New Holiday Let ... What Do You Want?

[cows573]

We are just in the process of finishing our holiday let and would like to ask mum's net what they would look for in 4 or 5 star accommodation. We are aiming for prices from 500 to 1000 per week.

The cottage is in a rural location in SW Scotland, 3 bedrooms. 1st bedroom is a twin with blackout blinds as well as curtains, hairdryer and bedside light, plenty of hangers. We may put a tv dvd player in here for dvd's....

Next bedroom is a double with two bedside lights, hairdryer, plenty of hangers, Jack and Jill NetSuite shower/toliet with master bedroom...

Master bedroom with sky free view tv, king size bed, hairdryer and hangers.

Jack and Jill ensuite has shower, toilet, sink and kardean flooring as well as one new toilet roll.

Egyptian cotton bed linen throughout, 2 pillows per bed plus duvets. Black out blinds in all bedrooms and hall windows.

Family bathroom with shower over bath, kardean flooring, 1 bath towel per person, 1 hand towel for each bathroom as well as anti slip mat and bath mat and one new toilet roll. Each bathroom has soap, shampoo, conditioner, shower gel and body lotion provided.

Living room with patio doors, multi fuel stove (for central heating too but oil heating as well), first fuel (firelighters, kindling, coal and logs) provided, corner sofa for four, double sofa, kardean flooring, reading light, coffee table, sky free view, DVD player, range of dad's, books and information folder.

Open planned kitchen with tumble drier, washing machine, dishwasher, at least 12 of basic crockery and cutlery. Microwave, sky free view tv, table for six, lots of cupboards, basic stuff provided including cleaning materials...

Secured garden area at rear with hot tub for six, four bathrobes and disposable slippers. Indoor drying room. Buckets and spades, indoor games, travel cot and highchair available on request.

Looking at welcome basket with local wine and beers, milk and bread....

Have I missed anything?

Big mugs.

We've rented loads of places over the years, often with lots of family and friends. The main gripes have been

• blunt and useless knives
• nowhere to hang coats etc when you come in
• not enough serving bowls for the tables
• temperamental and difficult cookers!

I'm also a big fan of leaving some basics in a cupboard, in jars e.g. salt and pepper, sugar, teabags, coffee and oil & vinegar, and second all those who suggest dishwashing stuff.
This place was the absolute gold standard of well-equipped-ness www.stationhouseirvinestown.com

I've been to lots of holiday lets and I like to have a plug near a mirror for hair drying.

So an extension lead if there isn't a plug near the mirror, and a decent sized mirror in each room.

Even better would be a dressing table but I know that's not always possible 😉

Thanks for the explanation Alice. I've felt a bit bad if we've broken a glass in the past, clearly there are far worse problems!

Tea pot and cosy (I can't drink coffee)
Enough sofa/armchairs for the amount of beds (e.g. If the cottage sleeps 6, then there should be enough armchairs and sofas for 6 people to sit down). Same for kitchen/dining chairs.

I accept the comments about coffee beans, sugar etc but am also conscious of of things requiring to be unopened.... I will provide SUGAR sachets to get people started but beyond that, I would end up with a tonne of sugar to use ourselves! As regards coffee beans, surely that is a very personal choice?

I do plan to provide things that can't really be contaminated like spices and oil...

There is seating for six in both the kitchen and living room. We have a teapot but no cosy, sorry. Plugs near mirrors in the double and king size bedroom. Indoor drying room with traditional pulley line, outdoor drier and pegs.

Cows when are you starting to take bookings from? Can you PM me the details when you start advertising please

Cows could you also please PM me details. We live in Scotland, borders and tend to only holiday in Scotland. Dh farmer and won't go far. Thanks

Re coffee, one cup filter pots are a really good option. Some sachets of instant to bulk it out and a few of these for a more luxurious cup. Had them in my posh safari lodge in South Africa and it worked well

m.tesco.com/h5/groceries/r/www.tesco.com/groceries/product/details/?id=257023850

Surely the answer to the blunt knife problem is to provide a knife sharpener ?
And make sure you have a spare can opener , as the one we provide is forever taken "home "

How do I pm people on here? Definitely will once we are ready to accept bookings...

The outside area is just getting done at the moment but inside is very nearly finished....

cows573 - a fire risk assessment is a written document which you have to produce. just having smoke alarms and fire blankets is not enough.

please do check this out and do it because if you don't and there is a problem it invalidates your insurances including your PLI

see HERE

Its the big flaw with people who let their properties on airbandb.

Mummymeister, if it reassures you any I was in charge of departments health and safety in a factory as well as other things in a previous life ... Lol. As a result I am very familiar with risk assessments etc. We are fortunate the cottage is on one level and all bedroom Windows fully open as an exit if necessary. All fire proof bins etc. We are working from the Scottish tourist board recommendations for five star accommodation.

so you have a written fire risk assessment then? you only had to say that you did. I am an ex eho over 20 years experience. its my experience that independent holiday lets aren't as hot on fire risks as they should be. small hotels similarly since the loss of the fire certificates.

I was just keen to make you aware of the other side of this - not the customer facing one but the behind the scenes stuff you are expected to have.