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.

[ThePlantsitter]

Am I the only person who likes a big jug for table drinking water?! Holiday lets never have one! Otherwise as long as there is a pan big enough for pasta, big glasses for taking water to bed and some way of making proper coffee I'm satisfied.

[lljkk]

< £200 per night (ideally < £130)
2 beds + a living room (only 2 of us travelling but still wanted some space that wasn't shared with my bed)
kitchen with hob, oven (not just a microwave & fridge)
Wifi
sink to wash up in, plates, cutlery
(entire place to rent was easiest way to search for having a hob)
Starting this Friday night for 4 nights only
Certain sorts of locations near pretty countryside, like Peaks or South Down or Malvern hills)
(I also wanted a small town location, and hard floors or nice views, but those were flexible; would have shared a bath/lav too)
within 4.5 hours drive of my home

LOTS were available for > £300 a night or just a room in a house with tea making facilities but no kitchen or in city centre locations not near pretty countryside.

omg... so much packing to organise, now, eek

[WeatherObsessed]

If it is also your own holiday home then, as much as possible, store your own things away. If you can't do this then state in the listing that it is your personal holiday home. I stayed in an AirBnb recently and it felt like we were intruding there was so much of the owners own stuff around. I actually thought we might have arrived on the wrong day and there was still someone staying there! There were so many coats on the coat hooks that there was not a single hook free for our own coats. Same for the shoe rack. The wardrobe in one of the bedrooms was full of clothes and shoes. The kitchen was fully stocked with food and drinks but there was a sign saying please don't use any of it. There was stacks of stuff visible under the bed. Two out of the three parking spaces in the driveway had cars permanently parked there. I'm sure that there are plenty of people who would love this lived in feel but this was not the property for me!

[CountessFrog]

That’s shocking!

[Lemonylemony]

Re: dogs
I really think that home owners need to get of the fence and either embrace them or not accept them. The market is big enough to commit one way or the other. There's no need to try to keep everyone happy by accepting them but putting restrictions as to where they can go, what they can do, etc.
Agree 100%, from the opposite point of view! We are dog owners and the whole point of holidaying in the UK for us is to include him. It’s very annoying when you rent somewhere “dog friendly” and then when you get there it’s not “friendly” at all as there’s a list of rules that - for example - he can’t go upstairs etc. I hope you put that clearly in your listing OP - it would be a deal breaker for us, or just not possible if you only told us when we got there, he is not restricted downstairs at home and would be very distressed if made to sleep by himself downstairs in an unfamiliar house, he’d howl the place down. He goes where we go, that’s the point of having him with us.

[topcat2014]

Have really enjoyed this thread. I have never taken glasses of water to bed, so wouldn't think of that. Likewise for other insights.

[Badbadbunny]

@WeatherObsessed

If it is also your own holiday home then, as much as possible, store your own things away. If you can't do this then state in the listing that it is your personal holiday home. I stayed in an AirBnb recently and it felt like we were intruding there was so much of the owners own stuff around. I actually thought we might have arrived on the wrong day and there was still someone staying there! There were so many coats on the coat hooks that there was not a single hook free for our own coats. Same for the shoe rack. The wardrobe in one of the bedrooms was full of clothes and shoes. The kitchen was fully stocked with food and drinks but there was a sign saying please don't use any of it. There was stacks of stuff visible under the bed. Two out of the three parking spaces in the driveway had cars permanently parked there. I'm sure that there are plenty of people who would love this lived in feel but this was not the property for me!

Yes, we've suffered that a couple of times too. I only wish that the owners would make it clear in their listing that it's their actual "home" that they're renting out.

The worst was in Torquay. There were so few available that we basically only had a couple to choose from so took the best of a bad job. When we got there, the owners were loading a couple of suitcases into their car - they were just "moving" into a nearby hotel for a couple of weeks which was a lot cheaper than the rent we were paying!

All their personal stuff was everywhere - even their clothes in the wardrobes, dressing table drawers etc. And yes, "their" food in the kitchen cupboards, fridge and freezer with a "please don't touch" sign!

Worse thing was they wouldn't leave us alone. They were at the house every day gardening etc. It completely ruined the holiday for us.

[SunshineChatter]

@lljkk Besides the fact that you were looking to go away now, when pretty much everywhere is booked up, your requirements don't seem 'difficult' to me at all.

[SunshineChatter]

It is our second home but you wouldn't be able to tell. None of our stuff is left out. Nothing. There is a third, small bedroom, where all the house linen is kept and where our clothes also go. Even when we stay we don't bother moving our stuff into the bedroom we use to sleep in. All our toiletries, coats, etc. are put away (hence why it takes a couple of hours to prep the cottage when we leave).

The pictures on the walls are by a local photographer and show local areas (it says where they were taken on the mount board in case guests would like to go and visit). All our food is also locked away. So no, you wouldn't think it's someone's second home. I'd hate to find the owners' stuff if I rented somewhere for a holiday.

As for the dogs, I totally get the 'say yes or no' but there are plenty of properties like ours that allow them just downstairs (we used to rent them because we used to go with friends who brought their dog - and the dog could only be downstairs). We are very clear that we allow dogs but they must be kept downstairs. Because the downstairs is much easier to clean of dog hair than the upstairs (carpet, beds, etc). We've never had guests (who stayed without a dog) comment about the smell of dogs or dog hair so I hope that means you cannot tell. But anyone who stays knows about our dog policy. It's only fair to ensure they know at the time of enquirying (it says so on the booking form too). I'm conscious we may lose some bookings from people who don't want to stay where a dog has been, but we have four dogs ourselves so it would be hypocritical to say no to guests' dogs and yet bring ours when we go.

[SunshineChatter]

PS: our dogs are not allowed upstairs (on in the downstairs bedrooms) in our primary home either. I just don't like the idea of dog hair in carpets and on beds.

[jollygoose]

A bug bear of mine is that every place we stay has an accutely uncomfortable settee and arm chairs, I always get the impression that the owners get themselves a new suite and think that their old one will do usually I can`t wait to return to comfort of home.

[SunshineChatter]

Good point. While both sofas at the cottage are comfortable, we spent an arm and a leg on one of them because I was hellbent on velvet mustard of a certain shape to complement the blue one, and this was the sofa I felt best suited the place. It was handmade in London. You can sort of see it in this picture.

[DuesToTheDirt]

Our needs have changed as our family has grown older. When the kids were little I would always want a washing machine, now they're grown up I can avoid doing any washing on holiday. I think there are two main categories of facilities - ones you know about in advance and might be deal breakers, and ones you find out when you get there. My deal breaker list is quite short

• no one is going to sleep on a sofa bed, or in the living room
  
• 3 beds for the 4 of us, preferably in 3 rooms
  
• if we're taking the car, somewhere to park (a short walk for this is fine)
  
• soft seating, enough for everyone
  
• dining area and table
  
• location is key. Interesting things to do
  
• character. I'm always more attracted to places with some character, and I'm put off by bland interiors ( no pictures etc)
  

Annoying things we've found on arrival, many already mentioned

• not enough kitchen equipment
  
• plates that don't fit in the dishwasher (though I'm not bothered if there isn't a dishwasher at all)
  
• too cold and no control over the heating
  
• not enough hooks or hangers
  
• no salt, pepper, coffee
  
• only one loo roll
  
• no way to clean up crumbs etc
  
• flimsy curtains that let the light in
  

Things I couldn't care less about

• king size beds
  
• telly
  
• dishwasher, though if there is one let's have it usable

[SunshineChatter]

Hi @DuesToTheDirt you mention '- soft seating, enough for everyone.' Is this because you've ever stayed somewhere for, say, four people, and there wasn't enough soft seating for everyone? Where did they expect you to sit? I'm genuinely intrigued.

[DuesToTheDirt]

Is this because you've ever stayed somewhere for, say, four people, and there wasn't enough soft seating for everyone?

I haven't, no, because I look at the pictures and don't book! TBH this is more of an issue in hotels, airbnb etc where you can just get a room and a bed, no chair or sofa, and no communal space, but I've seen it in cottages too, if they're trying to cram in as many beds as possible and don't even have a living room.

[SunshineChatter]

That reminds me of my student days in London when I wouldn't rent anywhere that didn't have a living room. To expect people to socialise in their bedrooms is almost barbaric.

[TheoneandObi]

@SunshineChatter I love that sofa. Where is it from? Do you worry about spillages on it?

[NavyBerry]

Toddler bedding if you provide a cot bed. It was a nightmare! We stayed in 3 cottages in the Lake District they all advertised as children friendly and provided cots but zero bedding!!! And there was absolutely nothing we could use. The 2 year old had to cosleep with us on a tiny double bed. I was very frustrated and annoyed. Just why?!

[DuesToTheDirt]

To expect people to socialise in their bedrooms is almost barbaric.

Went for dinner with a friend some years ago. She was renting a room in a flat. There was a kitchen with no eating space, and no living room. The only table we could eat at was in the hall.

[FrostyGirl66]

Summer duvets! Everywhere I've rented (and have for decades) only provide a winter duvet because it's cheaper then buying for each season!

[hoistbymyownzombiepetard]

I was very frustrated and annoyed. Just why?!

Because many guests prefer to use the child's "own" sheets and blankets as they smell familiar and there can be issues with what sort of powder/conditioner is used. But, of course this should be made very clear on the listing.

[SunshineChatter]

@TheoneandObi The mustard one? It's from www.willowandhall.co.uk/ but I think it's no longer available. The blue one is from IKEA www.ikea.com/gb/en/p/grevie-3-seat-sofa-velvet-blue-00475649/ and it looks like they still do it. I Had the one from Willow and Hall treated but the IKEA one didn't come treated. I do worry about spillages but I hope people are careful. So far, so good (sometimes having put expensive things in the cottage is a worry but since we use it as a second home we wanted it to be a nice place for us to retreat to).

[SunshineChatter]

@FrostyGirl66it may not be the expense but the ability to store out-of-season duvets. Luckily because the cottage has extremely thick walls it never gets too hot in summer.

[CaptainMonkey]

Is that ikea one comfortable? I'm after something exactly like that and it looks lovely. (Sorry for derailment!)