what would make the best ever holiday cottage holiday?

[Sooperswooper]

A bit of advice.. saw a brilliant 2009 thread that I've nicked all the ideas from about this, but wanted any updated ideas if you'd be so kind to oblige. A lucky, lucky relative of mine is in the process of buying a beautiful 6 bed house for holidays in wales- will be half for family use (buying in a place that we, our parents, uncles, aunts AND our grandparents & great grandparents all went to on holiday so it's very dear to us and our extended family) and then will be let out when we're not using it.

She wants to make it as wonderful and child/toddler friendly as possible. Also as appealing to adults too so really what would make going on holiday better and easier adult wise (list of local babysitters perhaps along with local recommendations?) kitchen stuff (sharp knives! A welcome pack of food bits?), toiletries (necessary?) honesty bar (are people really that honest?), sheets and bedding (or bring your own?) what do people want to see in terms of luxury/value for money, what would be useful in the utility area, little herb garden in the courtyard? Any wet weather ideas as to what might be useful (it is in the UK... )

For children- first from a parents point of view (cutlery sets, highchair, cot, bumbo, travel stair gate etc etc) and then from a child’s point of view (books, toys, kites, board games, little welcome pack?) I think it's sometimes easy to forget you're on holiday sometimes when you're self catering and so really want to make sure people actually feel as if they've had a lovely, value for money holiday. not just for when we are all there!

Any thoughts about the best (and worst) experiences you've had when self catering with babies/ toddlers and children would be fab. So excited to be helping her, but don't want to just suggest things I'd like in case, having experienced them, they just wouldn't work

The most important thing to me is comfortable beds - I have had so many sleepless holidays in self catering due to cheap, old beds . Buy the best you can afford. A standard four foot six bed is not good enough for two adults. Nice to provide freshly made up beds (again, use quality linen).

Decent appliances, sharp knives etc are essential.

Board games, books and reasonably current magazines are good (not Readers Digest from 20 years ago as per our dentist's waiting room ).

I wouldn't bother with an honesty bar but a welcome pack containing a bottle of wine and two or three 'essentials' is nice - and a fresh loaf of bread.

No petty lists of excessive rules (obviously a few guidelines are fine but not pages and pages).

No honesty bar. A wonderful bed and good linens. Decent kitchen supplies.

Wifi

no dogs allowed

not too much of the family's personal stuff around the place

Wi Fi.

No to an honesty bar.

Definitely supply the bed linen and have the beds made up.

Yeah, no dogs and awesome WiFi.

bodyboards, buckets, spades if near the beach

playhouse in the garden

home made cake, bread butter, milk and a bottle of wine on arrival

I wouldn't use an honesty bar or local babysitters

would always expect beds made up with decent linen on arrival

I want to go on holiday.

Oh, definately comfortable beds. I like a firm mattress, nothing you sink into. Quality bedding with an option of clean towels everyday. An option of food basics upon arrival or stocked kitchen.
Info packs with directions so I could take the children out without sat nav.

No dogs
Wifi
Lots of towels
No lists of rules.
No owners Turing up when they want to check up on the place ( annoying)

Good mattresses and good quality bedding.

Home made cake on arrival, and asking dietary requirements before hand.

For LO, books.

A subscription to films or a good stack of films

A massive TV screen in bedroom and in lounge.

A good website for the cottage that clearly spells out what comes with the cottage.

Asking dietary requirements? Honestly? Just a box of chocolates.

Fast Wifi
Fast Wifi
Fast Wifi

Lots of towels
Lots of kitchen implements, big spoons, sharp knives, chopping boards etc
NO nick-nacks
Plenty of storage in the bathroom - nowhere to unpack toiletries to, and nowhere to put a shampoo bottle in the shower drives me mad
Basic cleaning /laundry supplies - washing up liquid, and a few liquitabs or something for the washing machine.
Instructions on how to use the washing machine
Salt/pepper/oil/vinegar/teabags - always nice to have a few storecupboard things you only use a little of

If there's a capsule coffee machine, then some capsules for it! We just stayed somewhere with a nespresso machine and TWO capsules - the nearest nespresso 'boutique' was way across the city.

Beds made up - comfy beds. If you have two double rooms you could have two different firmness eps of bed so people can choose. Our favourite cottage (been twice in the last eight months for long weekends is perfect in every way apart from a very firm bed and that I have to take bedding- but going back to a childhood holiday spot makes up for that).
Wifi, washing machine and dishwasher (with a few tablets provided)
Bottle of wine and a few store cupboard bits.
Not stuffed full of nick nicks.
Some books and games and toys are always great.
Towels provided.

At least a 32" tv- a tiny 20" just doesn't cut it when you've brought a couple of box sets to watch.
A shower with decent pressure if possible.
Good quality comfy beds and pillows.
Dishwasher and tablets.
Cleaning included in the price.
I like a box of lots of touristy leaflets and also a proper visitors book where other guests make recommendations for places to see and eat etc.

Clean bedding, clean towels, tea towels, heated towel rail

Washing supplies and cleaning stuff - e.g. Dettol, bleach, dishbrush

Lovely toiletries in a little basket in the bathroom and spares of anything essential e.g. tampons, wipes, loo roll

Well stocked first aid kit

BBQ, paddling pool, garden games/toys - get giant Jenga/chess?

Bug repellant

Hair dryer, microwave, decent freezer, toaster, good kettle

Instructions for every appliance

Board games, books (go for well known authors, e.g. Marian Keyes, Sophie kinsella, and cheap holiday reads), comics and books for kids, some basic toys - Lego, dolls, etc. Sometimes something 'weird' might work well - so for example, something older/vintage-ish that young children won't necessarily have played with before.

TV with netflix or sky demand or something

Store cupboard/pantry with stuff that might be useful for food - e.g. herbs, spices, bottled water, sauces, vinegar

Easy clean sofas and carpets and rugs

Decor in the style of whatever the cottage is near - so if the beach, nautical with fish in the bathroom. Children's bedroom(s) in child friendly decor - maybe little mermaid, or pirates or something if near a beach..

If near a beach - seaside stuff, wind breaker, pop up tent, if near woods or hiking then maybe binoculars or something

Outdoor storage for bikes and the like

Wooden or tiled floors in main areas for easy clean

A Hoover

Local info - takeaway leaflets, tourist info, contact details for owner, emergency numbers (e.g. doctor, casualty) etc

I think most of it has been said. The last house we stayed in was perfect. I think what made it different was:

It had more than one tv, so adults could get a look in.
The casserole dishes, pans, baking trays were big enough for the number of people staying in the house.
Pint glasses.
A cafetiere, a baking tray for muffins/yorkshire puddings, scales - we get time to cook/bake on holiday but there's rarely the equipment.
A few first aid bits and pieces e.g. paracetamol, lemsip, plasters.
A selection of old films on dvd - this house had a collection, all freebies from the newspapers and it was lovely watching Gone with the Wind and the Eagle Has Landed on a rainy afternoon.

When mine were little what really helped was an area where they could toddle about and play that had nothing to break and nothing to bash their heads on. You can't bring big toys with you, so something like a wooden train set, a dolls house or a big pile of lego bricks always went down well.

Definitely bedding - we can't fit it into the car when we go away.

Access to cleaning products - so often they're locked away and we do like to clean up after ourselves sometimes.

I've been to houses with body boards, wii consoles and games and buckets and spades - these things were all very welcome but not strictly necessary.

Lots of information - so nearest supermarket, Indian takeaway, recycling place type of thing. When the bin men come. How to use the heating/washing machine/tv in short, easy to understand notes (nobody wants to read instruction manuals).

A wipeable table and mats - white tablecloths may look nice when you arrive but they look awful after one meal with dc.

Plenty of coathangers.

WiFi
Decent sheets
NO personal knick knacks, in fact no knick knacks at all
Folder of up to date local information
Clean
Decent / thick / big towels
Power shower
Recently we were left fresh eggs and a homemade cake
which was lovely
Supply of cleaning stuff particularly dishwasher tablets
Decent TV not some minuscule portable - if you've got kids chances are you will be watching TV in the evening

Decent stair gates
Proper cot - not a travel cot
Changing mat

China mugs and decent wine glasses

Maybe a bed guard available for toddlers? And a trainer toilet seat?

This is all brilliant stuff- thank you. The bar has been set! (though don't worry- it won't be an honesty one Really getting a feel for what's worth it and what isn't. Is there anything specifically good for babies/toddlers that I'm missing- was thinking some ikea cutlery/crockery/high chair, suitable toys- am racking my brains thinking of what I'd like if I was staying in a cottage with ds, but also anything over and above the norm which would make a lightbulb go on over your head with "ahh, what a lovely thought!"

Bedrooms:
Good quality mattresses, replaced as needed as I don't want to sleep in a dent.
Super kingsize bed in at least 1 room, consider zip and link beds for flexibility.
TV in at least a few of the adult bedrooms, preferably with DVD player.
Made up beds with good quality bedlinen.
Space to open cases.
Black out curtains/blinds in all bedrooms.

Bathrooms:
Enough fluffy towels, toilet paper, hand soap, showers and at least 1 bath in the house for children.
Enough bathrooms for the size of the property and water pressure to allow more than 1 shower at a time (given the size of the property).
Locks that can be opened from the outside.

Kitchen:
Dishwasher and tablets
Properly equipped kitchen including scales, potato masher, stuff for baking on a wet day. I think that the reason that knifes are blunt in holiday lets is that they all have glass chopping boards as plastic ones get scored and don't look hygenic, but glass ones blunt knives. I think it is worth sucking up the cost of replacing plastic boards regularly.
Toddler size cutlery, plastic plates and cups.
Basic ingredients - salt, pepper in a grinder, oil, vinegar, tea.
Basic fresh ingredients - milk, bread, butter.

Lounge:
Decent size TV with DVD player
Leather sofas (wipeable).

Good WIFI reception throughout.

Cleaned to a high standard with cleaning included in the price. I don't want to spend the end of my holiday cleaning.

God, YES. Blackout blinds. Am sick of draping duvets over windows.

Wifi
Powerful shower
Good beds and bedding
Dishwasher
Washing machine and airer
Clean throughout
Sensible and plentiful towels
Soap! Surprising how many places don't have soap by the sink but do have shampoo.