What would you expect in a welcome basket?

[GoodNewsAndBadNews]

Am about to start to let a holiday property in a fairly rural part of Wales. Nearest shop is a short drive away. I was thinking of bread, milk, jam, butter, wine, tea and coffee. What other things would you expect? The property was left to me by a relative, and we want to be able to use it as a family but hoping to offset some of the costs by sharing it with holiday makers.

We leave cupboard essentials - tea, coffee, oil, condiments, salt, pepper etc.

Pint of milk, bottle of locally made apple juice, nice biscuit, nice crisps, homemade local jam.

At Christmas, locally made mince pies.

Welshcakes please!

Indeed. Our lets are in France. They are the equivalent of 5 *. We leave the bare basics due to complaints and concerns about anything unsealed nowadays. No longer would we leave salt/pepper pots, opened oil, etc.

If guests want a welcome pack they may order it and our housekeeper supplies it. They also provide dinner for the first night by arrangement. It's a long drive. The welcome pack contains: OJ, butter, ham, cheese, preserve, cereal, Yoghurt, a small sliced loaf, fruit.

Re toilet roll - I don’t expect there to be enough for the whole stay if I’m in an Airbnb

Why not OP??? Surely this is a basic necessity like bedding, towels and heating? Do you only provide the bedding for half someone's stay then remove it and expect guests to then buy more themselves???

I would much prefer toilet paper over jam, wine and the other 'welcome' basket things mentioned here!

I always think it's a nice touch to have something 'local'. Did a few air bnbs around Wales in the summer and a couple had Welsh cakes which was a nice touch. Agree with PP wine not necessary (and I love wine 🤣) tea, coffee, milk...enough loo roll, washing up liquid

As a minimum I would expect tea, coffee and milk.

The lodge we stayed at in south wales this year was brilliant. We had tea, coffee, milk, stroopwafel, Prosecco, biscuits, dish cloths, tea towels, kitchen roll, washing up liquid, dishwasher tablets, toilet roll, mini toiletries and new shower puffs. We were impressed and would return!

A few coffee pods for the espresso machine. Always have these abroad.

I don't expect anything and we stay in lodges all the time, but when we had our mini-moon in rural Wales there was a welcome basket with tea, coffee, sugar, eggs and biscuits - I was absolutely buzzing 😂

I would add eggs, as you can make a meal with them if need be. Maybe a nugget of cheese.

Agree about supplies of cleaning stuff and 'kitchen basics' like oil/ condiments, but not in a welcome basket, so I'm assuming you will already be providing those in and around the kitchen.

I always really appreciate an airer for any washing loads I do, and sharpened knives. Holiday knives are often crap - they can be cheap ones if you're worried about people nicking stuff, just keep them sharp!

I expect the place to be clean, with a good information pack which has details of local supermarkets, takeaways, where the hospital and pharmacy is and any good attractions.

Also, instructions on how to use the items in the rental - WiFi code, oven, etc.

Contact details of who is in charge if there is an emergency or issue.

What to do with rubbish - where the bin is, etc.

A toilet roll or two is always appreciated, as are decent beds and bedding.

I don't need a welcome basket as I bring anything I need, and let's face it, the cost is added into to the rental fee, so I would prefer the rental to be cheaper.

If you want to leave something, make it a local item, Welsh cakes or similar, you don't need to go overboard.

Hmm. I've never needed it as bring our own but milk and tea bags are my 100% essential.
Pack of biscuits/cake (local always good, Welsh cakes? Bara brith?

I wouldn't leave alcohol.
It's not exactly a welcome pack but good supplies of all products for dishwashing, or the washing machine if there is one. Including fresh sponges/j cloths. Kitchen towel, tin foil, toilet roll, tissues, antibacterial spray, spare bin liners.

Well equipped kitchen with cutting boards, spatulas etc. I'd add a food probe if it was me, I always pack one!

Dry goods that people are more likely to forget- Basic spices and seasonings, plain flour (I cook on holiday and sometimes need a sprinkle of it to coat something etc), pack of pasta, jar of sauce would be a low cost thing to keep in.
I'd go carefully on the fresh goods, unless you will use all the unused butter, bread, eggs etc yourself it's a lot to get thrown away after each stay.
Is there a supermarket that delivers? If there is if highlight that in the info so people csn order for a delivery when they arrive.

A few teabags, coffee, milk and sugar. Fresh milk would be great.

If I'm sc, I'll have to go shopping anyway.

I'm not talking about a decade ago.
I'm talking about the 3 places we stayed in last year and the three we have already booked for next year.

If you read the 4 pages of this thread, let alone the umpteen other threads asking the same, or similar questions, you'll see there are so many different opinions, and so many people that won't eat or drink X, Y, or Z, I stand by the point that it would be daft to keep leaving stuff for people that won't be used, and that most people would probably prefer not to be paying for stuff they won't ever use.

This.

We arrived a couple of times by plane quite late and shops were closed. Or could only do a Sunday arrival in France and can't bring meat/dairy in anymore.

I am more than happy to pay for some basics to enable me to just get some croissants the next morning.

About loo roll - we recently stayed in an appartment where the landlord had lots of everything - apart from loo roll. Based on his other provisions and the way we communicated I am sure it was an oversight. But it meant buying some for 3 days left on a week stay and as we flew not drive, it's not really something I want to make space in the suitcase as it's impossible to buy just one roll.

Smart TVs please!!

When we went away last week over Xmas all the TVs were really old! So bloody annoying!

I'm in the a supply of things you need camp.
Enough loo roll, kitchen roll, dishwasher tabs, washing up liquid, hand soap, oil, salt/pepper.

I'd much rather have what I need than a cake I probably won't eat.
plus plenty of places to dry towels (full size bath sheets)

I thought a licence was needed for wine. I agree with others on covering the basics eg loo paper, washing powder for machine ,dishwasher tablets are very much appreciated so a person there does not need to get them.I don't drink so would ignore wine.

I think the most important thing is communication.

If you are leaving a basket give people options or as a PP mentioned email and ask.

I don't drink milk, so for me that is a waste.

I'm disabled and I don't know if this would work but what I would like is the ability to have a supermarket delivery and someone put things in the fridge for me.

I never expect anything but salt and pepper, oil and especially milk are the things I'd like to see.
Sufficient toilet rolls, dishwasher tablets / washing up liquid sufficient for the length of stay, likewise bin bags, foil, kitchen roll would all be good.
I'd prefer to choose my own groceries. If I'm in the UK I'll take my own with me anyway.
I've been to places that provide none of these and some that provide all of them and more.

We once stayed in a lodge thing on a farm and when you booked they sent over a form and you could tick the things you wanted. So, choose whether you want dairy milk, soy or almond. Marmalade, jam or lemon curd. That sort of thing. Gluten free options. They also gave the option to pay extra for extra things - a breakfast pack with eggs, bacon, etc; a big homemade lasagne to be heated up the oven. It was brilliant!

Orange Juice! I don't drink tea or coffee so OJ in the morning is a must

It’s nice to find extras in a holiday let, but I generally take everything with me that I think we’ll need, especially in remote places, because you never know what will be provided. I’m hardly going to show up with no milk and teabags on the off chance they will be available.

The only thing I don’t take is loo roll, which should be provided in reasonable quantities IMO.

I’m always irritated by a thoughtless lack of dishwasher tablets, but so frequently find there’s only one I now take enough for one a day.

A comfortable mattress and pillows, cleanliness throughout, and kitchen equipment in decent condition are much, much more important.

I’m lactose intolerant so forget the milk and butter. I would bring my own coffee #fussy.

Given it’s self-catering accommodation, I think anything supplied can reflect the ‘self’ element of the title and anything supplied is just limited supplies for the immediate arrival.

So, it’s nice to have a couple of tea bags and milk and sugar provided. With this, I wouldn’t describe the property as having a ‘welcome pack’. I’d also supply 1 or 2 dishwasher tabs and a washing up sponge or jay cloth. A loo roll in each bathroom is also needed, but not supplies for the whole week. Self catering involves buying loo rolls, further dishwasher tabs etc.

I don’t see any need for a variety of teas or coffees etc. everyone has their own preferences and owners don’t need to provide all possible options. If someone doesn’t like the standard tea and coffee provided then it’s not a problem.

Some places provide a luxury welcome pack….can include bacon, cakes and all kinds of stuff to the value of £50 plus. Of course you pay for it in the price.

But self catering is not a hotel. The owners don’t not supply the wherewithal to feed, wash yourself and sustain yourself for the week.

A teapot. I've bought at least three teapots from charity shops while staying in AirBNBs and left them for the next guests.