Mumsnet users share with HomeAway the strangest thing they've found or left behind in a holiday home

[EllieMumsnet]

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The chance to spend time away from home and in a new environment is a treat that many of us look forward to. Occasionally, however, we can forget to take everything back home with us once the holiday is over. HomeAway would love to hear about the strangest things that you have left behind or found from former guests in a holiday home.

Here is what HomeAway has to say: “HomeAway offers more than 2 million unique places to stay in over 190 countries around the world, from villas to cottages, from beach houses to tree houses, from mountain cabins to even castles! Over one-third of HomeAway's nearly 1.5 million online bookable listings are now instantly bookable, with no wait for confirmation. The holiday home expert’s mission is to provide families and groups of travellers with the perfect match holiday home to create unforgettable memories together. Not only do holiday homes provide excellent value for travelling families and group of friends, booking a whole house also guarantees more space and flexibility than a hotel or resorts.

Ever wondered how much your home could earn for you? HomeAway is here to help you learn what it takes to rent your home and invite travellers in for unforgettable experiences. Click here to find out more.”

Have you ever found unusual items in the fridge? Maybe you managed to leave just one shoe in the wardrobe? Or your underwear in a strange location? Perhaps you’ve even found something as random as a walking stick or a diary? Share them all on the thread below...no matter how strange!

Everyone who comments on the thread below will be entered into a prize draw where one MNer will win a £300 voucher of their choice (from a list).

Thanks and good luck!

MNHQ

Standard Insight T&Cs Apply

Am a bit at some of the standards of cleaners of these holiday places. I help a friend sometimes and the place has to be immaculate. If there’s stuff that’s been missed, like things in the bed, how can you be sure they’ve changed the sheets and cleaned the loo etc? Grim.

I left an oat bag in the microwave at a holiday cottage once. Was annoying as I needed it that evening for a bad back. Was easiest to order a new one from Amazon next day delivery than try and get it back from the owners.

Haven't ever found anything exciting, but did find a pill under the bed when I was changing my DS on a mat on the floor. It was brightly coloured and probably quite exciting to a 1 year old so I was not best pleased. Place was really grotty and I don't think much cleaning went on between guests.

Left the tutu off my ballerina Sindy doll in a caravan in West Wales when I was 8. DM was furious. She'd saved up for ages to buy me that doll!

These days we seem to always rent the place with a DVD left behind in the player. So far we've found Bolt, Toy Story, The Mr Men and Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs 2.

When I traveled through South Korea I was told that the cheapest and cleanest hotels were love motels. So I decided to try one out. It was impeccably clean and cheap, however the room decoration was interesting to say the least and I was greeted by condoms and a vibrator on the bedside table. This was by far the strangest experience I’ve ever had. Oh the things you do to travel cheap 🙈

I left my bra and dh's boxers in the dryer and the lovely owner returned them to us ironed! The one and only time I have had ironed underwear.

I drove 4 n 1/2 hours home from a romantic weekend away and when I drove to work in the morning and went to get out the car realised my work laptop and pass were on the shelf in the wardrobe of the hotel we had stayed in! I literally went to the petrol station filled up and started driving all the way back to get the laptop! I phoned from the car and told my exceptionally unsympathetic boss that I had a migraine then phoned the hotel they put it on reception for me to collect I arrived in the early afternoon grabbed the laptop and went for a quick sarnie and coffee in a cafe and drove all the way home again

I always always double check shelves in wardrobes before I leave now

I left my wedding ring, engagement ring and eternity ring in the windowsill of a holiday cottage in seahouses.
We live in the north of Scotland and I was already dreading the drive home with a badly swollen knee and two small children.
So you can imagine how delighted I was to get two hours into the journey and realise what I had done. I actually cried when I had to turn around and go back the way I’d come!

Found skid marks on the sheet when cleaning our Airbnb after one guest. 🤢

I don't usually use drawers in hotel rooms in case I forget to check them. This is after I left several pairs of new tights and underwear in a drawer in student accommodation when at a conference. I wrote a pleading letter to the venue enclosing money to cover postage and everything was sent back to me a few days later.
At a hotel in Jersey one evening the children were delighted by an exceptionally good balloon modeller. Everyone was given the creation of their choice. By the time we left they were still in good condition but not really suitable to take on the flight back. We stashed all the lovely balloon models in the top of the wardrobe. I don't think the children ever forgave us for that!
Taking some last minute pix at a naice Cornish hotel I stupidly put my camera on a fence post and was then distracted. Back home I contacted the hotel who confirmed that it was found, was safe and would be mailed to me. to me. After 10 days it hadn't arrived so I contacted them again and was airily told that it had been taken to the post office by a foreign member of staff. She had now returned to her own country and no, they had no proof of posting. They truly could not have cared less. Of course it wasn't the camera I was most sad about but the irreplaceable photographs.

I’ve left behind a hot-water bottle, a denim jacket, books and so on. The best things I’ve found were a bottle of Malibu and a brand-new Bourjois eyeshadow!

I was on holiday with my family, and my brother in law accidentally left behind a crate of beer which had been covered by a duvet when we stripped the beds. We found out about it because the owner thanked us for leaving the place so clean and for the crate of beers under the duvet!
Bil was gutted he left them behind. Owner thought they were a gift and enjoyed them.

Not found anything interesting but after a wet stay in Wales, we managed to leave with all of our wellies still outside the back door! So annoying,

A dying pigeon on the terrace of an apartment in Florence and a cupboard full of dirty linen in the same place. Yuk

A family of shrews in a farmhouse in Norfolk. We rebranded them as Clangers so the DC weren't scared. They were quite sweet and didn't bother us.

My dd left her kindle charger in a hotel room. I’m sure you can buy them anywhere but she wanted it back so we phoned the hotel and the lovely girl on reception let us pay for postage over the phone and she posted it back to us. 🙄😄

Once left some walking-puppy-toy clothes in a french gite. Claimed them out of the toy box on our return visit the next year. Have left mosquito heating element devices plugged in to holiday flats, and even now I still manage to leave the odd phone charger.

On holiday in Orlando, 2012.. staying in lovely expensive villa (a once in a lifetime treat for us!). Dropped mascara which rolled under bed. Crawled under to retrieve it. Underside of bed tiny scrap of paper taped to slats, covered in dust, must've been there a while 'remember - 21/03/1994'. Have googled date, seems to have no importance or reference to anyone but the author. Often wonder about it to this day.

we left a note to the new homeowners that a four clover leaf was somewhere in our garden, we found a few when we lived there and we left one for them!

Found a copy of the kama sutra in a bedside cabinet. Some pages had ticks marked on

Have left behind (in the same cottage) a pair of black ankle boots and a hairdryer. Were never returned

I left one of my ‘necessary’ bedtime toys in a holiday house when I was about three. We were two hours into an eight hour journey when my mum realised and made my dad drive back!

handwash- we left behind. pretty boring

I was about 14 and on a school trip to Belgium. We stayed in a hostel and on the windowsill on the outside were loads of bottles of gin and vodka... you can guess what a group of five 14 year olds did.

I knew someone who found boxer shorts in a kettle in a holiday cottage once

An unchanged bed with a pair of jeans at the end. Yuk