Your ideal holiday house

[Molecule]

As part of my divorce settlement I have become the owner of a rather hideous house in a wonderful position. I am now in the middle of major renovations which hopefully will transform it into something far more desirable. I plan to run it as a holiday let.

It is six double bedrooms, so will sleep 12 with ease, with sea views, close to a pub and shop, and within walking distance of the beach and cafes, but on a quiet residential road. It is in an elevated position and has a large (approx half and acre) garden.

So, what is truly needed, what is desirable, and what would give a wow factor?

So far I have thought of the following:

Kitchen: large range cooker, with good selection of large pans, roasting tins etc (what about bakeware, do people bake on holiday?)
American style fridge/freezer with water and ice
Dishwasher
Microwave
Coffee machine? I’ve been told that bean to cup can be temperamental so should there be a capsule one, or just have plenty of cafetières?
Plenty of crockery and glasses
Sharp knives
Large table able to seat 12
High chairs if needed

There will be a small seating area (two sofas) taking advantage of the sea view and opening out onto a patio area, plus a wall mounted tv.

Sitting room: wood burner, large sliding patio doors onto patio, (again with sea views), enough comfy seating for twelve, tv. Is it good to have a selection of books and games? Obviously WiFi, smart tv. Does it need Sky as well?

There are 3 bedrooms downstairs. One has an en-suite shower room, in the downstairs family bathroom I plan to do a walk in shower type of arrangement so if anyone has mobility issues it is more accessible.

Upstairs are the other 3 bedrooms, one en-suite bathroom and one family bathroom. Because of limited headroom these will have to have baths and not showers.

I plan to have good quality cotton bed linen and white towels.

There is a large garage for storage of boats, bikes etc and the washing machine and tumble dryer will be in there as well.

There will be plenty of outside furniture, and a BBQ area. Is a BBQ necessary? I’ve heard they get incredibly mucky and can be almost impossible to clean on change-over day.

What is the best change-over day?

I plan to leave a welcome pack. What should be in it? I will leave dishwasher tablets and detergent for the washing machine, plus some basic cleaning stuff and also access to a mop and vacuum, not that I would expect my customers to use them, but some might like to keep up standards.

I’m not keen on allowing dogs, what is the consensus on this? I have a dog which happily cocks his leg wherever he goes, inside or out, so the thought of other people's dogs doing the same in my newly decorated the house is not appealing.

I am planning on decorating in a sophisticated seaside manner. Amtico type flooring in the living/kitchen areas with rugs, carpets in the bedrooms.

So what else would you like? What is essential?

Please, I do know about the sins of second home ownership, but I plan to run this as a business, and hope, if I get it right , it will be occupied for most of the year, thus bringing something to the local economy. It had been on the market for over three years (it was truly hideous), so this must be better than an empty house.

Sounds amazing op!!
We have stayed in lots.
Most important type of house is a clean one!!
Spent about an hour once cleaning floors and cupboard fronts before even putting a crawling dc down!
Was manky!!
Older ds left a small games console there and we had to transfer £2.75 before the owner would post it back. Seriously felt like billing her for a clean (I am a cleaner!)
Clean +fresh please!

Could you do a brick built affair which will house disposable bbqs like they have at Center Parcs, and then make this clear in the literature?

Travel cot

Grill - for bacon, cheese on toast etc. Not inside the only oven, though if the house sleeps 12, you'll need a big cooker anyway.

I don't bake on holiday, and I'm a fairly keen baker at home, so I wouldn't expect baking equipment.

Patio and garden need to be enclosed to keep small children safe.

Way of keeping woodburner safe from small children - we have an open fire at home, and have a cage guard around it. Not pretty, but no trips to A&E!

Outside tap for washing feet/equipment when coming back from the beach (whoever is cleaning will thank you!)

Promise it will be clean! Can’t stand other people’s dirt.

I plan to have a bbq area, just sans bbq, and thought I’d supply the first couple of disposable bbqs. I plan to have pretty shed type thing for storing the seat cushions in etc if raining so bbqs would live in there.

The entire patio area will be enclosed as it’s a fearsome drop! But lovely views.

Meant to include travel cot in my resume.

Hadn’t thought about a fire guard, so thanks for that. Amazing how quickly you forget about little children once your own are grown-up.

The cookers I’m looking at all have multiple ovens, so there will be a separate grill.

There’s also an outside tap. There was going to be a shower in the garage but costs keep spiralling so at the moment that’s on hold!

Veg peelers, grater, serving spoons, stirring spoons which won't damage your pans.
Plastic plates etc for outdoor use
First Aid kit
Smoke alarms and fire extinguishers
Bin liners and instructions on recycling
Sounds lovely!

Sounds amazing!

Perhaps include a high chair as well if there's enough storage room for one?

A selection of games would be brilliant for us, books not so much as I tend to bring my own and wouldn't rely on there being some there.

What would be useful would be a couple of buckets and spades/ beach toys to cut down on the amount we'd take with us.

I know it's not directly what you asked but I would always appreciate a folder with info on the local area so maybe nearest supermarket, restaurants, patrol station, things to do etc.

We might bake as an activity with DS if it was raining but would only need a baking bowl, and cupcake baking tray and cases or similar, nothing fancy.

What about some picnic plates, cups and cutlery so it's easy to take stuff outside without worrying about breaking it?

Build a barbecue like the ones at Center Parcs - they're to put disposable ones on. Make sure you provide a metal bin to dispose of hot ashes though.

If renting for a week a house this big, I would be keen to have entertainment for older kids like tennis table, pool table, etc and BBQ outside would be a must. Your plans sound great, best of luck!

Sounds fantastic OP. Nice spacious couches are always something I look for now. I've been to too many holiday homes with uncomfortable tiny couches. Not too many nic nacs or decorations, or fthrows and cushions, especially on the beds, none at all on the beds.
A bbw would be good but then people are unlikely to clean it properly and they are a nightmare to clean. Perhaps buy a couple of cheap throw away ones for people and have a bbq area were they must keep them.

Maybe a sandpit in the garden and a cheap paddling pool or some play equipment.

For a large holiday let plenty of glasses, enough plates etc for 16 so if a plate or two is needed for serving you aren't short. I wouldn't worry about baking but serving dishes and salad bowls are handy. A bbq is essential and a table for outside to stand near the bbq (nothing fancy) outside seating. We do take our dog everywhere so that's a deal breaker but we have him sleep in the hallway normally (he does at home too). Dishwasher. Washing machine, boot rack.

Consider a real compact cot (with waterproof mattress protector). Most travel cots have awful hard mattresses which parents have to bring a proper mattress to put on top, and sizes vary so much. A real cot (perhaps with a couple of travel cots for the times when multiple families book) would tip the balance for me.
Also consider whether you'll allow large single sex groups. Lots of rentals don't.

A BBQ is a must, we wouldn't rent anywhere without a gas BBQ. Not difficult to clean, light it and burn it for 10 mins and then use a.bug long handles BBQ brush on it. Wipe over everything else with a cleaner and Bob's your uncle,done.

We let out a holiday house...

Teabags, milk and biscuits in welcome pack. Prosecco is also lovely but obvs eats into your profits. Enough kindling/logs for guests to light the log burner on first day/evening in the colder months.

I would accept dogs, it will have a significant impact on bookings. Most don’t pee anywhere/everywhere

Coffee pod machine and just leave a few in welcome pack (tell guests in advance to bring their own).

Couple of decent hairdryers.

Plenty of hooks for coats/towels.

Travel cot.

I would think about investing in a gas barbecue if you have nice outdoor space. Personally I would not rent a summer place without one (or just with disposable option).

Oh and no need for sky if you have smart tv with free view. Most people will have Netflix-amazon etc.

Sonos would be a great bonus!

Enough spare cupboard space for food for a large group, and for booze.
Best holiday house we stayed in as a large group had two dishwashers - so you could run one and still keep stacking.
Also useful for a big group is a coded door lock rather than a key, so you can go off and do different things and not rely on the one with the key being back first.

Enough keys for multiple groups to come and go.
Enough glasses and cups. If 12 can stay, 24 of each would be good, so you dont constantly have to do dishes.
Large serving dishes! We go away as a group of 10 all the time, and that's almost always missing.

A stair gate?
If there is room for six couples, or two families, someone is bound to have a dog. It’s a dealbreaker for me.

Yes - kitchen cupboard space for guests to put their own food. Last place we stayed all the cupboards were full of crockery etc and no where to put food. Basic staples like salt & pepper, cooking oil, tea bags, foil, cling film. But not half full jars of jam & ketchup! I also prefer clear instructions on what is expected at check out - ie strip beds or not, leave clean dishes in dishwasher or empty it.

Large mugs - at least one each

At least one light in the bedrooms which can be switched off from bed

How many comfortable seats in the living room?

How much is plenty of cutlery and crockery for twelve?

Thanks for your replies.

I’d planned on having 16 of everything cutlery/plate/mug/glass wise. Not sure if there will be storage for 24, without impacting on the wine storage! Large mugs are a must in my eyes, so they will be there as well.

Already have the melamine picnic plates for outside, and shall research the bbq options further. Good idea about a proper height table by the bbq. Am planning on plenty of large serving dishes and platters, plus serving spoons etc.

I like the idea of a sandpit, and will have a think about play equipment, though slightly concerned about the liability side of things. I don’t think I’ll be able to accommodate a pool/table tennis table (shall have to see how the space in the garage pans out once boiler, washing machine and tumble dryer are installed) but there would be plenty of space for badminton on the lawn.

I’ll have to wait til the house is finished to see how much storage there is for a proper cot rather than a travel one. Will have stairgates - are they needed top and bottom?

I may take dogs. I know most are lovely; it’s only our Pomeranian who really considers himself above the law, and he wouldn’t be staying there anyway. As the nearest beach allows dogs all year round I’m thinking this may be a selling point to dog owners.

All seats in the living room will be comfortable! I’m not expecting people to sit on hard-backed chairs. And definitely enough for 12.

What about soap in the bathrooms and shower gel?

There seems to be so much to think about!

Just handsoap dispensers next to basins. Nice stuff will walk!

I would also advise getting lots of the same white bed linen for all the rooms, that way if one duvet cover or pillow case gets ruined you don’t have to replace a whole set.

We have a travel cot and a roll up mattress for it which is easy to store. www.amazon.co.uk/Foldable-Mattress-Suffocation-Polyester-Folding/dp/B0746HYQH5?tag=mumsnetforu03-21

We also have an outside shower with warm water feed, great for rinsing the sand off people and dogs before coming into the house!

Footstools in the sitting room. We use a lot of Airbnb's and they never ever have a footstool or two.
After walking/sightseeing all day I want to put my feet up.
Just stayed in a very stylish apartment and it had a really low bed.....it was awful as not suitable to sit on. So I'd say no to low beds.
Good pillows and mattresses. Good quality bedding.
And somewhere in each bedroom to put your makeup on. Even if it's a shelf and mirror. Or a dressing table in each if you can stretch to it.
Best of luck with your new venture.

Footstools are an excellent idea and probably the sort of thing i would have forgotten about!

With 3 dds I’ve had it drummed into me the importance of somewhere to put make-up and decent mirrors.

Am I better with synthetic or feather/down pillows and duvets? I love a nice down pillow, but would people be ok with synthetic or should I have a mixture? I’d planned on identical white bed linen with throws to add colour.

Thanks for the cot link @sleepwhenidie and the suggestion of an outside shower. Shall mention it to the builder.

Also, the upstairs bedrooms are in the eves and therefore have limited hanging space, but there is a large landing. Would a clothes rail be acceptable on the landing? (In an unobtrusive way). There will be space for chest of drawers in the bedrooms, just not full length hanging up of clothes. Or would just hooks on the back of the doors suffice (with clothes hangers)?

I keep thinking of so many things!