The welcome pack is one of the elements that most distinguishes a quality holiday let from a generic one. In a context where short-term rental platforms — Airbnb, Booking, VRBO — allow guests to rate cleanliness and welcome details specifically, a well-thought-out welcome pack can be the difference between a four-star and a five-star review.
Unlike a hotel, the holiday let has no receptionist to explain the services and no room attendant to replenish amenities daily. The welcome pack is the only physical point of contact between the manager and the guest on arrival, and must communicate care, organisation and quality without any verbal explanation.
Why the Welcome Pack Matters in Holiday Lets
The first impression is decisive. Consumer behaviour studies in tourist accommodation indicate that the overall rating of the stay is formed in the first 15–20 minutes of arrival. A clean property with a visible, carefully put-together welcome pack generates a positive first impression that conditions the rating of the entire stay, even if minor problems arise later.
The pack communicates the property's level. A welcome pack with quality products, well presented and accompanied by a personal note, communicates that the manager cares about the details.
Welcome Pack Elements: What to Always Include
1. Personalised Welcome Note
The welcome note is the most important element of the pack. 3–5 lines with the guest's name, a brief welcome message and the manager's contact details are sufficient.
Format: printed or handwritten card. The handwritten note communicates greater warmth, but a quality printed card is perfectly valid. Avoid the A4 sheet printed in black and white — it communicates a lack of care.
Minimum content: guest name, brief welcome, manager's name and emergency contact number.
2. Basic Bathroom Toiletries
Minimum kit (standard holiday let):
- Shower gel or shower soap (1 unit per person)
- Shampoo (1 unit per person)
- Hand soap (1 unit at the washbasin)
Extended kit (mid-to-upper-category holiday let):
- Shower gel, shampoo, conditioner
- Hand soap, body lotion, makeup remover wipes
Premium kit (luxury or boutique holiday let):
- Everything in the extended kit
- Toothbrush + toothpaste, nail file, shower cap
- Certified eco products
3. Linen and Towels
Towels and bed linen must be visible and in perfect condition on the guest's arrival. Towel presentation — folded with care, on the bed or in the bathroom — forms part of the welcome pack.
Minimum allocation per person:
- 1 bath towel
- 1 hand towel
- 1 bath mat
For stays of more than 3–4 days: include spare towels or communicate explicitly in the note when and how the towel change takes place.
4. Basic Kitchen Provisions
The holiday let, unlike the hotel, has a kitchen. The guest arriving — especially late or with children — will appreciate finding basic provisions to prepare something without having to go to the supermarket on arrival.
Minimum kitchen kit:
- Coffee (or pods if there is a compatible machine)
- Tea (2–3 varieties)
- Sugar and sweetener
- Salt and pepper
- Olive oil
- A few bin bags
Extended kit:
- Everything above
- Long-life milk or plant-based milk
- Biscuits or welcome snack
- Small jar of jam or marmalade
5. Property Information
The property handbook is a functional element of the welcome pack that the guest will need during the stay:
Minimum content:
- Wi-Fi password
- Instructions for main appliances (washing machine, dishwasher, television)
- House rules (quiet hours, waste separation, check-out rules)
- Manager's emergency number
- Bin collection and recycling information
- Local recommendations (supermarket, pharmacy, restaurant)
Format: quality folder or digital tablet if the property has a digital information system.
How to Adapt the Pack According to the Property's Positioning
Standard Holiday Let (Average Market Price)
Functional and carefully put-together welcome pack. The essentials: welcome note, basic bathroom toiletries, minimum kitchen provisions and a well-structured property handbook.
Estimated pack cost: £5–10 per stay.
Mid-to-Upper-Category Holiday Let (Price 20–40% Above Average)
Extended pack with higher quality products, quality welcome snack, personalised note and careful presentation.
Estimated pack cost: £12–20 per stay.
Luxury or Boutique Holiday Let (Premium Price)
Eco cosmetics or local brand products, welcome bottle of wine or Champagne, fresh flowers, artisan snack and presentation in a quality hamper or tray.
Estimated pack cost: £35–70 per stay.
Most Frequent Mistakes in the Holiday Let Welcome Pack
Not including a welcome note: the most frequent mistake and the one with the greatest impact. A property without a welcome note feels impersonal and indifferent.
Supermarket own-brand products: replacing them with hospitality products — even standard range — significantly improves the perception.
Insufficient quantities: a 30 ml shower gel for a family of four for seven nights is not an amenity, it is an empty gesture. Calculate quantities needed based on the number of guests and length of stay.
Careless presentation: bathroom kit products piled on the washbasin without order communicate carelessness even if the products are quality. Present them grouped on a tray or in a basket, labels facing forward.
Incomplete or out-of-date property handbook: an incorrect Wi-Fi password or instructions for appliances no longer in the property generate frustration at the very first moment of the stay.
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