When you stay in a hotel or AirBnb, what amenities do you like to find?

We've already covered the basics - lots of blankets and pillows, new pillow-top mattresses, good wine glasses, lots of towels, a big-plenty of TVs (Too many, IMHO, but they came with the house. The monster in the MBR will be replaced with a smaller one.), twin beds in two rooms, furniture and a grill on the deck, extra toothbrushes, phone cords, condiments and spices, etc.

Specifically, do you like having a clock on each nightstand? Kim says no - just clutter and everyone uses their phone now. Games we have but no books. If books are good, which ones?

2 kayaks came with the house but I am concerned about liability. Take them out?

Night lights in baths, halls, bedrooms? Grab bars in the showers? Full length mirrors? (MBA has one already).

Notebook with how to use the various appliances? Where to go and what to see? Guest register? Phone numbers?

Streaming services or let people cast from their phones?

A car charging plug or two would be fairly easy to install in the garage. Think anyone would want one?

What else?

Get rid of the kayaks.

Grab bars is a good idea.

Wireless charging pads for devices.

King bed.

Decent pots and kitchen utensils. No nonstick pans - they will get torn up too quickly.

quote:

Originally posted by dolmansaxlil:
Wireless charging pads for devices.

Interesting. I don't know anything about them.

Do they work with Apples and other phones too? Do they work with a phone case? Are some kinds better than others?

And on the subject of tech, I'm putting a desk in the mancave with hopes of attracting visiting business people on an expense account, particularly in winter. I have a spare printer with wifi airPrint - do you think anyone would use it?

I don’t know a lot about them but I have an inexpensive off brand one that charges my iPhone and it works great! My understanding is that the charging is actually fairly universal but double check that. I just know charging devices is always a travel nightmare and if you can do a multi-platform charging station it would be a big benefit.

I think some folks may like the printer. Especially if folks need tickets to an event or whatever - sometimes people feel better when it’s hard copy rather than on a device.

Night lights. I find I can get disoriented when I wake up in a house other than my own. Re-orienting in the dark is harder.

I have had good luck with these motion-sensor ones:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/prod..._title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

And these dusk-to-dawn:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/prod..._title?ie=UTF8&psc=1



For books, maybe some mysteries? Agatha Christie, Rex Stout, Lillian Jackson Braun, Mary Anna Evans, for starters. Is there a place for a reading nook with a bookcase, good chair, reading lamp, and table nearby to set your cup of coffee on?

I also like the notebook idea. Include phone numbers for emergencies (electricity and gas providers). I remember the first time we went to stay at our friend's house up in Door County (before we built our own house) and when we got there the power was out. Fortunately there was a phone book (1980s, doncha know), and it had the usual emergency numbers in the front cover, so we knew we needed to call Wisconsin Public Service to report the outage.

Are you on city water or a well? City sewer, holding tank, or septic?

How's the cell service at the house? Ours was really carpy, so streaming service would have been a must have.

Toys or activities for kids?

There are clocks and lights for next to beds that I've seen that have USB out for one or two - way better than hunting around for an outlet!

We use the charging pads at home, just got them for xmas this year!

I usually carry a couple of motion sensor nightlights, but there are some outlet covers now that have a LED that work great for hallways.

A couple of big family get togethers, we've had puzzles going on a table - maybe a few of them?

quote:

Originally posted by Steve Miller:

quote:

Originally posted by dolmansaxlil:
Wireless charging pads for devices.

Interesting. I don't know anything about them.

Do they work with Apples and other phones too? Do they work with a phone case? Are some kinds better than others?

I got a couple from IKEA that work fine. They charge our iPhone 11's. I think most devices made in the last five years work with the "Qi" charging system. I have an Otterbox Defender and the IKEA ones work fine. I've tried others that don't.

quote:

And on the subject of tech, I'm putting a desk in the mancave with hopes of attracting visiting business people on an expense account, particularly in winter. I have a spare printer with wifi airPrint - do you think anyone would use it?

Yes, if you leave instructions.

A basic but sturdy gas grill and a spare propane tank. Plus basic grillin' tools.

Costco regularly has basic non-stick fry pans for a decent price. I'd consider laying in a couple sets of those and writing off when one gets fried. Cleaning anything else can be a pain when someone burns something onto it... and I wouldn't expect everyone to 1) cook one someone else's cast iron and 2) properly clean (that is, don't) cast iron.


A couple of things I've appreciated at hotels around the world:

A sewing/mending kit. Ten colors of thread, a handful of needles, scissors.

Individually packaged foam earplugs. I am a fan of Pura Fit-To-Be-Tried.

Disposable razors. Maybe even cheap comb, toothbrush, etc.



There are houses in my neighborhood that are nice and well appointed that are rented out through corporate rental outfits. Executives from guugle and amazawn -- mostly from European offices -- will live there with their family for a year. They don't care what the rent is because the company is paying for it.