Clair Posted March 3, 2007 Share Posted March 3, 2007 I've been preparing the gite for our first paying guests of the year and I've been adding up all the little things I set out for them... and I am wondering if I am doing too little or too much...arrival kit to get them started: beds made, ice-cubes ready, bin liner inside each bin + 1 spare for each, loo roll + 2 spares, dish washer tablets (1 a day + 2 spares), washing-up liquid, cleaning products, packs of tissues, tea, oil and vinegar, sugar, coffee filters, milk, bottle of fizzy waterwelcome pack:bottle of regional wine, pot of locally made jam, local speciality pâtéHow do I fare? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ngh Posted March 3, 2007 Share Posted March 3, 2007 You sound fine. We have everything you mentioned and.... a couple of bottles of beer, local apple juice, local yogurts, butter,cheese, bread and home made jam. oh and a block of chocolate.Enough to make a snack on the first night.Hope this helps Nich the wood Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lori Posted March 4, 2007 Share Posted March 4, 2007 Yes, you sound pretty set. If we knew there would be children in he group, we would include some children's goodies, cereal, pain au choc., cookies, crisps, etc. Parents might not have liked that and I always told them on walk through that they could only have the goodies if their parents said it was okay. No one batted an eye.When we rented, we also provided juice, butter, bread, jam and chocolate bars too. I would add that in all the gites we have rented, practically none have provided anywhere near the amount of things we are discussing here. Some didn't even have loo paper.Our guests always commented on how much they appreciated all the goodies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blanche Neige Posted March 4, 2007 Share Posted March 4, 2007 "I would add that in all the gites we have rented, practically none have provided anywhere near the amount of things we are discussing here. Some didn't even have loo paper."Good point Lori and there was a lot of discussion on here last year ? (year before?) about how many loo rolls to provide.Clair, I think you have it about right. I would add a simple First Aid kit to your initial list of basic supplies.Nich the wood...............is this self catering or catered?[:)] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cooperlola Posted March 4, 2007 Share Posted March 4, 2007 Oddly when we rented cottages in the UK, we were lucky if we got a tea bag! Here in France we've found cupboards full of stuff that would have kept us going for an entire week - often including wine, beer, home made stuff like pate etc etc. Do your French guests tend to expect more than the Brit ones do? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clair Posted March 4, 2007 Author Share Posted March 4, 2007 [quote user="Blanche Neige"]Clair, I think you have it about right. I would add a simple First Aid kit to your initial list of basic supplies.[/quote]Got that already...[quote user="cooperlola"]Oddly when we rented cottages in the UK, wewere lucky if we got a tea bag! Here in France we've found cupboardsfull of stuff that would have kept us going for an entire week - oftenincluding wine, beer, home made stuff like pate etc etc. Do yourFrench guests tend to expect more than the Brit ones do?[/quote]I tend to think this "overkill" is is actually addressed to the foreign visitors rather than the French ones, as a way of thanking them for choosing to stay here rather than somewhere else and to give the a chance to go through the first day without having to panic about the basics...Having said that, I've had French people ask "C'est pour nous? C'est gentil ça!", as they cannot quite believe they're getting it free!Some (few!) don't drink the wine or replace everything they use.I will add biscuits and a box/bar of chocolates to the list of goodies in the welcome pack... As Blanche Neige says, where do you draw the line?Do you start thinking about the cost of the goodies and do you apply a ceiling (not talking about the basics like salt and pepper)? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clair Posted March 4, 2007 Author Share Posted March 4, 2007 I have just re-read a few old threads related to the subject (search: welcome AND pack) and had a few chuckles too!It's been a useful exercise in highlighting the essentials once again.I'd been wondering about a cleaning option too and re-reading the old threads has helped me make up my mind:we request that people to leave the gite as clean as they found it on arrival, but since we always go around cleaning the place up anyway, why not simply say "you can either leave it clean or you can pay us to clean for you" and for the bookings we have already accepted for 2007, we'll give them the option in the the house-book. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cooperlola Posted March 4, 2007 Share Posted March 4, 2007 For myself, and it is purely personal, I would rather that the cleaning cost were just "hidden" in the rental price and included anyway. Then you owners would just get a nice bonus when the good ones cleaned up after themselves - and you wouldn't be in for any shocks with those who didn't. I suspect that the majority of people leave places reasonably clean and tidy out of habit (I always do), but of course I have never been on the sharp end, as it were! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clair Posted March 4, 2007 Author Share Posted March 4, 2007 [quote user="cooperlola"]For myself, and it is purely personal, I wouldrather that the cleaning cost were just "hidden" in the rental priceand included anyway. Then you owners would just get a nice bonus whenthe good ones cleaned up after themselves - and you wouldn't be in forany shocks with those who didn't. I suspect that the majority ofpeople leave places reasonably clean and tidy out of habit (I alwaysdo), but of course I have never been on the sharp end, as itwere![/quote]Most of them do in their own fashion, but as said in the old threads, because people's perception of what clean means varies tremendously, I always clean, dust, tidy and hoover on change-over days anyway, regardless of the condition it's left in (I make the beds for the nextarrivals too).My house is never as clean as the gite because when people are paying for a holiday here, I want them to feel as if they're the first people to use the place...So I'm thinking that, as I do it already, by giving people the option (and it will be an option, as in "The accommodation has been thoroughly prepared for your arrival, please leave it in a similar condition on your departure. If you feel you will not have enough time to do so, we do offer an optional cleaning service at extra charge to the rental price."), I may get to recoup the money I spend on the goodies!As much as I enjoy meeting people and making them think my life in France is rosy, this is a business... [:)] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blanche Neige Posted March 4, 2007 Share Posted March 4, 2007 As Blanche Neige says, where do you draw the line?Do you start thinking about the cost of the goodies and do you apply a ceiling (not talking about the basics like salt and pepper)? Well ultimately these "free" goodies have to be paid for by someone and are no doubt included on the rental charges, so presumably prices reflect this.[;-)]As Clair said business is business[8-|] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chief Posted March 5, 2007 Share Posted March 5, 2007 I have rented many times in France and often returned to previous rents. A welcome pack is a very good start and a very good ice breaker. Shows you have put some thought in, and have considered your renters needs. I often find that it can offset many a complaint as well. When it appears the renter is trying their best to make you comfortable, it makes me personally less likely to complain about some of the smaller things that might not be right. Seems like a good trade-off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blanche Neige Posted March 5, 2007 Share Posted March 5, 2007 [quote user="Chief"]I have rented many times in France and often returned to previous rents. A welcome pack is a very good start and a very good ice breaker. Shows you have put some thought in, and have considered your renters needs. I often find that it can offset many a complaint as well. When it appears the renter is trying their best to make you comfortable, it makes me personally less likely to complain about some of the smaller things that might not be right. Seems like a good trade-off.[/quote] Chief. isn't this a bit like buying the children some sweets to keep them quiet![8-|] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alnmike Posted March 5, 2007 Share Posted March 5, 2007 All similar things to us!! We also lay a fire in the woodburner ready for lighting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clair Posted March 5, 2007 Author Share Posted March 5, 2007 I'll raise you:we light the fire before they arrive! (not in summer obviously!) [:)] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alnmike Posted March 5, 2007 Share Posted March 5, 2007 Brilliant!!! [:D] Can't beat that one!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chief Posted March 6, 2007 Share Posted March 6, 2007 [quote user="Blanche Neige"][quote user="Chief"]I have rented many times in France and often returned to previous rents. A welcome pack is a very good start and a very good ice breaker. Shows you have put some thought in, and have considered your renters needs. I often find that it can offset many a complaint as well. When it appears the renter is trying their best to make you comfortable, it makes me personally less likely to complain about some of the smaller things that might not be right. Seems like a good trade-off.[/quote] Chief. isn't this a bit like buying the children some sweets to keep them quiet![8-|][/quote]Look at it whatever way you like. Bottom line, your in business and if your customer is happy, that has to be good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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