimate day of the holiday and if you're in a hot country it will be dry in no time. I'd much rather do that than have a week or fortnight's worth of laundry to do when I get home

I wash all my clothes before I go home. It’s either that or doing it at home the day after I arrive.

Washing machines are useful if kids clothes get wet (because on didn't listen when repeatedly told that something was slippery and they would fall into the water...) better than having salty muddy jeans sat around or being able to wash a chocolate ice cream stain out right away.