What makes the perfect cottage holiday rental for you?

[SunshineChatter]

I am new in the holiday rental market, with this summer being my first proper season letting my cottage in Somerset.

I am trying to make it as well appointed as possible. Soft cotton sheets, fluffy white towels, complimentary mini toiletries, champagne flutes, kitchen scales, baking stuff, wi-fi, Netflix, beautiful garden furniture, BBQ, welcome hamper, dog treats, etc.

But I'm sure we all look for different things when we rent a luxury holiday cottage. Could you please share what you feel would make a cottage stand out were you to rent it for a week's away with your OH, family, friends, etc? It sleeps four in two bedrooms. TIA.

Decent space for clothes. I'm coming for a week, I might do a wash but let's presume I'm not. That much space please.

Decent sized cups.

We have kids so probably not your ideal audience but a for bed and high chair and a bath.

I want somewhere nicer than my own home, I love a hamper of local produce thrown in too, also good board games and some books.

Thank you! Some great ideas. I’m thrilled because so far I tick most of the boxes: king-size bed, the double bed (king-size didn’t fit – narrowish but long room) doesn’t have a footboard because one of our friends is very tall so we catered for him, ‘fancy’ toilet paper, two big squashy velvet sofas, smart TV, strong wi-fi as I sometimes work from the cottage, two garden lighting circuits, both on dimmer switches to crate different atmospheres, sharp knives and knife sharpener, chopping boards that go in the dishwasher, matching dining set and glasses (I bought spare sets so that even if some get broken I have spares), enough to do breakfast, lunch and dinner without having to wash them, cafetieres, torches, matches, fire logs, plenty of velvet-covered hangers, TV is indeed hidden 😉 as it’s a 300-year old stone cottage and I didn’t want it dominating the living room.

I am missing a hot tub (not enough room and it comes with a long list of ‘issues’ for the owner), garage or secure parking (we’re very rural so it’s safe to park outside, high chair (we don’t really cater for small children because I wouldn’t know where to store all that stuff, but so far nobody has said anything) and underfloor heating (I wouldn’t touch the original floor.

Keep the suggestions coming please. So helpful! Thank you.

Have just stayed in a cottage for a week and commented to my DH that no holiday rental seems to provide sharp knives for cutting and preparing food! Drives me potty!

Also, enough crockery and glasses that you don't have to run the dishwasher until it is full, decent pots, pans and casserole dishes, essential items such as a tin opener and cheese grater.

Mine are mostly kitchen related as we always go self-catering to save money.

I actually think that every holiday let should be lived in by the owner for a minimum of 3 days before they let it out so they can see what items they realise they've forgotten to provide.

Don't understand re the bed - do you have a double or a king? I would rather have zero space around the bed than a double. I would never book it otherwise.

One of each. One room has a kingsize bed, the other a double bed. There was no way of putting a kingsize in the second bedroom without people having to walk sideways around the bed.

Ah if it's an adult accommodation, a cheese grater, washing machine and microwaveable pots are probably less important 😂

Looks lovely op. Wouldn't work with the bed turned round?

And a cheese grater is still important for adults!!

Lots of good suggestions above

Consumables (washing liquid, washing up liquid, dishwasher tablets, cling film, tin foil, salt pepper etc). It’s tedious to have to pack these.

Tupperware to store left overs.

Ice in the ice tray would be a thoughtful touch

A decent selection of books and some board games like scrabble/snakes and ladders etc, playing cards.

Just on books and games etc - I've been looking at online listings and lots say these are currently removed because of Covid/hygiene. Same for jars of coffee etc - replaced with sachets.

Something to bear in mind. Hasn't put me off, instead it's been reassuring

If we turned the bed around it would nearly touch both walls. The previous owners had it that way and used to climb over it as it was quicker!

There is a cheese grater. As for dishwasher tablets we now give one per day of the stay as we've had people take the whole box away upon check out. So the cleaner had to dash out to buy more because it was a new box and we didn't think we'd need to buy another one yet!

There are tupperware containers, games, and books. It's our second home to we really kitted it out with most things we could think of. Hence why the furniture and the house linen are good quality (bespoke curtains, bespoke window seat cushions, etc).

@Muggedoffa

Just on books and games etc - I've been looking at online listings and lots say these are currently removed because of Covid/hygiene. Same for jars of coffee etc - replaced with sachets.

Something to bear in mind. Hasn't put me off, instead it's been reassuring

Yes - they aren’t Covid allowed but in a more normal world they are lovely to have

Hand towels as well as bath towels please

Ditto all the above about a wooden chopping board/decent knives/decent sized pans

We are happy to put out rubbish and recycling if we have details about which day.

Bedside lamps for every bed please

Keys that work easily ( please none that need a 'knack ' )

Good luck with your new venture!

As for dishwasher tablets we now give one per day of the stay as we've had people take the whole box away upon check out.

Some people are incredible!

@Muggedoffa yes - atm they are out of bounds. Same with scatter cushions, etc. And we have hand sanitiser, antibacterial wipes, posters, and a ton of other stuff we have to provide according to goverment regulations. Our cleaners take nearly twice as long to turn the place round now.

We provide bath towels, hand towels, flannels (all white) plus black flannels to use for people who want them for removing make up. Each person gets a bedside lamp and a socket to charge their phones. And the keys work just fine :-)

Gosh the things I'm learning from you all today. Thank you!

As you're allowing dogs ... a properly secure garden to reasonable levels for 'normal' dogs, don't expect escape artist-proof - but securely fenced for dogs of a range of sizes.

(Mine quite big, but don't assume sheep fencing dog proof for littl'uns.)

Holiday home owner here.
Regarding good wifi. We do our best but we are in the back end of beyond and have crappy speeds ourselves (we are next door). We have improved things with a 4G link. But we know this is not the same as the super speedy speeds people from cities are used to. Our literature warns guests.
To a certain extent if you're holidaying in the country you have to put up with internet speeds which are not as good as you have at home. We really try. Honestly we do! But it's a bit like complaining that there's no streetlights (yes, we've had that one!).
In every other respect we seem to be doing quite well, judging by this thread!

@LittleBearPad, interesting, I nearly put ice cubes, but wondered if other people wouldn't trust them and just throw them out and make their own. I guess if they're there then you have the choice!

One dishwasher tablet per day of stay looks petty though I get the reason - maybe chuck a few extra ones in in case someone runs it twice in one day?!

Stay overnight in the property yourself, then you'll see whether what you have put in place "works"

My deal-breakers are WiFi and parking - if the property doesn’t have these I won't book it.

Easy instructions for finding the property and collecting the key

The means of making a hot drink (kettle, tea, coffee, milk, mugs, cake or biscuits) on arrival without having to unpack or hunt around.

Plenty of tea towels and bin bags

Instructions for the heating, the TV and what goes in each bin - I know what my council recycles and it might not be the same as yours

Uptodate information for local attractions, taxis and decent nearby pubs that serve meals.

Outside lighting for sitting outside and also for finding your way from the car in the dark

I don't regard me and DH as fussy but we do want a comfortable bed (doesn't have to be queen or king size, double is fine) and a decent shower, preferably on it's own not over a bath.

I shower and wash my hair every day and hate showers that only dribble the water out.

Not fussed about a washing machine or dishwasher. We don't mind washing up on holiday. Do want decent pans and knives plus things like a sieve, mixing bowl, whisk, bowl(s) for salad. Oh and egg cups. So many times we have a boiled egg in a holiday home and no egg cups.

We like to cook properly at home and on holiday and need things like whisks to make sauces, sieve or colander for pasta etc. Lots of places seem to assume you are not going to cook or just bung something in the microwave.

Crockery - more than one of everything per person (so often it's a place for four people = 4 cups, 4 bowls, 4 plates,etc). I don't want to wash up everything several times a day. Decent sized mugs for tea, not just tiny tea cups.

Kitchen stuff beyond 2 pans and a slightly manky oven tray. Several decent clean pans, a large casserole dish, sieve, pyrex dishes etc. Have a go at cooking a few simple family meals with what's in your rental kitchen and you'll see how much you need. I've lost track of the number of cottages where you try and make something quite basic like lasagne and don't have the requisite equipment.
Factor in changing things like oven trays quite regularly.

Half pint mugs for coffee..