When you go to a cottage in England for a holiday what

[Beetroot]

would you really like and really need to be there to make your holiday easier

an enclosed garden for the kids to run about
tv indoors incase weather is pap
activities nearby such as a farm, park, swimming pool etc
some shops for food or a shop
maybe a couple of restaurants or pub.

like

board games
books
dvd player
washing machine
garden toys
buggy

need
cot
high chair
fully equipped kitchen
TV

dishwasher, washing machine, coffee machine, some toys ideally, books, efficient heating, decent mattresses, no breakable ornaments, a bath (ie not just a shower) some garden furniture for sunny days (hammock would be great), umbrellas and wellies (bit extravagant I know), buckets and spades, local information, a nice letter from the owners pointing out decent local restaurants/pubs/wet weather attractions etc, bottle of wine & milk in the fridge on arrival, maybe option of ocado/tesco delivery for day of arrival.

A small box of lego or some jigsaws/games for kids.
'Essential" stuff you always forget like washing up liquid a cloth and tea towel.
Somewhere to dry wet clothes (clothes dryer/airing cupboard)

DVD player, radio with radio4 in the kitchen, board games, cards, lovely log burning stove for cool evenings.

a dvd player esp if cottage in middle of nowhere with a crap tv with a snowy picture

option to get newspapers delivered

yummy nice scones on table on arrival (they did this for us in Dorset it was very very nice)

disabled accessibility particularly to garden if available - if it is available make it one to play in not one with prissy little borders and steps and nonsense aimed at little old ladies sitting outside in sunshine

DS1 still remembers the board games when we stayed in a cottage in Settle, Yorkshire.

There were also nice books to read, DVDs to watch, maps, restaurant advice, walks.

Love there to be dishwasher and washing machine too so I am not faced with all the washing when we get home!

Decent curtains or blind that block a good amount of light. Big enough fridge.

ooh yeah

washing machine, possibly tumble dryer or a washing line but tumble dryer good for winter months, cots and linen for them, dishwasher would be another nice luxury.

also like folder of full of all local activities / recommended restaurants etc

ooh, also like tea and freshly baked cake on arrival - yum!

garden toys oh yes

we went somewhere which had a playhouse in the garden it was the highlight of the holiday

really it was

we even discussed going back there because it was a fun playhouse even though we had done all the day trips in the area

oh and visitors book for people to write recommendations in

Yes definitely blackout blinds...they always seem to use those flimsy see-through curtains.

folder full of activities must actually be current and have useful stuff in, not old walks from 1997

Need
Fully equipt kitchen with SHARP knives
Clear instructions about heating/hot water etc etc etc
Television and dvd in case of rain
enclosed garden

Like
A kingsize dble in the masterbed for the nights we have to share with dd
Folder with loads of local info and flyers and personal tips on places to go from the owners
Board games
Garden games

oh god yes turkeylurkey good blinds

COTTON sheets

I like a good guestbook with lots of local recommendations from the previous guests as to what is good and what is not good!

Not essential but would always make me want to return, would be a good welcome basket - butter, milk, tea, coffee, bread, jam and wine

For a beachy place some basic beach stuff - buckets, spades, boogie boards, fishing nets.

BBQ and BBQ equipment.

A really good set of sharp knives (although I often take my own these days) and good coffee maker or cafetiere.

A stash of cleaning stuff and bin liners - including good cleaning sponges in clearly marked floor cloth, bathroom sponge, kitchen cloth.

Clothes airer to hang beach towels, costumes on after a day at the beach.

A DVD player and some DVD's (the ones from the sunday mags are fine) it is nice to sit down and watch something you wouldn't necessarily have chosen yourself!

Books/magazines.

Local leaflets/maps.

Like :
Ready made up beds, towels and tea towels, soap in bathroom, basic cleaning fluid/jcloths.
Washing up liquid, dish washer tablets, tea and coffee, milk and sugar, kitchen towel.
Kettle, toaster, various size pans(scourer)

Need:
Enough money on the meter for overnight and instructions as to how to operate it and appliances.
Information on nearest late shop, phone, cashpoint, pub/restaurant, chemist, petrol

"including good cleaning sponges in clearly marked floor cloth, bathroom sponge, kitchen cloth."

oh no you see that would put me off, it would seem to assume that I was going to spend the week cleaning the bathroom

I'd rather have a packet of j-cloths so I feel like I have a choice

very useful thank you

lol at wellies - what every size?

oh yes wellies for everyone

also a selection of Boden clothing

and a variety of bedside lamps to choose from

of course

case of champagne

seriously I would like to know about recycling facilities so I don't have to embarrass myself tramping up to your door with a sack of empties