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Can you catch me out?

(199 Posts)
Missfoodlove Thu 15-Jul-21 11:53:24

We are a week away from letting an apartment we have bought and kitted out as a holiday let.
It’s been great fun decorating and furnishing in a contemporary style.

We hope guests will love it

Is there anything you can think of that would enhance your holiday experience or anything I may have forgotten?

All reasonable suggestions please

sazz1 Sat 17-Jul-21 17:09:02

Basic cleaning items like disposable dishcloths, green pot scourer, mop, bucket, dustpan n brush, antibac wipes or spray, fairy liquid, soap.
We dropped a glass once in self catering and had to go and buy a dustpan to clear it up.

hicaz46 Sat 17-Jul-21 17:17:21

On a recent trip to Cornwall there was a bottle of wine cooling in the fridge in our cottage. In others we have had scones or something very local.

Rodborough49 Sat 17-Jul-21 17:24:32

We have just got back from a superb place in Ashbourne...absolutely everything you could think of and all the stuff mentioned above - except WD40.. one of the bedroom doors had a squeak and not good in the night when trying not to wake others on loo visits!

mrsba Sat 17-Jul-21 17:32:42

A couple of food boxes for leftovers in the fridge or
pic-nics are useful.

mrsba Sat 17-Jul-21 17:39:48

I don't drink alcohol, so my dilemma if any is left for us, is whether it would seem rude to leave it behind! Air fresheners are a big NOooo thanks, as they set my Asthma off, I usually ring ahead and ask for any to be removed

Parisgranny Sat 17-Jul-21 17:55:55

Good knives and a corkscrew which works

HillyN Sat 17-Jul-21 18:08:15

Can I just add a potato peeler to the list? We've just stayed in self-catering accommodation and had to go out and buy one.

Sashabel Sat 17-Jul-21 18:17:56

Agree with a lot of previous suggestions. The only thing I would add is a fan for hot days and especially stuffy nights.

Teacheranne Sat 17-Jul-21 18:28:22

EileenCl

Mine is more of a suggestion of something not to include! As an asthmatic, I always have to send my husband in first to trawl the cottage or apartment for air fresheners and diffusers, and remove them before I go in. I know that is a fairly ‘niche’ requirement, but may be something to consider.

Good point, I’m not asthmatic but I’m not a fan of artificial smells in the house, I prefer open windows and fresh air.

yogagran Sat 17-Jul-21 19:01:22

We have just returned home from an AirB&B place. A very disappointing converted barn - there was no welcome pack at all. The only seating in the living room was one huge plastic/leather look sofa that was so wide that even my long legged other half couldn't sit on it. No other chairs apart from the dining room ones.
The details had mentioned "cooker" so we had taken our usual home made pre-cooked casserole to heat up only to find that the "cooker" was actually a portable, two ring electric hob. So ancient that it took forever to heat up. No oven or hob apart from this bed-sit type gadget. There was no information on local places to eat out/shop/visit and the only reading matter on the shelves were interior decorating magazines. No visitor book either. The duvet was a 10.5 tog and, being a converted barn, there were no opening windows in the bedroom. We came home after just two nights there.
AirB&B are now pestering me to leave feedback but I really don't like to leave negative comments. Certainly it is not somewhere I will go back to

GrammaH Sat 17-Jul-21 19:01:42

We recently stayed in a really wonderful holiday cottage, it was extremely modern and very comfortable. However, we missed having a click - there wasn't one of any sort & DH doesn't wear a watch or have a mobile so he was a bit at sea! Also, the sumptuous shower room had small bath towels - sheets would've been so much nicer.

GrammaH Sat 17-Jul-21 19:02:02

Or a CLOCK even!!

ginny Sat 17-Jul-21 19:29:04

Wow, I’m quite amazed at some of the things people might expect.
When we go to self catering we expect to take our own supplies.
Would not want toiletries or room sprays / freshener.
Information is the thing we like to have. Places to eat, nearest shops/petrol etc.
We have been to some that provided milk, small coffee, tea and even some that provided scones or cake as a welcome and that’s lovely.
I just hope the places are clean and as described.

kjmpde Sat 17-Jul-21 19:31:01

sufficient t towels - we once rented somewhere that gave us one tea towel for a whole week. in addition either dishcloths or j cloths. details of public transport as not everybody wants to drive everywhere

crissy Sat 17-Jul-21 19:33:52

Hooks and/or decent sized shelf in bath/shower room

Rosiestocks Sat 17-Jul-21 20:27:07

I feel the cold and always appreciate a hot water bottle. Also postcodes (for the Satnav) are helpful if leaving details of pubs, shops hospitals etc

Silvergrand Sat 17-Jul-21 21:20:32

We used the first-aid kit last time we self-catered

NannieAnnie64 Sat 17-Jul-21 21:47:01

I once stopped in a lovely caravan and the owner left a small cardboard box on the table with a lovely welcome note. It contained a washing up sponge, mini bottle of washing up liquid, a black bag and a mini bar of soap. It thought it was a lovely touch.

Allsorts Sat 17-Jul-21 21:53:58

I am easily pleased, as long as it’s clean and there is a welcome pack, list of instructions for electrical devices etc and a contact number I ask no more.

Boyzone Sat 17-Jul-21 22:48:42

Granless

Make sure electric plug socket is near a mirror for plugging in a hair dryer. It’s surprising how many ‘lets’ have a socket on one wall, mirror on another. ?

I agree! So important

Luckynan Sat 17-Jul-21 23:01:15

Dressing table and stool , mirror and good lighting in the bedroom. We like to dress up a bit at night and I’ve lost count of the number of places we’ve stayed at that have had very poor lighting in the bedroom, impossible to do hair and add a bit of make up! Nice towels and bath towels. We always take a couple of bath towels with us just incase. It’s also got to be immaculately clean for me and that includes the loo brush.

ThornsdaleJude Sat 17-Jul-21 23:02:16

Different weight duvets for the different seasons. I’ve only experienced this once in years of self catering. I hate sweltering under a heavy duvet in the summer.

misty34 Sat 17-Jul-21 23:02:52

I holiday in cottages all the time but do always take our dog. Vet no is handy. Personally I always look for a cottage with a freezer as well as fridge. It is so much easier to do one big shop for the week rather than have to keep popping to shops every couple of days. I take my slow cooker then can plan meals for the week which leaves the days free to get, up prep an evening meal, then out walking with dog all day. Not always easy to eat out with a dog with you. Don't know if your place is dog friendly or not?

misty34 Sat 17-Jul-21 23:07:22

Oooh! I forgot a tin opener that works! I always take my own now as this has happened often to me.

silverspoon125 Sun 18-Jul-21 07:15:00

A full length mirror, bedside lamp so so you don't have to get out of bed to turn off the light. A mirror for us shorties to be able to dry our hair. A couple of garden chairs would be great. A few kitchen essentials, t towels etc. But for me it's that full length mirror.