New holiday cottage - WWYD?

[ladyshale]

We're renovating what was the tiny old gardener's cottage to rent out as a small holiday home from mid-October and need some advice from seasoned UK holidaymakers.

It has one large bedroom (would take king size bed plus cot), and a large open plan living room/ dining area/ kitchen.

For context there is a fantastic pub and a farm shop less than 5 minutes walk away. The south coast is 15 minutes drive away.

Would you prefer:

Beds: twin (maybe that could be zipped together) or king or superking?

Kitchen: Is washer/dryer essential or
(Will have full size dishwasher, fridge/freezer, microwave)

Bathroom: we're thinking either bath with shower over and glass shower screen or shower room with attached sauna.

Any other things that make you keen to rent somewhere?

An air BnB we stayed at had a shed outside with buckets and spades in that you just used and put back. Plus some board games and colouring books for wet days.

Was greeted with 2 bottles of wine and a box of chocs which although didn't make up for the tiny bed was a nice touch.

Plastic plates and cups and bowls are good if you're attracting adults with a child.

Zip lock is ideal. Makes a nice king sized bed but can be twin beds. I never notice the ridge, especially if you have a nice mattress topper.

I love a bath, I'd only book a weekend if there was only a shower. Little sauna, lovely.

I like a washer dryer but it's less essential in a cottage for 2 than a family cottage.

I’ve just come back from 2 weeks in a cottage and the things I missed and appreciated were as follows:

Appreciated:
Nice mugs
Decent toaster
Decent small range of quality pans and trays
Wine glasses
Nice fluffy towels
A clothes horse
A space outside to use disposable BBQs safely
A ‘useful list’ of which were genuinely the best takeaways and pubs, and menus for such
Photos of the house being renovated (nice to see!)
Matches and tealights
A torch in case of a powercut (we had one!)
Plenty of loo roll, hand wash and basic cleaning stuff
Salt and a small thing of olive oil
Pegs to hang coats on
Pegs for the washing line
A small welcome of little jams, welsh cakes and butter
Decent WiFi
Decent TV with Freeview (U.K. holidays with hit and miss weather need this)
DVD player

Things I didn’t like:
Poly bedding - felt sweaty and nasty and missed my fitting bedding
Washer but no dryer. We had damp days - too damp for airing outside and too warm for heating. Would have appreciated a washer dryer (god awful things but would do in a holiday let) just to dry out damp towels or wet clothes)
Lack of spare bulbs. A couple in a drawer would have been good.
Lack of mirrors! No full length one anywhere (not that I’m preening on holiday but would be handy)

What I would do if I were you:
If you are nearby leave a list of the DVDs you own and invite borrowing from you (such a simple idea)
Leave some little nice toiletries - feels like a treat
Leave some little chocolates
Leave information - can you find the history of the cottage and who lived there? Not just generic tourist leaflets
Map (on the wall even) with footpaths marked
If you are welcoming your guests and handing over the key, and it’s on your land, offer to bring them a welcoming cuppa or g&t when you hand the keys over? ‘Hi here are the keys. I’ll just let you bring your bags in then I’ll show you around. Would you like a fresh coffee or a welcome drink as our guests?’

Small touches I think. Very best of luck.

Sauna with wood, will be too hard to clean to Covid requirements

Take a look at the covid-cleaning requirements for holiday lets, it may change how you fit and equip the house.

Make somewhere to hang up and dry wet walking gear.

My husband and I rent cottages. What attracted me to the one we're going to soon was a super king bed with the option to have it as twins, a proper shower, not a shower over the bath...Could you put a shower cubicle instead of the sauna and still have the bath? If you have room for the washer dryer I would do it. Also GOOD non stick frying pans and big mugs, and pint glasses and wine glasses.

Dishwasher more of a priority than washing machine

Definately, I would want a dishwasher, as a single parent, I would not feel like I have had a break, if I had to wash up x 3 daily for a week. (Im sure it's the same for people with partners that wont do their fair share!)

Also still on the single parent theme, I would probably like twin beds, to get a break from a co-sleeper

You might find whoever has to wash the laundry & make fresh beds, wash duvets, move the bed to hoover under, would find twin beds easier to manage?

I would prefer a double bed (Single beds together always fell that way), bath with shower over (only time I gave a bath is on holiday) and I'm always delighted if there is a washer dryer.

Bath....with shower over ..people like a relaxing soak....get one with middle taps so couples can share ?
Twins that can be linked is adaptable
Washer drier combo ..if staying for a week I like to wash towels and kitchen towels etc
Sockets on easy to reach level by the bed is a must these days !!
I like a tv in the bedroom too

Who prioritises washing dishes which are done in 5 mins in the sink over a washing machine!! Madness!

I'd like the idea of twin beds, shower and bath. And 100% the washer over a dishwasher!

The sauna might be dodgy if people don’t know how to use it and have high blood pressure or other ailments. Can be dangerous. I’d lose that personally.

Zip and link sounds like a good option. Can cater for most people that way.

Good luck.

We actually just stayed in a cottage with an infra red sauna. I didn't use it. It was in the utility room with the washing machine and dryer, nowhere to store bikes except there too. Although dh did use it, he liked it!

Yy to Washer/Dryer.

Dishes done by hand is no problem when it's only for two.

Yy to Zip n Link bed. Get a good topper for when it's a king.

Need a smart tv, books, blankets and somewhere nice to sit outside.

I wish I could wash, dry & put away dishes in 5 mins I hate it.

I would also not enjoy doing my laundry & hanging it all up to dry on holiday, I just do it when I get home.

I am lazy, and miserable

Same as pp.
Allow dogs, you can charge more.
Washer and dryer.
Good crockery, good utensils. Good pans etc. More than one can opener.
Very good wifi.
Enclosed area if possible.
Shower over bath, I love a bath on holiday.
Folder with all details including how to get hot water when visitors want it, not when you think they might want it. Good cotton bedding, the highest thread count you can buy. I think one big bed and a foldable cot would cover most eventualities.
Definitely a dishwasher. A washing line and pegs if possible.
Not every item of clothing I own can be put in a dryer.
And very very important, leave guests alone after the initial, hi I'm the owner, I live there and theres a basket with a pint of milk, loaf of bread, 6 eggs,tiny jams, real butter
You can charge a bit more for this basket and offer it , or just charge more and bring it as a surprise.

@LST

Who prioritises washing dishes which are done in 5 mins in the sink over a washing machine!! Madness!

I'd like the idea of twin beds, shower and bath. And 100% the washer over a dishwasher!

At home I would prefer the washer dryer but I never do washing on holiday. If you're going for a week you just pack enough clothes for a week and wash when you get home. Nobody packs enough clothes for 3 days and does a wash halfway through the week, surely?

We are in Covid times and rental companies/ Airbnb will require you to reach a certain level of extra cleanliness at the moment so the less stuff the better - cleaning a sauna right now would be a nightmare. So for now less books/ DVDs is also good and you’re not really meant to have them in rentals anyway (though of course lots of people do).

Personally I would go with a luxury king size bed - market your rental at couples. Young ones without kids / older ones who aren’t holidaying with their kids. Or for a couple and a non-mobile baby and have a Baby Bjorn travel cot in the cupboard. I say non- movers as then you don’t need to worry about providing high chairs/ stair gates etc etc and if you have a fire you won’t need to provide a fire guard.

A nice bath is always appreciated. We do a lot of walking type holidays and a nice soak in the evening after a long walk is so nice. I rarely use my bath at home but on holiday it's a nice treat. A few toiletries are always appreciated - the last place we stayed in which sounds similar to yours had some really nice pump action bottles with shampoo etc. I usually take my own anyway but if you've forgotten it that can be really good.

Also: places to store and dry wet/muddy coats and shoes are essential, now it's getting towards winter.

Good heating, with no restriction on hot water - only had this once but it marred the holiday. Only used a washer once, but that was for a week long stay and we usually do short breaks. So think about how long people might stay because longer than a weekend and people might want to do washing.

Maps/guides to the local area, takeaway menus (of you have any locally) and a few nice books for people to read in the evening. WIFI and a paid for TV subscription - no one wants to be stuck indoors with only bargain hunters to watch if the weather is too horrible to be outdoors.

You should put in the biggest bed the room will fit. We have a super king at home and I wouldn't book one with only a double. Make sure the mattress isn't too soft either. I like a very firm bed which I know is unusual but so many holiday lets have really soft plush beds which have a luxurious feel initially but honestly they are a pain after a night or two. Good quality bed linen.

Well stocked kitchen - make sure there's at least a couple of decent pans, a baking dish, a spatula, grater, etcetc take cues from what you use the most in your own kitchen, if there's a dishwasher leave a few tablets for them to use. Some teabags, coffee is always great. We've sometimes had alcohol left for us as a gift which is nice but we don't drink. So if you're thinking of leaving a few bits try and be as inclusive as possible - fresh bread is always a good one or some nice juice maybe.

Clear directions on dealing with rubbish too - if there's recycling, where does it go, etc.

Oh and I say king size bed rather than a bed you can change as it’s just so much nicer, plus it will save you precious precious time when changing over/ cleaning the rental to not have to mess about with moving the beds/ making sure you have the right configuration for the time and right bedding etc

Definitely twin beds. I holiday with dd and separate beds are far preferable, although we will share if absolutely necessary. Ones you can make into a double for couples probably give you the broadest market. A sofa bed would be an added bonus, and some of them are really comfy.

I only care about a washing machine if I'm staying for a few days. If it's a weekend/three days, I wouldn't bother. It depends how long your usual lets are. I would 100% go for a washing machine over a dishwasher though. IMO holiday cottages don't need a dishwasher, few people are going to be doing a normal week's worth of home cooking - there will be at least some take aways/meals out. If you can fit in both, fine, but if it's a choice between the two then a washing machine would win every time.

Separate shower rather than shower over bath. My last holiday was a road trip and we stayed in 6 different appartments/cottages. They all had brilliant showers, often Italian style walk-ins, and it showed in the reviews. People will definitely notice and comment on the bathroom facilities as one of the major points. I wouldn't care about and almost certainly wouldn't use a sauna or bath. I would have used a bath when dc were small.

Other points I look for in reviews and adverts:
good parking
storage space (in your case for muddy boots etc.)
wifi with good coverage
properly equipped kitchen (coffee machine, kettle, toaster)
no pets allowed (I'm allergic to pet hair)

Things that would make me want to come back if I'd been once (but I probably wouldn't look out for in adverts):
plenty of plug sockets for charging various items. Ideally a couple of sockets with USB ports.
basic store cupboard essentials supplied & a welcome basket
nice towels supplied
clean, fresh decor, bed linen, crockery
light
warm in winter
a couple of board games (with all the pieces!)
somewhere to dry clothes & towels
a booklet of (not patronising) instructions on what the process is for e.g. emptying bins, checking out.

Things people sometimes spend money on in their holiday cottages which I couldn't care less about:
tv
smart lighting
air con (in the UK. Obviously it's necessary in some other countries)
tumble drier
more sets of crockery than you can get people in the house
niche kitchen utensils (spiraliser, garlic press)

Musts: King sized comfy bed, bath with decent shower, decent pans and knives, space for a cot, decent wifi, outdoor seating, enclosed private garden, dressing table, fluffy towels, bedside lights that are useable for reading

Nice to haves: big cupboard that can stash cases amd shoes in, washing machine, hot tub, smart tv that can log into netflix, DVD player, heated towel rail, hairdryer, cozy blankets, fire

If you are looking to attract couples with babies then a high chair is a must. The Ikea ones are great and very cheap. Can also remove the legs for storage.
A large travel cot might be an idea (suggest a nuna sena) then that can be folded away when not needed.

going against the grain: make it allergy friendly

• no pets/dogs
• all synthetic bedding
• no wood burning stove

a combination washer/drier is fine for a holiday let.

shower over bath keeps both shower and bath people happy.

beds - kings size is fine. due to the size it looks like your main target is couples.

A one bed cottage will yield a higher price if you go for couples looking for a bit of luxury and the pizza oven is a real plus for that!

I book a lot of little breaks for myself, husband and our now our baby too.
go for a double ended tub (taps in the middle) with shower over,
King size bed (zip & link not great when you have a bed thief sneaking in)
If you can- hot tub in the garden
Dryer not essential but a washing machine and clothes maiden available would be useful.

Bath rather than sauna.

Proper bed rather than sofa bed. I know some people say they have comfortable ones but I've never seen one in real life. I sleep on the floor in preference to a sofa bed.

We never book anywhere without a dishwasher, very important!

It's rare we do washing on holiday but if you can fit a washer dryer in then good - but NOT if it means there is no cupboard space for guests to store food!

Decent selection of glasses - including pint, wine, tumblers and flutes

Bath with separate shower over the sauna
Hot tub if you can get one, under shelter for year round use - with plastic glasses

Provide:
Kitchen roll, cling film, foil, cleaning materials
Salt, pepper, oil, vinegar, ketchup
Tea, coffee, sugar & sweeteners

A welcome basket of bread, butter, eggs, wine, milk

Books, games, WiFi, sat tv

Maps, takeaway menus

Easy way to split rubbish if it needs to be for recycling

Hairdryer