This year, a lot more people will be taking trips to luxury holiday cottages in the Lake District and UK as foreign travel is still limited. If you’ve never been to a holiday cottage before, you might be wondering what it entails. One of the benefits of a holiday cottage is that so much is included in your stay, like all the kitchen gadgets you could need to have home cooked meals and all the bedding supplies you need for a good night’s sleep.
But there are a few bits that you will need to bring with you aside from the obvious things like clothes and personal toiletries like skincare products and makeup. So here’s a list of some additional items you can bring with you to your holiday cottage that will make your holiday as comfortable and enjoyable as possible.
Food and Condiments While your holiday cottage will be fully stocked with cutlery, plates and cups etc., you will need to bring your own food and condiment supplies. Booking a holiday cottage gives you the best of both worlds, so you can eat out at restaurants and enjoy the local cuisine while also kicking back in your accommodation for a wonderful homecooked meal, depending on when the mood strikes. It also makes an ideal choice for families with children with severe allergies or restrictive diets that can’t always be catered to in restaurants.
It’s a great idea to do a food shop after you arrive, but don’t forget to pack those extra things you won’t want to buy full containers or bottles of, like tea and coffee, sugar, sweeteners, ketchup, salt and pepper etc.
A good tip is to pre-plan meals and prepare condiments/herbs/spices in advances. So if you have a tried and tested meal that your family loves, put all the necessary herbs and spices for the dish into a container or Ziploc bag for easy transport. So now when you arrive at your holiday cottage, you only need to buy the necessary vegetables, grains and meat to cook as you’ll have all the required seasoning prepacked and ready to use.
Household SuppliesMake sure you pack a few essential household items that will not be included with your holiday home – you can contact your holiday home company like Mill House Cottages for a comprehensive list of what’s included. Examples include:
You can always pick these things up from a shop when you arrive, but if you don’t want to spend money stocking an entire kitchen, pack whatever you think you might need for the week.
Board GamesFor those rainy nights in, don’t forget to pack some entertainment in the form of board games so the whole family can get involved. Whether it’s a pack of cards, UNO or a good old-fashioned game of Trivia, board games are the perfect way to spend an evening with the whole family in your holiday home that gets the kids away from their screens.
DVDsAt Mill House Cottages, our accommodation includes TV sets in the living area and DVD players. So make sure you pack a few of your family’s favourite DVDs to keep you entertained during those days when you feel like staying in or when the weather has rained off a planned hike. You can get a compact travel case to carry many discs altogether, so you don’t need to bring a pile of DVD boxes.
Device Chargers It’s vital to remember phone chargers and camera battery chargers. Mobiles are ideal for emergencies or to call up your holiday home company if there are any problems with your accommodation. Bring your camera battery charger so you can take as many photos as you want on your holiday. Also, bring any other chargers for the likes of tablets, portable games consoles or other electronic items.
Travel First Aid KitHopefully you won’t need to use it, but you should bring a travel first aid kit with you, especially if you plan on hiking in nature. It’s the perfect accompaniment for a holiday where you may encounter scraped knees or insect bites. It’s also the ideal place to store any medications that anyone in your family takes regularly.
Dressing GownsWhile your accommodation will include the likes of towels, you may want to bring dressing gowns with you for those evenings snuggled up on the sofa after a long day of exploring. They are the perfect way to make you feel more at home in your holiday cottage and ideal for use after getting out of the hot tub if your accommodation includes one.
Maps and DocumentsWhen holidaying in the UK you won’t need as many documents as you would while going abroad. However, you should still be careful to bring everything with you, such as the documentation about your holiday home booking, identification or any tickets to events/resorts that you’re visiting on your holiday.
Don’t forget to pack any maps to the local area if you plan on hiking and your phone runs out of battery, or the GPS signal becomes lost.
We hope this list will better prepare you for your first stay in a holiday home. If you have any questions about what you need to bring or what’s included in your booking, you can contact your holiday home company. At Mill House Cottages, we specialise in luxury holiday cottages in the Lake District and the Yorkshire Dales including pet friendly holiday cottages in Scotland, Yorkshire dales luxury cottages and more. Contact us today for information about any of our accommodation or bookings.
