The Essentials that Every Holiday Home Should Have *

When renting out a property to holiday makers, you need to ensure you have everything required for them to have a comfortable stay. Whether it’s in the city centre, or a remote location in the middle of the countryside, having the essential items provided within your property will really help to make their stay much easier and more importantly, more
pleasurable. From basic appliances to specific kitchen necessities, here are the key essentials that every homely holiday home should have included that we’ve compiled after many rented apartment and home stays…

Kitchen Necessities

Having the right equipment in the kitchen is a huge help when renting a holiday home, especially when you’re intending to be self-catering which is something we love to be able to do. It doesn’t matter if you’re planning to cook up a storm each night or grab a takeaway from the local restaurant, there are specific items that you need in the kitchen for day-to-day life. Start by ensuring the kitchen area has the right equipment, from chopping boards, sharp knives and a selection of pots and pans, to trays for the oven, colanders and measuring jugs. You should then have the obvious essentials such as oven gloves, tea towels, dishcloths and cleaning products for the sink area so we can clean up the area after use. When it comes to essential food items, you need to ensure you have the basics, including salt and pepper and olive oil, as these are items that have a long shelf life and only require a little use each time, so it saves your guests having to purchase larger bottles for only a few uses and it’s always something I forget to take when I go away!

A Welcoming Starter Pack

There’s nothing that says, “Welcome to your holiday home” more than a friendly starter pack positioned neatly on the shaker style kitchen unit to set your guests up for their stay. Having a welcoming pack of goodies to start your holiday with is always a really positive touch, which will make your guests feel much more at home and comfortable. Welcome starter
packs should always have the essentials, which includes tea bags, hot chocolate sachets, coffee, milk, sugar, sweeteners and biscuits. You could always go the extra mile and include some chocolates to make the starter pack that little bit more exciting. Along with this lovely starter pack of goodies, it’s also really beneficial to include some leaflets and a map of the
local area, as this will help your guests plan out their trip and work out what options they have for their trip. Usually when we arrive at a new destination we will pop on the kettle, have a cuppa and look through the material in the room to see where we should head out to first.

Bathroom and Bedroom Essentials


Providing your guests with a warm and welcoming bedroom is really important, as this will be the main feature that people have the highest expectations of and the place they are likely to spend most of their time. From fresh bedding with extra pillows, to a full-length mirror and plenty of surface space to store essential items, you need to make sure that the room is accessible and welcoming for the duration of your guests stay. Make sure the bedside tables have some tissues, a coaster with a glass (for a glass of water through the night), some magazines or a good book and a bin close-by to help them keep the room neat and tidy. Similarly, you want to keep a link between the bathroom and the bedroom, ensuring both rooms are in the best condition and provide your guests with everything they’ll need for each room. Leave a hairdryer in one of the drawers, a number of towels to use throughout their stay as they are hard work to fit in small cases for short trips and extra bed linen for those staying for a longer period of time. You may also want to leave a supply of shower gel, shampoo and conditioner in the bathroom, as there’s nothing worse than forgetting these and having nothing to use.

Basic Bits

Alongside the essential items such as pots and pans, sugar and towels, there are some additional basic bits that will simply make your guests stay more pleasurable. Remember to leave important items such as bin bags, kitchen roll and spare toilet rolls in one cupboard for them to use, along with notes telling the guests where the ironing board and iron are stored
away. You should also include some playing cards, good books and a board game or two, as these are perfect for adding some  entertainment to your guests trip.