AussieFrance

I have just set up a rental house in the Loire Valley and would like to know what essentials people would like to find if they come for three days (or more). So far, I have bed & table linen, bathrobes, soap, basic first aid kit, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper, herbs, flour, sugar, cling film, alfoil, washing up liquid, soap, coffee (pods for the expresso machine and instant), tea (leaves and a selection of bags), milk, large bottle of water, thermos flask, binoculars, flashlight, umbrella, computer, CD/radio player, small CD/DVD library, English library, playing cards, hair dryer, washing powder, iron and ironing board, bikes and repair kit, garden furniture, deck chairs, barbecue with charcoal. What is missing?

LBloom

We have rented several apartments throughout Europe and the nicest one was just recently in Budapest. We arrived in the early afternoon, exhausted after almost 20 hours of travel (3 connections). Instead of having to go out immediately and forage for lunch and supplies, the owner had left us delicious pastries, good salami, good cheese, decent fresh bread, a dozen egggs, butter, a wonderful Nespresso machine with 3 dozen packets, cream, in short everything we would need for at least 2 days.

There were many laminated instruction sheets throughout the apartment with instructions on how to USE washer/dryer, coffee machine, dishwasher, internet/computer, VoIP phone, HDTV and DVD machine. In the bathroom were very nice toiletries, almost hotel quality.

The management checked in with us 2-3 times during our week to ensure we were doing OK, find out if we needed anything, etc. In our negotiations prior to arrival, they had sent us several pages on nearby restaurants/cafes, sightseeing suggestions, etc. We found this to be superlative service and needless to say, left a wonderful impression on us.

MaineGG

Your list is very comprehensive and I would be thrilled to find some of the things you've listed.

Perhaps you've already planned to provide these, but they're not on the list:

--Paper towels & toilet paper
--User manuals/instructions for appliances
--Television channel line-up (if you provide TV)
--Local area maps
--Local restaurant information
--Local grocery shopping information

We love staying in rentals in France and really enjoyed a stay in the Loire Valley. Good luck with your venture.

StCirq

A notebook with cards/information about all the local attractions, supermarkets, computer stores and wifi spots, hardware stores, police and fire and ambulance and medical services, pharmacies, restaurants and cafés and bakeries and other food stores, local fresh markets' dates and times, list of local festivals, brocantes, etc. (there's one put out every year in March available at tourist offices), good maps....etc., etc.

Good knives and every kitchen utensil imaginable (including an oyster shucker), good pots and pans and ovenware. A breadbag. A cookbook or two with local recipes.

And, as noted, clear instructions for every appliance. And if there is garbage/recycle pickup, info on what days/time, what containers to use, what goes in each, and if you don't have pickup, directions to the dump. Info on the fuse box and water heater pilot and how to get things going again if there's an outage.

I'm sure I'll think of more next week when I'm back in St-Cirq. It seemed we were forever stocking the place with this or that.

NeoPatrick

Sounds like a pretty complete list to me, but the one glaring omission would be a couple of electical plug adaptors for the local outlets -- both for UK and for US plugs.

I can't emphasize enough the need for those instruction manuals! I've given up using a few appliances in apartments when I simply couldn't figure out how to work them.

Oyster shucker, StCirq? Wow, that seems like expecting a lot, but hey why not go for it.

StCirq

Yes, Neo, oyster shucker. Don't know if renters ever used it, but I sure did!
Forgot...French-English dictionary.

NeoPatrick

StCirq, can I travel with you? Sitting around my apartment in Europe eating oysters is one pleasure I've not only never had, but one I've never even thought about. But talk about divine decadence!

uhoh_busted

It may disappear, but a good map of the region.

If you have a tub with a shower, you should might want to include a GOOD tub mat. We stayed in a friend's place and she told us -- the tub mat was on the cheap side and not to feel badly if it split between showers, and rinsing out the tub. It did. We couldn't find a decent replacement, or we would have gotten them one.

uhoh_busted

Oh -- and several different types of corkscrews/wine openers.

uhoh_busted

and pot holders! (sorry for the multiple posts)

bilboburgler

reasonable speed wifi would be considered as close to bread and water for most younger people

The address of the local "en vrac" wine supply and a couple of plastic bottles to put it in.

Corkscrew

Christina

I don't think you have to supply most of that stuff, there is a fine line between a rental property and being someone's babysitter (playing cards?).

The one glaring omission seems to be that it isn't clear if you have some kind of coffeemaker, which is pretty essential. Maybe you do and you just didn't name it because you aren't providing anything, but why provide instant coffee if you have a coffeemaker? And the pods make it sound like all you have is an espresso machine. But if you are providing all that stuff and do have a coffeemaker, why wouldn't you provide coffee filters? I am assuming the modern kind where hot water drips down over coffee in a filter in a basket.

I don't think you should provide things like binoculars, etc, I wonder how much of that stuff will get stolen. I really don't think you should be providing people milk, I wouldn't want to drink something like that I found in a frig in a place I rented anyway, who knows how old it was or how well refrigerated.

StCirq

Extra light bulbs.

Neo, come along anytime. I find it hard to live without fresh oysters, no matter where I am (and in the Dordogne, we get plenty of wonderful ones - shipped in from Bordeaux for the most part).

StCirq

There is plenty of milk in France that doesn't need refrigeration. Our Intermarché has an entire half an aisle of it.

annhig

aussie - are you registered with the local tourist board? in the UK they set standards which include what you need to provide, depending on your grading - but it looks as if you've got the inventory more or less covered. they are pretty keen IME in your having the right no of things for the max no of guests - eg if you advertise yourselves as accommodation for 6, you need 6 dinner knives, forks, spoons, coffee spoons plates, dishes, glasses - etc etc. no doubling up.

Christine - why would you think that milk provided by hosts was old/bady stored? we leave our guests FRESH milk, butter, and cornish clotted cream in the fridge [all bought for the purpose, not left-overs] and tea, coffee etc. so they can make themselves tea when they arrive. hopefully they don't think that it's been left in there by the previous guests! [the sell-by dates should help]. but I WAS caught out today - our guests wanted to use the dryer function on the washer/dryer, and could I remember how to use it? in the end I stuck their washing in our dryer. my excuse is that DH [who was out for the say] does all the washing in between lets, and if I ever knew how to use the machine, I've forgotten. [and yes we did find the instructions, but sadly they were not helpful]. so guess what I'll be doing this weekend!

susanna

Something that I always bring that has only been in a few apartments are pens/pensils/highlighter with a little paper and post its!

farrermog

Make sure they know where to find a dust pan and brush, a broom, a mop and bucket, and cleaning products. If space permits, have a designated area/ rack set aside for wet or dirty shoes, rainwear and umbrellas. A collapsible clothes horse/ rack can also come in handy.

More than one set of house keys available.

A reliable mobile/cell phone contact number.

farrermog

And a shopping basket/ bag or two.

StCirq

Oh yes, bags and baskets for market/supermarket trips (especially for the supermarkets if they require you to bring your own bags), plus instructions (if applicable) on how to weigh produce at the supermarkets before arriving at the checkout stand.

grandmere

More than one bath towel per person per week; I have rented lovely places with Nespresso machines,etc., but only 1 bath towel! (Yeah, I know, it's probably a USA thing to want more!).