When guests arrive to start their holiday, it’s important that they know exactly what chalet equipment they can expect. There’s nothing worse than turning up on your first night to find there’s no corkscrew, for example!
A well-equipped chalet helps the guests’ holiday run smoothly. And when your guests have a great time, they are more likely to return. They are also more likely to give your property a great review and recommend it to others.
We have put together this comprehensive list of chalet equipment so that you can ensure your guests have everything they need…
Furniture
Good photographs make a great first impression, so the look of your holiday rental is important. If you need inspiration for furnishing your holiday rental, we have some great ideas here.
But you should also remember that your furniture will be subject to lots of use, and needs to stand up to wear and tear. Go for quality pieces that will look good year after year, rather than budget furniture that you might have to replace regularly.
Checklist:
- Dining table
- Lounge seating
- Beds
- Bedside lamp per person
- Bedside table per bed, usually two for double beds
Linen and Towels
Again, quality is key with your chalet equipment. A well-made bed is essential to a good night’s sleep and fluffy towels add luxury to the bathroom. Opt for a high thread count for bed linen, and choose plain colours. As well as looking timeless, they will give you more decor options.
Find a reliable laundry service that can handle large washes. Some managers wash the linen on changeover days, but this is time-consuming. It’s also difficult to achieve the best results with domestic appliances.
Checklist:
- Fluffy duvets
- At least one pillow per person
- Mattress protectors
- Plain cotton bed linen
- 1 large bath towel per person
- A plentiful supply of hand towels
- Bath mats
- A plentiful supply of tea towels
Storage
Although your guests may only be at your property for a week or two, they are likely to bring plenty of luggage. Make sure there is plenty of room to tidy away clothes and shoes, as well as ski and sports equipment. We have plenty of innovative ideas for creating more storage in your holiday rental.
Checklist:
- Chest of drawers for each bedroom
- Wardrobe for each bedroom
- Matching good-quality coat hangers per wardrobe
Kitchen
If you’re marketing a self-catered property, it’s important to have a well-equipped kitchen. Your guests might like to try local dishes, so include a fondue and raclette set as well as a good range of cooking equipment.
Checklist:
- Colander
- Large mixing bowl
- Small glass bowl
- Water jug
- Measuring jug
- Chopping boards
- 2 serving trays
- 4 serving dishes
- 3 professional-standard cooking knives (chefs, carving, paring)
- Knife sharpener
- Bread knife
- Corkscrew
- Bottle opener
- Can opener
- Potato peeler
- Potato masher
- Tea strainer
- Salad servers (pair)
- Whisk
- Ladle
- Zester
- Wooden spoons — selection
- Wooden slice
- Salad spinner
- Sieve
- Frying pans of different size
- Small (milk) pan
- Medium pan
- Large pan depending on property capacity
- Casserole dishes with lids
- Teapot
- Sugar bowl or box
- Milk jug
- Cheese grater
- Cheese board
- Cheese knife
- Scissors
- Egg cups (1 per person)
- Fruit bowl
- Ice-making tray
- Oven gloves
- Oven roasting tray
- Measuring scales
- Pestle and mortar
- Kitchen bin
- Vase
Dining
Crockery, cutlery and glassware should be matching and in good condition. Replace chipped cups and plates, as well as glasses stained by the dishwasher.
It’s a good idea to buy these items locally so that they can be easily replaced when necessary. Managers should have a stock from which they can replace broken or missing items at the end of each stay.
- Placemats
- Water glasses
- Wine glasses
- Champagne glasses
- Cereal bowls
- Large coffee cups
- Small coffee cups
- Tea mugs
- Cutlery (knives, forks, spoons, teaspoons)
- Dinner plates
- Side plates
Appliances
All appliances should be clean and work well when your guests arrive. Managers should follow a checklist for maintaining appliances.
There will be occasions when appliances break down. Make sure you have a list of trusted service providers who you can call upon when this happens.
Checklist:
- Fridge/freezer
- Dishwasher
- Washing machine
- Tumble dryer
- Hairdryer (one per bathroom)
- Iron and ironing board
Cleaning
Cleaners will need a good stock of cleaning equipment for changeover days. It can also be used by guests to keep the property clean during and at the end of their stay. Make sure this is easy to find, but not on show.
Checklist:
- Vacuum cleaner
- Broom
- Bucket
- Mop
- Dustpan and brush
- Bins as appropriate throughout the property
- Sponges/tea towels
Babies
Including baby items in your chalet equipment makes your holiday rental very attractive to young families. Items like cots and high chairs are heavy and bulky to bring on holiday. Make sure that any equipment you provide is clean and meets safety requirements.
Checklist:
- Cot (one per baby accepted at the property)
- High chair (one per baby accepted at the property)
- Baby bath
Exterior
If your property has an outside area, make sure you provide equipment so that guests can use it comfortably. Extreme weather can affect outdoor equipment, so make sure to check it regularly. If possible, provide covers or storage areas to protect equipment when it is not being used.
Checklist:
- Sun loungers
- Sun chairs
- Garden table and chairs
- Barbecue
- Parasol
- 2 snow shovels
- Petanque set
- Automatic irrigation system for window boxes/tubs and flower pots
- Ashtrays (for outdoor use only)
Entertainment
The more entertainment facilities you can provide, the better, especially for young families. Many guests have high expectations of the latest game consoles, music streaming and sound systems. But don’t make it so complicated that guests are unable to use it!
If you provide board games, check regularly to make sure there are no pieces missing.
Checklist:
- Flat-screen TV
- French terrestrial/satellite TV
- English satellite TV
- DVD player + selection of DVDs English/French
- Selection of books English/French
- Pack of cards
- Board games English/French (ie, chess, backgammon, draughts, Twister, Boggle, Connect 4)
- Selection of CDs
- Broadband internet with Wi-Fi
- Equipment instructions for TV/DVD/satellite
Safety/Security
Although holiday rentals do not have the same security requirements as hotel rooms, there are still minimum standards that you must meet. We touch on this in our legal requirements guide.
Checklist:
- Key safe or keypad door entry system
- Fire extinguishers — which are serviced once a year
- Fire blanket
- Smoke detector
- Carbon monoxide detector
- Basic but up-to-date first aid kit
Miscellaneous
Checklist:
- Small sewing kit
- Christmas tree, lights and decorations
Consumables
It’s helpful to provide items such as cleaning products and toilet rolls so that guests don’t need to go shopping as soon as they arrive. Why not go one step further, and provide a welcome basket? Luxury bathroom products are also much appreciated and can make guests feel pampered.
Checklist:
- Long matches for lighting fires
- Firewood
- Washing powder/liquid for clothes
- Fabric conditioner
- Dishwasher products
- Washing up liquid
- Cleaning products for all situations
- Basic condiments — herbs, spices, bouillon, bottles of vinegar, mustards, rock salt and pepper
- Toilet paper for arrival day at least
- Kitchen paper
- Sponges
- Salt for winter
- Bin liners
- Rubbish recycling bags
Kitchen Electrical
Make sure that any electrical appliances included in your chalet equipment are clean and working well. Instructions should be available too.
If your coffee machine uses pods, let the guests know in advance what sort they need to buy. You could also provide a small supply of pods for the first few days.
Checklist:
- Electric cafetière/coffee machine
- Kettle
- Toaster
- Microwave
- Raclette grill (2 if a large property)
- Fondue pot (2 if a large property)
But it’s not always enough to just tick off everything on this list. It’s also important to ensure everything is of good quality and in full working order. At the end of every season, go through your inventory to check that your chalet equipment is clean and in good repair.
Replace anything that is missing, and make sure broken items are mended or replaced. That way, you’ll be ready to welcome your guests at the beginning of the next season.
If you’re in the early stages of setting up your chalet rental business, be sure to head to our starting out archives, which are full of handy posts about getting your business off the ground. Alternatively, if you’re already looking for short-term rental options, then take a look at OVO Network’s complete solution.
