Lay My Hat

Have any of your guests ever left you gifts? I was really touched yesterday when I went into the cottage and as well as a really nice message in our visitors book there were some fresh flowers for us and a set of coaster mats. The two children also left a post it note on the mirror saying "Sue, we love your cottage, we don't want to go home" aaah!!

We've previously been left nice candles, fridge magnets and wine. I always make a point of writing and thanking them. It certainly makes you think you're doing something right

Oh, we also had one set of guests who are due to retire in a few years and they asked for first option on the cottage if we ever decide to sell!

One couple left me three lovely pot plants and another couple left me a bottle of wine. I am often left very nice notes or they send me thank you emails, which I think is just as nice. I too have had an offer from a guest to buy the property if I ever sell it!

Our properties are self-catering so it is natural that many guests leave unused items of food, usually accompanied by a note. Frequently there is a bottle of wine, some cut flowers or a potted herb, again accompanied by a note.

We make a point of inviting all guests to our terrace for drinks and snacks, at least once during their stay. On many occasions they reciprocate, even to the extent of a full meal.

We always ask our guests for comments on our properties, both good and bad. Many useful little suggestions have come out of that. We also run a visitors’ book and many guests do make an entry.

Most of our guests e-mail us to tell us they have arrived home safe and sound.

One “gift� is the condition in which most guests leave the properties – immaculate is nearly always the order of the day. What a help that is on hand-over days!

Gifts come in all shapes and forms, don’t they?

Alan

Our guests sometimes leave a small souvenir of their hometown, an occassional bottle of wine and on one occasion, a former guest of ours was on the island on business and called to invite us for dinner!
We too like to give our giuests a small souvenir like a post-card calander to take home with them.
Like Alan said, if they leave the apartment as they found it, that too is enough!

It is indeed a gift if the place hardly needs any cleaning. I don't ask guests to stip beds but I'm so pleased when I come in and they are stripped and towels etc rounded up in the washing basket!!

Some of our guests have left food, stuff like jars of marmite and the like I'll just leave for future guests. We've built up a cupboard full of left stuff like decaffinated tea bags, pasta etc which people do use then leave something different. Oh, I've got a fine collection of half packets of sandwich bags too guests have left!!

Ant poison was a useful one. A painting of the view was a lovely surprise. A few people leave items of clothing they no longer want - a pair of off-white Y-fronts recently (but not in my size).

One thing that is fairly constant – the woeful quality of novels people read when on holiday, and then leave behind. I only have so much shelf space and when I cull these books I feel I am doing humanity a great service.

Oh, I'd forgotten about the painting of the cottage a past guest sent us - really lovely.

Yes, we've had our share of ample gussetted knickers down the back of the bed. Last week we were left a selection of "celeb" mags like OK and Heat which went straight in the bin!!

invitation to dinner where our 'tenants' had gone to a lot of trouble...then when they returned to UK sent us a collection of their favourite music...which was brilliant as we all have similar tastes.

We tend not to mix as when folk are on holiday they just want to chill...I know when we go it's a job to get my husband to get dressed never mind socialise....he just adores complete privacy with the thought of seeing no one and no phones!

But I agree the house being left nicely is the best you can get! The knotted feeling I get on a Saturday morning before you unlock that door....then the sheer relief when you find it in good shape!

I'm sure I had more left than I realised ...I've just changed my cleaning team...I am already surprised at the generosity of folk when they leave - and that is after just 1 month!!

Tip - watch the cleaners....I suddenly seem to have enough loo rolls, kitchen towels etc without constantly buying new stock...but crafty cleaners - you can't proove it!!

soodyer wrote:Last week we were left a selection of "celeb" mags like OK and Heat which went straight in the bin!!

Ooh Sue ! Don't throw those away! They make brilliant holiday reading. I recently stayed at the most stunning house near Ledbury (property 7643 on Holiday Rentals for those that are interested) that had a magazine rack stuffed to the gunnells with them. A number of us practically ODed on celeb trash. Wonderful

We are in the funeral business and since HBO 6 ft. under has been on we have a Producer of that show '
send us the rental checks in Chocolate covered TINYcaskets.
or a skeleton made of white chocolate ...with the check in his little hands or the worms are made of Gummy Bears etc...also leave us HBO Hats etc.
They love the lake and all our Homes are .ON THE WATER
we have had frige full of food ,liquior, books ...we could start a libary.....we found stuck under one of the childrens bed
a very expensive electronic game ...and the Mother we so appreciate of our Honesty... that she sent a .Fruit basket

Ha! those casket things sound great!! I'm into Mexican Day of the Dead stuff so that would be right up my street.

We've just cleaned the cottage after last weeks rental and found a very unwanted gift. We have a bit of a junk cupboard with spare lightbulbs, oil, empty carrier bags etc. Hubby went it to get something and said "this cupboard stinks"... The folk had left some dog chews, dog hair brush, a pack with some poop scoop bags AND a bag that had a poop scooped into it..... blagh!!!! Who puts bags with dog poop into a cupboard??!!! Hub emptied a half a tin of air freshener into the cupboard.

Eeeewwwwwww!!!!!

as well as leaving us dog poo they stripped the beds so at least that's something....

I think you could do this rental business for years and people would never fail to amaze you...