Holiday lets and cottages
A holiday let welcome pack that guests actually use.
In the UK, a welcome pack can mean two things: the folder of information about the house, and the little hamper waiting on the kitchen table. This guide covers both.
Short answer
The information pack needs the Wi-Fi, arrival and departure details, how the heating and appliances work, bins, parking, emergency details and your local tips. The hamper can be small: tea, coffee, milk, something baked and one local treat.
The information pack
Keep the information pack in the same place in every stay, ideally by the door or on the kitchen table. Include:
- Welcome and contact. Your name, your phone number, and when you or a local key holder can be reached.
- Wi-Fi. Network and password, and where the router is if it needs a restart.
- Arrival and departure. Times, keys or key safe, and what to do on the way out.
- Heating and hot water. Many cottages have an oil boiler, a timer or a wood burner. Explain it step by step.
- Appliances. Oven, hob, dishwasher, washing machine, TV.
- Bins and recycling. Councils sort differently, and collection days catch guests out.
- Parking. Where to park, and any lane or neighbour to be careful of.
- Safety. Where the fire extinguisher, fire blanket, first aid kit, fuse box and stopcock are; the emergency number (999 or 112); the nearest A&E and minor injuries unit.
- Your local tips. Pubs that serve food, the nearest shop and its hours, walks from the door, and a rainy-day plan.
If your local council or your insurer asks you to give guests certain information, such as fire safety instructions, add that too. Rules differ between England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, so check what applies to your property.
Welcome hamper ideas
The hamper does not need to be big. Guests remember that someone thought of them. Ideas that keep the cost down:
- Tea, coffee, sugar and a pint of fresh milk in the fridge
- A loaf or scones from the village bakery
- One local treat: fudge, shortbread, a jar of jam or honey, local crisps
- A handwritten card with the guests' names
- Dog biscuits and a towel if you take dogs
- Kindling and firelighters if there is a wood burner
Leave out anything with nuts unless it is labelled, and ask about allergies in your booking message if you include food.
Make the pack easy to keep up to date
Printed packs drift out of date: a café closes, the Wi-Fi password changes, the bin day moves. Many owners now keep a short printed card in the cottage with a QR code that opens the full guide on a phone. The guide can be changed without reprinting, and guests can read it before they set off.
Questions hosts ask
What should a holiday cottage welcome pack include?
Wi-Fi, arrival and departure details, heating and hot water, appliances, bins, parking, safety information and your local tips. A small food hamper is a nice extra, not a must.
How much should I spend on a welcome hamper?
There is no rule. Many owners keep it to milk, tea, coffee and one local treat. A handwritten card matters more than the price.
Is a welcome pack the same as a welcome book?
Mostly. In the UK, welcome pack can also mean the food hamper. The welcome book or information pack is the written guide to the house.