Winter Holiday Part II: Rental house or hotel?

As promised here you can find some more tips about what you should look for when you book a holiday house/apartment next week, with a special focus point on what you can check before taking your decision.

8. Small kitchen appliances

It’s important to keep a vacation rental kitchen well stocked with the necessities. A good supply of plates, glasses, mugs, and silverware is an important base. Follow that up with wine glasses and bottle openers as a delightful extra.

There should always be basic seasoning on hand like salt and pepper, add assorted spices, cooking oils, and a healthy supply of coffee, tea and sugar.

If you prefer to cook at home when on vacation, you’ll love the rental house kitchen that is provided with cookware of all varieties, kitchen amenities like:

• A solid set of sharp knives, utensils for all welcomed guests, a full set of pots, flatware, serving platters and other eating/cooking necessities
• A kettle and a coffee maker. Appliances like rice cookers, crockpots or blenders can also be very helpful additions.
• Modern appliances like rice cookers, crock pots, processors, blenders, juicers, etc.
• Coffee pot, coffee and filters
• Corkscrews and bottle openers

9. Complimentary breakfast and custom-stocked fridge

You can ask if in the house there will be complimentary cookies, juices and breakfast ingredients. Can you book a home made breakfast in the rental house? As Property Manager we always ask at the confirmation of the guest’s booking if they need any extra service during their stay.

10. Stock with Food Storage Containers

You can ensure, if you are a hiking enthusiast, that the rental supplies food storage containers (or just a roll of tin foil and cling film as an alternative option) to prepare and pack your own lunch for the day are available or not.

11. Kitchen supplies for clean-up

Plenty of dish soap, a sponge or brush, a dish drying rack, fresh dish towels and an ample supply of garbage bags should be amongst your vacation rental supplies. If the kitchen already comes with a dishwasher you can ask if there is available a dishwasher detergent or tablets and maybe some instructions on how to operate the appliance.

12. Kid-friendly equipment

Are you parents traveling with babies or small children? If yes it is important understanding if the chosen house is equipped with a baby equipment: baby cutlery and plates as well as disposable bibs, highchair and so on…

13. Pet-friendly necessities

If you travel with your dogs, you can looking for a rental house that provide a set of pet bowls for food and water, a special doggy food welcome, a dog’s bed and so on.. and always ask if there are any special rules for your dogs inside the property.

14. Vacation rental toiletries

Of course it is important to find, especially at your arrival, the basic hygiene supplies and maybe some other bathroom amenities like fresh fluffy towel, hairdryer, grooming and beauty items, personal care kits.

At this point we can say that you have checked the essential service you need in your holiday house. During winter if you book a winter holiday on the mountains it is always important to understand how far are the ski run, where you can store your ski equipment (to avoid the situation that you have to leave everything in your car) and if the parking is inside or outside. If you prefer a Caribbean style winter vacation my suggestion is: choose as accommodation a classical hotel.

Instead if you prefer the relaxing atmosphere of the Italian countryside or the enchanting mood of the Italian sea areas during winter we have what you are looking for: some fully equipped houses in Piemonte and Liguria!

I wish you the warmest Christmas ever!

Mame