What you can expect when you stay at a vacation rental home can be a question many have when they are planning their vacation. While vacation rental homes can be unique, there are common things supplied for guests who book a stay at a vacation home. To help out potential guests, each month Stay For Vacay will highlight a different aspect of what you might expect when staying at a vacation rental. This edition explores what vacation home essentials are included.
Consider these some vacation rental must haves. Vrbo even has an essentials items checklist that they recommend to vacation rental hosts so the home is ready for guests. For instance, generally you can expect TVs throughout. More than likely it will be a Smart TV with cable or access to your favorite streaming services. Wifi is another top offering. Guide books, whether online or a book inside the home, direct you on how things work inside the home and list fun things to do in the surrounding area.
The Kitchen is the Heart of the Home
You often hear the kitchen is the heart of the home. The same is true for vacation homes. One benefit of staying at a vacation rental is the fully equipped kitchen. The majority of the essential items that guests might expect are located in the kitchen. It usually includes full size appliances including a dishwasher and small appliances such as blenders, toaster, microwave and coffee maker. While coffee makers are often provided, plan on bringing your own coffee and tea. You may want to check before you arrive if the coffee maker is the traditional kind that makes multiple cups of coffee or the single serve k-cup model. You will also find a generous supply of plates, glasses, cups, utensils/knives, pots and pans. Basic seasonings such as salt, pepper and oil are stocked. Cleaning supplies and paper products such as toilet tissue and paper towels are generally available as well.
Bedroom and Bathroom Amenities
The list of bathroom and bedroom amenities is a little shorter but no less important. Linens and towels are often provided. Since COVID, some homes that previously did provide linens may have temporarily suspended that practice so make sure you are clear before you arrive at the home. In the bathroom, you might also find travel size toiletries and a hair dryer. Just remember, even when towels are provided, this may not include beach towels. So if you’re planning to head out to the beach, pool or even hot tub, you want to make sure you pack your favorite beach towels.
Entertainment Spaces
The living room is a great place to gather so what better place for the vacation home to store some entertaining items. Many vacation homes have board games, books and DVDs…yes, DVDs….stocked for your enjoyment and are perfect for a rainy day. If video games are your thing, some homes have game consoles or maybe a separate TV to hook up your console that you bring with you. At our Orlando vacation home, we even have in-ceiling speakers so you can enjoy your music or watch TV in surround sound.
Extra Essentials Are Nice Too
Washers and dryers are common in vacation rentals. While you may not want to think about doing chores during vacation, it is very handy to be able to throw a load in the washer while you are at the vacation home. If there is outdoor space, then you have even more options. Hot tubs are one of the top searched amenities for vacation homes and many do have them. A grill may be also available, giving you the chance to cook some of your favorite barbeque. If it is a gas grill, however, you may be responsible for filling the propane tank before using it.
You might even luck out and the vacation home supplies some specialty items. If you are traveling with little ones, it may have a high chair and a pack and play for your use. In our property in the mountains, we leave an ice scraper for guests to use during the snowfalls.
These vacation home essentials will lead to a great time when you stay for vacay at a vacation home. In future blog posts in this “What You Can Expect When You Stay at a Vacation Rental Home series, we will also explore other things such as technology and resort amenities. So check back often. In the meantime, you can get updates on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter.
