Welcome packs

Agencies and other headaches, keys and cleaners, running costs and contracts...in short, all the things we spend so much of our time doing behind the scenes.<br>
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apexblue
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Post by apexblue »

Drawn to book apartment which offers breakfast on AirBnB which offers crumpets jams and juice. One less hassle for a short break.
It is better to remain quiet and have one think you are stupid, than to open your mouth and remove all doubt....

The biggest mistake we make in life is thinking we have time.
amandajane
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Post by amandajane »

apexblue wrote:Drawn to book apartment which offers breakfast on AirBnB which offers crumpets jams and juice. One less hassle for a short break.
What! No butter! You can't have a crumpet without butter, and real at that!
zebedee
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Post by zebedee »

The other week we stayed at an expensive property in the Cotswolds. The advertised welcome pack was a minimum tea, coffee, milk, sugar and a cake, but it stated there would likely to be more included in the pack.

What we got was:
No tea (at all)
No coffee (at all - just coffe/tea dust in the bottom of both storage jars)
3 sugar lumps
A few biscuits on a plate which had been taken out of the wrapper.

As the fridge freezer had not been cleaned at all, I was rather suspicious of the hygiene regarding the biscuits :shock: :shock:
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PW in Polemi
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Post by PW in Polemi »

Friends of mine are currently on holiday, they booked last minute and got bargain prices for the last week available in each of two 3 bed villas. However, there was no welcome pack in either and no cleaning materials, not even a dishcloth and a squeeze or two of washing up liquid. Nor any soap in the toilets/bathrooms. Just one miserly loo roll per toilet. And both these properties are over €1500 per week in high season. You would have thought with that sort of income, a bit of basic stuff could have been put out for guests to use, especially when you add in the fact that most if not all guests fly not drive, so couldn't exactly bring their own supplies.

Frankly, I was shocked, not only at the lack of what I always considered essential supplies (cleaning stuff, tea, coffee, etc etc) but the almost total lack of maintenance. Loo that does not flush, mouse in residence (no response from local contact when advised of same), shower tray badly cracked in numerous places, no easy access from driveway/parking area to footpath to front door, badly touched up painted wall (would have been quicker and easier to paint the whole small wall between bedroom door and bathroom door), no shady verandah and no flyscreens on any window, so difficult to cool down inside without using air con which was only available in bedrooms, etc etc. I am sure you get the picture.

How do they get away with it?
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AndrewH
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Post by AndrewH »

PW in Polemi wrote:How do they get away with it?
That's bad. If they booked through HomeAway or a similar listing site which publishes reviews, then a bad review relating to the lack of basic supplies would certainly be in order and perhaps encourage the owner to be more helpful to future guests in the matter.
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PW in Polemi
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Post by PW in Polemi »

Apparently it was booked through a package company, although I understand the villas are available without flights.

There was an extra charge for a welcome pack of various foodstuffs including wine and beer, but no cleaning supplies. And no cleaning supplies or other essentials like kitchen roll, soap of any description, tea, coffee, etc etc were left.

Not sure there is an on-line review system for my friend to use - it appears to have ceased being used since about 2015! As my friends are well travelled, I am sure they will make their feelings known in appropriate places. &#128512;
Dogs have masters. Cats have slaves!
COYS
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Post by COYS »

We have always left cleaning materials in bathrooms, kitchen etc & are never surprised to see them untouched during the majority of rentals (yuk!) However, the washing up liquid always seemed to last a worrying length of time & it appears some folk would rather run the dishwasher or washing machine without detergent rather than buy tablets/liquid if they run out.
PW, if a welcome pack was available at extra cost & this option wasn't taken up by the guests, then I see no problem.
Welcome packs are becoming obsolete here with so many dietary variations or requirements & it is now commonplace to offer a custom (paid for) grocery delivery on arrival day. It can often be a few basics but just as often run to a significant amount of very specific shopping available at an online portal. Local supermarkets are doing good business from such services & for visitors without cars it is a very popular option.
I don't really buy into the whole bend over backwards approach to welcome packs any more. Self catering is exactly what it says on the tin. Anything other than a few basics & essentials should really be seen for what it is - a gesture on behalf of the owner. After that you'll have to be a grown up!
This time next year Rodney, we'll be millionaires.
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PW in Polemi
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Post by PW in Polemi »

But that's the point, coys. There weren't even a few basics and essentials!
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COYS
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Post by COYS »

PW in Polemi wrote:But that's the point, coys. There weren't even a few basics and essentials!
But a 'welcome pack' was offered (in advance) as an optional extra. If not taken up I personally wouldn't 'expect' anything left for me in self catering accommodation.
To be honest we tended to leave cleaning materials more in hope than expectation.
This time next year Rodney, we'll be millionaires.
Marks
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Post by Marks »

I'm with COYS on this. I leave a small quantity of hand soap and washing up liquid and whatever cleaning materials have been left by previous guests.

If guests want a grocery pack then I offer 3 types ranging from 30 to 50 Euros. I can make small changes (Coke lite instead of full fat or white instead of brown bread etc) and if guests take up the offer then that's fine, if not that's fine also.

Now I know a certain someone will be along soon to tell me I am offering a service so should charge IVA and that I should be aware of allergies....... :roll:
Some guests just need a sympathetic pat. On the head. With a hammer.
newtimber
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Post by newtimber »

COYS wrote: But a 'welcome pack' was offered (in advance) as an optional extra. If not taken up I personally wouldn't 'expect' anything left for me in self catering accommodation.
The point is that some people would and would then be disappointed. They then have a bad first impression of your property and look for other things that aren't right.

No-one wants to buy a whole box of dishwasher tablets for a 3-day stay - so if you don't provide any, they will run it without any tablets and put the not-very-clean items back in the cupboard ready for your next guests. Is that what you want?
SPJ
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Post by SPJ »

Newtimber + 1

I also believe that our guests keep our place clean for us and use what we provide because we are around to help them when they need it and can see that it's "our home".
I'm a great believer in providing quality cleaning products and keeping the broom, dust pan and brush, vacuum cleaner (it's a miele and emptied regularly) free from previous guests' dirt and hair - especially long hair. To my mind as a guest there is nothing worse than finding there is nothing but a manky broom full of previous guests' dirt with which to clean the gite when I leave.
I still give the place a deep clean between each guest (spiders webs are the bane of my life!) but I am usually hoovering dust free floors and giving a final once-over to spotless toilets.
COYS
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Post by COYS »

newtimber wrote:
COYS wrote: But a 'welcome pack' was offered (in advance) as an optional extra. If not taken up I personally wouldn't 'expect' anything left for me in self catering accommodation.
The point is that some people would and would then be disappointed. They then have a bad first impression of your property and look for other things that aren't right.

No-one wants to buy a whole box of dishwasher tablets for a 3-day stay - so if you don't provide any, they will run it without any tablets and put the not-very-clean items back in the cupboard ready for your next guests. Is that what you want?
Not really what I was getting at newtimber & SPJ. Yes, first impressions matter but if you were offered an option & chose not to take it, why would you then see fit to complain.
If the place itself is dirty or sub standard etc, by all means have a moan but if you are offered something additional in advance & choose not to have it, you have no good reason to complain about it not being there. I'm not getting back into the minutiae of welcome pack contents (we've done it a million times) merely stating the facts as I interpreted them from PW's earlier post. A welcome pack was offered in advance at additional cost & declined, therefore no complaint about the lack of a welcome pack (however basic or essential) is valid, therefore self catered as advertised. Criticize the property if need be, not the absence of tea bags or soap. And yes I would expect a guest to buy some dishwasher tablets etc if they ran out, being on holiday, even for a few days is no excuse for being slovenly IMO.
This time next year Rodney, we'll be millionaires.
SPJ
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Post by SPJ »

Ah, Coys one can "expect" all one likes. But there is a huge gap between our expectations and reality! And that's where the stress lies.
In reality, I'd rather (discretely) control my guests behaviour by over-providing, rather than "expecting" them to behave as responsible adults (which they tend not to on holiday) and furnish what is needed in order to keep my gite and my belongings in good order.
COYS
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Post by COYS »

Indeed, & that is at your sole discretion & preference SPJ. To each their own & I have long since given up expecting much in the way of household responsibility from holidaymakers. For many it is a week or two away from any kind of chores, hence much of our cleaning products/tools remain suspiciously dormant.
I’ve also been fortunate/stupid enough to travel extensively both for work & leisure & have stayed in a broad range of accommodation, revisiting some several times over. Whatever the standard or cost I hope to find the fundamentals & facilities in good order & as advertised but I don’t recall ever basing my decision to book or return even remotely upon the contents (or not) of the pantry &/or cleaning cupboard. Apologies to OP for hijacking :wink:
Last edited by COYS on Thu Sep 27, 2018 3:11 pm, edited 1 time in total.
This time next year Rodney, we'll be millionaires.
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