What Delights do you Leave to Welcome Your Guests?

From the moment they step through the door your bookings become guests, and their experiences determine whether they ever come back.
Morristhedog
Posts: 114
Joined: Wed Jun 03, 2015 3:27 pm
Location: Dordogne

What Delights do you Leave to Welcome Your Guests?

Post by Morristhedog »

Is the welcome pack a thing of the past? Or very much alive and kicking?

What do you leave for them?

What else in the way of consumables?

I leave light bulbs, spare batteries for all the remotes, a battery lantern for the power cuts, clothes pegs which seem to walk, A roll of bin liners which has always walked. Tin foil and cling film have stayed in the dispensers. I always put one new sealed loo roll in each loo, but no more. I leave washing up liquid and a couple of tabs for the dish washer, plus the salt and rinse aid are left for their use. There is a soap dispenser in the cloak room, but I have not put bars of soap out, since I guess they would prefer their own! I don't provide toiletries at all.

Is there anything else we ought to consider?
A dreamer is one who can only find his way home by moonlight.
User avatar
Nemo
Posts: 7062
Joined: Thu Aug 14, 2008 10:15 am
Location: Norfolk

Post by Nemo »

I'm not really here :wink: so I haven't got time to find the links but there are some very recent threads on leaving consumables and welcome packs if you search the forum. Put welcome and pack into search to see what you find.
User avatar
teapot
Posts: 842
Joined: Wed Oct 23, 2013 10:08 am
Location: Loire valley

Re: What Delights do you Leave to Welcome Your Guests?

Post by teapot »

Morristhedog wrote:Is the welcome pack a thing of the past? Or very much alive and kicking?


Is there anything else we ought to consider?
Bottle of wine, tea and coffee, salt and pepper (they always forget to buy some)
Passivpool Energy "A" rated Swimming Pools, the most efficient, lowest running cost pools in the world
la vache!
Posts: 11065
Joined: Wed Feb 16, 2005 7:22 pm

Re: What Delights do you Leave to Welcome Your Guests?

Post by la vache! »

Morristhedog wrote:Is the welcome pack a thing of the past? Or very much alive and kicking?

What do you leave for them?

What else in the way of consumables?

I leave light bulbs, spare batteries for all the remotes, a battery lantern for the power cuts, clothes pegs which seem to walk, A roll of bin liners which has always walked. Tin foil and cling film have stayed in the dispensers. I always put one new sealed loo roll in each loo, but no more. I leave washing up liquid and a couple of tabs for the dish washer, plus the salt and rinse aid are left for their use. There is a soap dispenser in the cloak room, but I have not put bars of soap out, since I guess they would prefer their own! I don't provide toiletries at all.

Is there anything else we ought to consider?
Those things I don't consider as part of the 'welcome' pack, they are standard for me.
As isl as salt, pepper, olive and sunflower oil, balsamic vinegar, sugar, flour, coffee, tea, fresh milk, orange juice and cold beer. I put little hotel bars of soap and hand soap dispensers plus shower gels (Le Petit Marseillais) in all the bathroom. DVDs, board games, toys (indoors and outdoors).
3 rolls of loo paper (they can have more if they want) kitchen roll, and cleaning products plus scourer and J cloth.
On arrival guests also get a homemade Breton cake and a bottle of wine plus any other fruit/veg/walnuts if I have them spare from the garden.
I've probably forgotten something :lol:
Morristhedog
Posts: 114
Joined: Wed Jun 03, 2015 3:27 pm
Location: Dordogne

Post by Morristhedog »

No those things are other consumables la vache!

I haven't mentioned my welcome pack!

Yours is really interesting and comprehensive.

Yes of course there are DVD's and games, adult and children's libraries, etc and a couple of play mats which have been a great success.

I got one which is for playing with all the toy cars, and then another to play snakes and ladders.

I bought big foam dice to go with the snakes and ladders mat. The kids need to stand on the squares. I have been very pleased with this item! It has gone down very well.

I leave new cotton dish cloths from J Lewis, but I guess I could get J cloths! Good idea.

I also leave one of those sponges with a scourer on the back wrapped in sellophane for the bathroom.

Love your idea of home made produce!
A dreamer is one who can only find his way home by moonlight.
User avatar
edinburgh
Posts: 402
Joined: Wed Jul 02, 2014 11:02 pm
Location: Edinburgh
Contact:

Post by edinburgh »

I use LED light bulbs throughout, so not a problem with them going. Those sorts of things I consider maintenance, and are stored in the owners cupboard.

My gift basket for a family of four comprises:
  • 1 litre of milk (in the fridge)
    4 Tunnock's caramel wafers
    4 Tunnock's teacakes
    1 packet of Taylors ground coffee
    4 PG Tips tea bags in little sachet things
    4 shower gel (little hotel size ones)
    4 body wash
    4 shampoo
    4 soap
    1 500ml bottle Crabbies ginger beer
    Large packet of shortbread
Nothing special. Things like toilet roll, kitchen roll, bin liners are all in the places you'd expect to find them, and don't comprise part of the welcome pack.
Morristhedog
Posts: 114
Joined: Wed Jun 03, 2015 3:27 pm
Location: Dordogne

Post by Morristhedog »

I so miss Tunnocks tea cakes!!!

Wow you are generous with the calories.

I have LED for the ceiling bulbs but I am not sure about the side lights. Despite the LED they do go.
A dreamer is one who can only find his way home by moonlight.
User avatar
edinburgh
Posts: 402
Joined: Wed Jul 02, 2014 11:02 pm
Location: Edinburgh
Contact:

Post by edinburgh »

PM me your address and I'll send you a box!
User avatar
Mouse
Posts: 7277
Joined: Tue Jun 20, 2006 6:47 pm
Location: Balearics
Contact:

Post by Mouse »

I love tunnocks too!
Luckily there's a British supermarket here that sells them, so I can get my fix of those and frys turkish delight :roll:

We supply loads (including an endless supply of loo rolls and dishwasher tabs)...in fact it's easier to say what we don't supply, but my little touch of luxury for guests is a couple of bottles of chilled cava and a box of chocolate truffles.
I do make sure there's also beer for the male guests :wink:
This is in place of the welcome pack that just didn't get used (we have fab shops and supermarkets in the village)

Mousie
x
One martini, two martini, three martini floor!
User avatar
edinburgh
Posts: 402
Joined: Wed Jul 02, 2014 11:02 pm
Location: Edinburgh
Contact:

Post by edinburgh »

Got to agree that often my welcome pack rarely gets entirely used. Often it's just a few things. Most people want to make a tea/coffee on arrival and have a snack. Toiletries are often untouched.
Morristhedog
Posts: 114
Joined: Wed Jun 03, 2015 3:27 pm
Location: Dordogne

Post by Morristhedog »

Oh Mousie, you are so lucky! Fry's Turkish Delight!!!

So far in my welcome pack I have been experimenting.

I always include either a nice sparkling wine or a good French Bordeaux. Then I leave milk, butter, and either croissants and Apricot confiture, or a good loaf of bread. If the clients get here late, it means they have the makings of a meal. I also include a fresh fruit juice. It depends of course if they fly in or drive in. There is a tray with a jar that contains the tea bags, various sorts, and coffee pouches. Once I left French biscuits, though I was not sure.There is of course, sugar also. I haven't thought to leave other groceries, though the salt and pepper pots are full.
A dreamer is one who can only find his way home by moonlight.
SandyBeaches
Posts: 1071
Joined: Tue May 01, 2012 8:35 am
Location: Norfolk Coast

Post by SandyBeaches »

Edinburgh your welcome pack sounds fabulous. I'm booking myself in.

I lave a basket of goodies which comprises:

1 chocolate cake
Pack of stem ginger biscuits
Vegetable crisps
Fudge
Box of chocolates
Some kind of flavoured nuts
And another couple of similar things

All purchased from the 'deluxe' range at Lidl and all gorgeous. And I can do a whole basket for less than a tenner if I'm careful. I've gone for the 'frivolous' approach of including treats rather than essentials like tea/coffee as I figure most people will bring those anyway.

There is rarely anything left, which is always a bit disappointing on changeover day.
Hells Bells
Posts: 13173
Joined: Sat Apr 30, 2005 8:42 am
Location: French Alps
Contact:

Post by Hells Bells »

We leave a bottle of wine at the moment, nothing more, although we are not on site, or even in the same country. There are often coffee, teabags and spices in the cupboard.
newtimber
Posts: 1945
Joined: Sat Nov 24, 2012 5:57 pm
Location: Brighton
Contact:

Post by newtimber »

Just come back from self-catering in France - just left 2 loo rolls! That's all. No wine, tea, coffee, sugar, soap or anything. Oh they did leave a half-used bottle of washing-up liquid - but nothing for the dishwasher so that remained unused.

Enjoyed the holiday though!
Hells Bells
Posts: 13173
Joined: Sat Apr 30, 2005 8:42 am
Location: French Alps
Contact:

Post by Hells Bells »

Cleaning products and dishwasher tablets are taken as read. I would like my manager to leave more loo rolls and bin bags but seem to bang my head on the brick wall over it.She can't even leave me my own roll of bin bags. I've often had to go buy some more just because the cleaner keeps them with her own supplies for each apartment.
Post Reply