Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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

133 replies

Laiste · 19/08/2025 21:44

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?

OP posts:
TheGriffle · 19/08/2025 23:06

Beds in the right configuration (not on different levels etc)

Dishwasher

King sized bed in master bedroom

Washing Machine

Off road parking

GenerousGardener · 19/08/2025 23:06
  1. Parking on site
  2. Decent sofa
  3. wifi
  4. Dishwasher
  5. Washing machine
Spidey66 · 19/08/2025 23:11

Dog friendly
parking space
washing machine
wifi

15minutesaday · 19/08/2025 23:15

WiFi
Free parking
Decent heating system
Some sort of entrance/porch area or seating to deal with muddy boots
The more remote, the better

Katela18 · 19/08/2025 23:20

Bed size is number 1 for me - my husband and I can’t sleep together in a double and at home have a super king so as a minimum I would want a king!

number of bedrooms so everyone has their own space

washing machine cause toddlers

good wifi

basic amenities within about 10 mins

80smonster · 19/08/2025 23:22

House keeping
Nanny
Chef
Driver
Pilot
In that order.

MyMPwontlisten · 19/08/2025 23:22

Double oven gloves🤣…

Funsummerfun · 19/08/2025 23:23

I know this isn't exactly what you mean, but I only want to go somewhere that is at least as nice as my own house and preferably nicer (not hard!). I don't want to go somewhere that is decorated, furnished and has kitchen/bathrooms from 30 odd years ago. For me holiday lets should be a bit luxurious.

Other than that, a room each for DC as they don't share well; more than one bathroom (even though I only have one at home); WiFi; if in the UK a wood burner/open fire; if abroad for summer hols a pool.

pinotnow · 19/08/2025 23:47

Mine would depend on where it was to an extent. These are all essential so not really in order.

  • Completely independent of owners.
  • supermarket within 10 mins on foot or in car if I will have one with me. However, could be more flexible about the car one.
  • Near public transport links if I won't have a car - 10-15 min walk max.
  • Aircon if hot place.
  • Attractive decor with somewhere to eat and pleasant seating area.
Hall84 · 19/08/2025 23:54

Right number of proper bedrooms
Enough bathrooms
Parking
Washing machine/dishwasher
Hot tub/walking distance to the pub - often one of these has to give to come in on budget depending on location so a nice to have.

researchers3 · 20/08/2025 00:06

Toastedpickle · 19/08/2025 22:34

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 😁

Fully agree with this. Plus sticky or oily cupboards/handles. Gross!

I do like a welcome hamper. Nothing worse than driving for hours and then having to go out for tea/milk etc.

OlderGlaswegianLivingInDevon · 20/08/2025 00:11

Dog friendly - not just accepted,
i.e. not 10 pages of rules re dogs and def not stating the dog is not to be left in the property.
I do not wish to take my dogs out and about all day every day nor in the evening. My dogs do not want to visit places i.e. little villages / gift shops / cafes and they most def are not coming to a restaurant with me !

A garden with grass, the dogs are grass / sand trained. No gravel, it hurts their paws and you always end up picking up gravel along with their ' business '

The garden actually being attached to the property, I once stayed in a cottage where the main garden was across the road ! Turned out to be a busy road !!! and it also turned out the owner allowed neighbours to hang their washing in it ! Why ?!!!
The neighbours saw a lot of us, and I saw them far too often. As they seemed to be hanging / removing washing each and every single time I entered the garden !

Heating ! throughout the property not just a log burner or whatever in the living room.

WiFi

TV - for the evenings I may be in.

A fridge and a cooker - I expected a ' fully fitted ' kitchen to have both ! so didn't check every single item on the listing as it's usually all about coffee machines etc. Now I do. Lesson learnt when I was provided with a cool box !

Actual beds - not a mattress on the floor. Yes I made a lengthy complaint .

Not the property's responsibility, but I always check maps for a decent dog friendly park, or beach for their walks.

tobee · 20/08/2025 00:20

The most important thing is clearly state things like "the owner lives on site" or next door. Or "the garden is shared" or "other cottages on site". I don't have a dog but I'd like to know if the garden is safe for dogs if I did. Or that the dishwasher is half size. And filters in search function for whether the hot tub is shared or similar.
Whether bathroom has a bath.

Descriptions seem to be better at letting you know about WiFi speeds and telephone signal. Which is essential now because you often need to be able to check opening times and prices for places.

So don't leave stuff out in your description!

Oh yeah tea cosy and big tea pot!

BourgeoisBabe · 20/08/2025 00:24

I'm amazed at the number of people saying hot tub! For some reason, a hot tub turns me off somewhere. I think I feel it's likely to be a bit tacky? For me: enough bedrooms. Outside space. Near sea. Restaurants and cafes near by. Not a touristey area, or as low key as possible.

Octaviathethird · 20/08/2025 01:30

Comfortable bed.
Blackout blinds/Curtains, I need darkness to sleep!
Dishwasher.
Decent WiFi.
Decent shower.

SchnizelVonKrumm · 20/08/2025 02:24

HoskinsChoice · 19/08/2025 22:37

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.

Err, clothes for a family of 4? Means you can pack lighter. If you're away for a week and do a wash on the penultimate day then almost all your clothes will be clean when you get home, so easier to pack and unpack and one less job to do at home. Even more important if you're away 2 weeks! Each to their own but it's not that hard to understand. I'd prioritize a washing machine over a dishwasher because we don't have a dishwasher at home 🤷‍♀️

Ruthietuthie · 20/08/2025 02:39

Really, I want to stay somewhere that is as nice or nicer than my own home, otherwise I would rather stay home.
And, above all, it has to be really, truly CLEAN.
Then add a sea view and either on the beach or a short walk to the beach.

InWalksBarberalla · 20/08/2025 02:56

A door lock with a code instead of keys.

Badbadbunny · 20/08/2025 05:53

3 proper bedrooms
2 full bathrooms
Washing machine and dishwasher in kitchen
Good wifi
Private parking

Can cope with anything else, but those are absolute must haves.

We once stayed in a place where the washing machine and dishwasher were in a garden shed outside - stupidly inconvenient, and stupid because the kitchen was easily big enough with lots of space- I can only think they forgot when they planned the kitchen and didn’t want to pay to replace/move the kitchen cupboards - nothing else made sense!

TimeForATerf · 20/08/2025 05:54

location
Pool
air con
washing machine
parking

Verywindyday · 20/08/2025 05:55
  1. Dog friendly…..this means that they actually allow dogs in the house and not provide a kennel for them outside!!
  2. Enclosed garden for dogs. Must be suitable fencing ie not a 1 foot wall round that my dogs can get over
  3. Must have king size bed
  4. Garden must be accessible from house and not the other side of a road
  5. parking on site or easy parking on road nearby

I also prefer- shower cubicle rather than shower over bath
TV on cabinet rather than on wall over fireplace
good wi-fi

Out of 200 plus cottages for fire in the area we wanted in May this year, I narrowed then down to a dozen just based on the top five requirements listed above.

Peonyperfection · 20/08/2025 05:56

No of bedrooms
Enclosed Garden
Parking Space/Drive
Prefer a shop within walking distance
Whole property to ourselves

and WiFi

Thunderpants88 · 20/08/2025 05:57

NO PETS ALLOWED. Period (unless a service dog)

black out blinds and curtains. I want pitch black

ac and if not, a fan

bath (4 kids here)

Washing machine and clothes horse

TimeForATerf · 20/08/2025 05:58

SchnizelVonKrumm · 20/08/2025 02:24

Err, clothes for a family of 4? Means you can pack lighter. If you're away for a week and do a wash on the penultimate day then almost all your clothes will be clean when you get home, so easier to pack and unpack and one less job to do at home. Even more important if you're away 2 weeks! Each to their own but it's not that hard to understand. I'd prioritize a washing machine over a dishwasher because we don't have a dishwasher at home 🤷‍♀️

I agree! Going home with cases of clean washing is a game changer. Suitcases unpacked and put away in 30 minutes of getting through the door and then relax in a tidy home.

Bushmillsbabe · 20/08/2025 06:14

No dogs allowed - no matter how well someone cleans there always seems to be 'wet dog' smell.
King size bed for us and twin or separate bedrooms for our girls
Quiet but walking distance to small shop/pub etc
Good blackout curtains/blinds
Washing machine and dishwasher

Swipe left for the next trending thread