What do you like about a holiday cottage?

[Karwomannghia]

My mum has asked me to help her update her holiday cottage as she’s not letting it this season. The main thing is to get a bigger tv with freeview but does anyone have experience of what makes a good tv? Is it possible for people to login to their own Netflix accounts for example?
Also what else do you really like about a cottage? I’ve mentioned having good blinds/curtains to block out the light. It’s a house with a double in one room and bunk beds in another.
I’m staying in it and will point out things to improve but anything to look out for appreciated!

it is bound to rain, plenty of space to keep wellies, wet coats

Baby stuff - tie on high chair, travel cot, a small amount of plastic cutlery and crockery

1. Blackout blinds are great, or at least thick curtains
2. Proper bath sheets, not the "bath towels" that are only about a metre long. Also another decent size towel to wrap hair in.
3. Mirror with plug sockets close enough to use a hairdryer.
4. Plug sockets by the bed.
5. Decent non stick frying pan
6. Generally well equipped kitchen, as we don't eat out every night.
7. Quality bed linen
8. More than one tea towel
9. A few condiments, maybe a little basket with a few salt/ketchup/mayo sachets would be great as I always forget one of them.

10. A power shower or at least one that isn't just a dribble. 11. Good sized mugs 12. Sharp knives 13. A few kitchen essentials like washing up liquid, foil, bin bags.

We had no wifi this week but luckily I had my phone to tether, was slightly inconvenient but booked in a rush.

Decent dining chairs not just 1 with a seat pad,then the rest hard wood?

It had a Microwave but no dishes.

Glad I bought my own Tupperware and knife. Wish I'd brought my own potato peeler.

Yes had small towels, no hooks on doors or bedroom bin

However they did leave bin bags, foil, kitchen Roll, dishwasher tablets, wash tablets etc which was so helpful

When looking for a holiday let, the photos and description are crucial to us. Some descriptions are too brief and vague. Recently there has been a tendency for arty posed photos, showing a bottle of wine and glasses or croissants, coffee and newspapers or a house sign in close up. This tells me nothing useful! I want to see clear photos of all the rooms from each angle. I want to see the outside of the let from each angle. I want to see the outlook of the let from each angle. Sometimes you can't tell from the photos or description what type of let is on offer - even whether it is terraced, semi or detached, stone built or not. Not that I mind a wooden beach shack at all - I just want to know! You often can't tell if the let is in splendid isolation or has other properties or businesses very close by or in view. I realise they want to market their properties in the best light, but in some cases they are definitely hiding something. In any event, I just want enough information to make sure the let really suits us, and certainly before parting with our money and risking our holiday dreams.

I just want to know! You often can't tell if the let is in splendid isolation or has other properties or businesses very close by or in view. I realise they want to market their properties in the best light, but in some cases they are definitely hiding something. In any event, I just want enough information to make sure the let really suits us, and certainly before parting with our money and risking our holiday dreams.

Fully agree. It's all about managing expectations. Give prospective customers ALL relevant information to let them make an informed decision. If a website or listing has only a brief description and/or few pictures, then I'll just move on and look elsewhere. Likewise there are still some (luckily a minority) where you can't book online or where you have to email/phone for prices - again, I just move on. There's so much choice that I don't waste my time with those who can't be bothered to put up a proper website or listing.

Baby stuff taken away or not taking ip all the storage space if not requested by customers, we stayed somewhere that had a stairgate a couple of years ago and ended up taking it off ourselves. The hall cupboard was mostly taken up with a highchair and travel cot leaving us nowhere to store coats and outdoor stuff.

Just managed away for a week. I loved

The abundance of towels
The airer
The pegs
Vax upstairs, shark downstairs
Big TVs (smart TVs. We took our own fire stick)
WiFi (I had to work)

Sweeping brush, brush and pan, mop and bucket. Lots of little bins. Spare bedding (more towels!) blankets for snuggling in.

The things that had been night were good quality so will last.

I hated the sofas. Leather, kept sliding off. Incredibly uncomfortable. We couldn't sit on them properly! Had to have skin covered or you'd stick to it.

I think the cottage I was in could have bought a really decent sofa bed to that they could appeal to more families.

There was no dishwasher would have preferred a dishwasher but hey ho. It was a needed change of scenery and in our price range so had to put up with that.

I hate blackout curtains with a passion, waking up in pitch darkness is horrible. Put up blackout blinds for those who like it dark, with normal curtains for those of us that don't.

Not exactly living up to your username there @EasilyDelighted

businesswales.gov.wales/tourism/sites/tourism/files/documents/Self-Catering%20Guidance.pdf

This shows how wales tourism grade stuff.

Recently there has been a tendency for arty posed photos, showing a bottle of wine and glasses or croissants, coffee and newspapers or a house sign in close up. This tells me nothing useful!

Ugh, yes!

I want to see clear photos of all the rooms from each angle. I want to see the outside of the let from each angle.

Absolutely!

We always find the cottage on google maps and streetview it. This often fills in a lot of missing or glossed-over details.

I do appreciate it when kitchens have done basics. Most cottages we’ve stayed at have salt, pepper, spices, oil, tea, coffee, sugar. Some have had more stuff but we don’t tend to use anything else.

I like lots of books and dvds. Not sure how allowed that is right now though.
Good amount of tourist info but not a baffling amount.
A bottle of milk in the fridge for a brew in arrival.

Well equipped kitchen, lots of towels and spare bedding.

Blackout curtains not flimsy things. It’s hard enough to get the children to sleep As it is without crap curtains letting in all the light!

Hmm.

My gites have:

1 x 5' double
1 x twin - 3" beds
2 have bunks
Cots/high chairs on request

Furnished simply ( and yes sofas are leather because they are easily cleaned)
There is zero respect for other people's belongings.
No laundry baskets because after three families they reek.
Good Wi-Fi
Good showers
Good linens
Good cooker, micro, toaster, and cafetieres, etc.
Barbecue and outdoor furniture - usually left rather grubby.
Double crocks and cutlery
Cheap and cheerful knives, salad bowls, etc (like towels and pillows they walk)
Hard floors (DC pee on carpets)
Shared laundry room (two machines/two dryers and sinks and an outdoor tap to wash out the sand)
We have a few buggies on hand (left behind) ditto buckets, spades, etc.
Towels get taken to beach and ruined; few families seem to know that a hot wash sets blood stains.

£2,500 - £3k pw. They also have a pool añd tennis court And airport collection if not driving. We have a couole on site to look after them.

Some people are nice and respectful.
Others are a'holes.

Many of our clients are naice M'Netty people, BMW's/Range Rovers and domestic gaffs in SW London. The number who have rolled in, looked at DH and I watering, in scruffs, (dh has perfected raising his hat) and treated us like staff is spectacular. There's a volte face when they realise we are the owners.

As an owner my plea would be leave it as you find it, don't half hinch, be polite. We give you an impeccable service so appreciate it and understand we are not stupid, we barely cover our costs and stop setting up a documented whinge to knock money off.

Welcome pack; two bog rolls, w-up liquid, tea, coffee, milk, wine, beurre, cheese, ham, bread, matches, cake, bottled water, juice. Hotel type shampoo, shower gel, soap to start you off. Option of something like lasagne and salad bowl for first night at extra cost. Beyond that the Intermarche is that way. Few of you have staff at home so please don't treat mine like shit.

80% of people are utterly charming btw.

Oh and our favourite cottage has lots of toys and games so we don’t have to take anything with us to entertain the children. There are in fact more things to do there than at home!

Sparkling clean
no clutter
Really decent shower , screen not curtain
Decent shelf space around the bathroom basin for my 'stuff'
Decent WiFi with instructions including password and instructions on location of router so we can reboot if required

Light that can be turned off from the bed. There is nothing worse than having to get out of bed to turn off the light then stumble back to bed in the dark.

If there is a TV, let it have HDMI/USB sockets so I can connect up my stuff

Utilities pack - washing up liquid, bin bags and loo rolls.

Decent WiFi which just works.
Detailed instructions on how to use the heating, dishwasher, cooker, WiFi etc etc.
A welcome pack of perishable essentials including bread, milk, butter etc.
Cupboards stocked with sugar, salt, pepper, oil etc so people can cook and cleaning products including dishwasher tabs, cloths, wash up liquid etc.

An excessive amount of bath mats, not just one or two.

And tons and tons of hooks. Can't abide bathrooms with only two hooks to try and hang up and dry 4+ towels.

Pint glasses.

I quite like a cottage that looks like it's been furnished from a car boot sale, as long as it's robust, good quality, comfortable stuff, and in keeping with the house. What looks quirky and atmospheric in a lonely stone cottage in a Welsh valley, looks tatty and uncared-for in a 20th century semi in a busy town.

We once stayed in a place where all the wardrobes and bedside tables were from the cheapest, flimsiest range in the Argos catalogue. Awful. And definitely not what was in the photographs.

It sounds like she has had it for a few years?

So maybe a look back at previous bookings, who is her market?

Sounds like a two bed, no pets. Is it child friendly? Cot, high chair? Where are DH and older kids sleeping? Like can it accommodate more normally or is that just for you guys for a break. Like a sofa bed or something?

Is there a guest feedback book or survey? What have they said?

MIL has a very outdated cottage. Two bed, no dogs. Main market hill walkers. Who want to bring dogs. Every single guest comment complains no wifi. She still has not got wifi.

I think you will get a good idea staying there for a bit. Then can focus in on what's missing.

I like a kitchen that is well equipped. Usually I’m sharper with my wit than with the knives in these rentals, so some good knives for chopping.
Have a look at the cutlery drawer. I’ve been to lots with a mismatch of cutlery, same with mugs and drinking glasses and crockery. Looks shabby.
Usually, we have somewhere with parking. If not, we’ve always been given instructions of the nearest free car park.

Full length mirror in at least one bedroom or on the landing. If I'm on holiday, I want to check my outfit before I go out.

Decent lighting to put my make up on. Either decent LED light in the bathroom mirror or plug in LED magnifying lamp.

Pet bugbear: nowhere for our toothbrushes etc in the bathroom. And the impossibility of putting in contact lenses in a poly bathroom with a badly-positioned mirror and nowhere to put the lens containers and the specs you have just taken off except in the basin, because whatever tiny bit of shelf there is has the toothbrushes balanced on it...

A shelf. Please. In the bathroom, right near the sink. I'm not a fan of badly-lit bathrooms either.

I appreciate that good knives grow legs and walk: we usually take our own, plus basic spices and stock cubes.

And as PP have said, a teapot and decently sized mugs make all the difference.

I like a nice comfy bed with good quality duvet, sheets etc.

All the little things like veg peeler, corkscrew etc. Also salt, pepper, vinigar the kitchen.
Plenty of tea towels.

A decent TV with kids channels and movies would be good.

Modern decor, not loads of knick knacks and ornaments from the 70s