How many towels?

[mindadowling]

I normally supply a large bath sheet, smaller bath towel, hand towel and face towel per guest for a one week rental. We also provide extra large pool towels. My last guest wrote lovely comments about their stay at our cottage. Her only complaint was that there were not enough towels.

As I am really new to the holiday rental market, I was wondering how many towels is the right amount to leave.

[reddevil]

We go for double that amount - we must have hygeinic guests

[paolo]

Hi Minda,

I do the same as you and it seems enough. Good hotels would give more - two big bath towels per person - maybe that's what they are used to.

I hope your first season is shaping up well!

[vrooje]

We normally have at least eight large towels in the house -- regardless of how many people are staying there in a given week. The house has beds for four but quite often there are only two people renting it, so in that case they each have four bath towels!

Needless to say, we've never had a problem. The trick is to find good towels that aren't too expensive, so you can stock up and your guests feel like you're spending oodles of money on linens and towels.

[mindadowling]

Thanks Reddevil, Paolo and Brooke for your feedback!

The towels I provide are the most lovely waffle weave cotton towels made by Bussati. They cost a fortune, but I felt that my guests are paying for luxury as this is what I hope our cottage conveys. I know that I am impressed by good bedlinens and quality towels so why not treat my guests to the luxury of Bussati linens. The client that complained about not enough towels did say that she thought the towels were so magnificent that she went to Bussati and ordered a set for herself! Sometimes I think you can't win!

Paolo, thanks for asking about how my season is going so far. We listed Sogna Piccola with vrbo and holiday-rentals.com in mid March and have received 10 firm bookings. I am a bit overwhelmed by the response. We also received two bookings from holidaylets.net (free trail offer). Most of the summer is now booked with a few odd weeks in June still available. At first I was really upset at the thought of strangers sleeping in my bed, but somehow the ca ching of the cash register seems to have made that feeling fade!

Brooke, I did not forget about your Rufina guide. I am still working on it!

[paolo]

At first I was really upset at the thought of strangers sleeping in my bed, but somehow the ca ching of the cash register seems to have made that feeling fade!

Two feelings I remember well.

Good to hear you are doing well, and no surprise given the way your house looks. Now you need to chase down those September-November travellers of taste and distinction.

[vrooje]

Brooke, I did not forget about your Rufina guide. I am still working on it!

You are so sweet! I am so excited about my trip. Quite coincidentally, I started reading The Agony and the Ecstasy, and Tuscany seems to be a major character in the book. I'm hoping that it will teach me about what I need to see in Florence. I'm shockingly uninformed about the area.

I've just re-visited your website and remembered how beautiful your property is! It makes me wish I were spending my week at your property... but then, I suppose that a private apartment in a beautiful borgo will suffice... especially since my cousin is paying for it.

I also noticed that the flash animation just above your menu is working for me now -- excellent!

Cheers!

[Linda Freese]

Hi Minda

I have nothing extra to add about the towels as I think that you are leaving enough. If you have a washing machine, surely they can wash them if they want fresh towels every few days??

I really just wanted to say that I love your website and your property looks fab so I would book it even if you provided 10 year old towels

Good luck with your rentals!

Linda

[Fraise]

Ooh, we have our first ever guests next week and I was going to leave the same as you, but for 6 people even though there are only 3 staying ( cos the house sleeps that many).I didn't really reply cos of that though- I just had to write to say what a beautiful house/web site. It looks sooo inviting!!!!Lovely.

www.thepetitmanoir.com

[mindadowling]

Hi Fraise,

Best of luck on your holiday rentals! I am a virgin to this industry as well. A bit scary at first but I think I am getting the hang of it especially with the help of everyone on laymyhat.
I have to say that I have learnt so much from this forum. I am sure that my guests will have a much more enjoyable stay at Sogna Piccola because of the generosity of spirit and information found on this forum. Mille grazie tutti!

Thank you all, for your kind words about our holiday cottage
and website. I really appreciate it!

[tansy]

I leave bath sheet, shower/bath towel and hand towel per person plus extra hand towels in the loo and kitchen...I quite often find towels carefully folded up unused...I also leave beach towels asking that if they use them to pop them through the washer for the next folk.

I haven't gone for luxury luxury ....but quality ones (M&S type quality) that reflect seaside theme that keep their colour and shape...and always finish them off in the tumble drier to keep them soft and fluffy.

Never in 4 years have I had a complaint re towels...in fact complimented on how well equipped we are...so I think perhaps that was a moaning mini you had!

[Hells Bells]

Just starting out in the game ourselves, but as a property renter, I would say we would expect a bathtowel and handtowel per person, with perhaps a spare set or two.

[debk]

I can only echo the comments about how lovely your property is... but given its target audience, I think one set of towels per person is too low. (Who wants to wash towels on their holiday?) I recommend that you buy another two sets and leave them out for your guests. Those who care about towels, myself included, will be happy; those that don't, probably won't even use them. We always leave out extra towels and they are rarely used, but always appreciated. A win-win!

[tansy]

sorry debk...I can't agree...a set per person I think is more than enough with a few extra in kitchen,bathrooms etc.

I cannot believe how much washing is done during the holiday lets...it's as if there is a compulsion to use the washing machine as much as possible...so putting the odd towel through if it is really necessary is fine by me...but putting out too many, in my opinion is also leaving you open to some going walkies...at least we can keep track of stock at all times by putting out the same per person....

I'm packing at the moment to go on holiday...I'm told there are towels there...but I shall be packing our own and they will get preferential use before the ones supplied...I find folk coming to us must be the same mind set... we're not a 5 star hotel but home from home holiday house...everything is there for our guests but it is still a self catering holiday....does that make sense?

[paolo]

It also depends on the size of the group you can accommodate. Tansy sleeps 10-11, whereas Minda is targeting the couples market. I don't think there is any harm in leaving out more towels than may be needed in this case. I would not do the same at Tansy's houses - leave out 30 towels for a family with kids, and I reckon they will use 30 towels.