Top Kitchen Essentials For 5-Star Vacation Rentals
What You Need In Your Kitchen
There are many reasons that vacation rentals are so popular with travelers, chief among them being that rentals give guests access to kitchen spaces, making it easier for them to cook and entertain while on vacation. However, when you’re first starting out as a vacation rental owner, it can be a bit overwhelming to ensure that your kitchen is fully stocked and ready for guests to use. It’s so easy to forget simple items, like coffee mugs or wine glasses, but remembering to stock these small things can make a huge difference in the guest experience.
In this article, we’ll explore the top essential kitchen items that guests expect in a fully stocked kitchen.
Microwave
Without a doubt, a microwave might be the most necessary item for you to stock in the kitchen of your vacation rental. This appliance is used by just about everyone, from teenagers to professional chefs, and most kitchens feel empty and incomplete without one.
Don’t just settle for the cheapest model, however–take a look at what’s being offered online and check out some reviews on your favorites to discern which one would stand up to the heavy use by short-term rental guests. If you’re short on space and can’t quite fit a full-sized model into your kitchen, there is also a variety of compact microwaves available on the market today that should slide right into your small space.
Coffee Maker
Much like the previously mentioned microwave, a vacation rental kitchen feels almost incomplete without some means to prepare coffee each morning. Guests don’t expect much when it comes to coffee makers and any practical, easy-to-use option will do, but having this amenity in your kitchen is an absolute must. With that said, if you can provide a top-of-the-line coffee maker to guests (especially one that’s still simple to use), you’re sure to make a great impression with some delicious coffee.
Cutting Boards and Adequate Prep Space
Not every guest is going to be a professional chef, but that doesn’t mean they won’t be utilizing the kitchen for its main purpose: cooking. This is why it’s so important to stock your vacation rental kitchen with cutting boards and provide a clean, easy-to-use prep space for them. While this may seem like a small thing, it can make a world of difference, especially if you shell out for some well-made butcher block cutting boards and ensure you clear off some space for guests to prepare food on.
Cleaning Supplies
It’s pretty much impossible to expect that guests will cook fantastic meals without making a single mess. Of course, some people will leave every extra crumb to the cleaners, but for most guests (especially those in long-term stays), it just makes sense to clean up after yourself. That’s the reason it’s essential to provide cleaning supplies, especially ones that guests will use every day, like paper towels, sponges, and dish soap. Obviously, you should restock these as needed between guests to ensure that each party has everything that they need. Other supplies include a broom to sweep up messes and a cleaning spray to wipe down the counters.
Cookware, Dinnerware, and Silverware
It’s hard to enjoy dinner when you have nothing to cook it on, eat it on, or eat it with, so ensure that your guests don’t go without cookware, dinnerware, and silverware. None of these need to be a huge investment–just find a few sets that are functional and your guests will be able to cook their favorite meals with ease.
If it all matches, more the better–guests love continuity in vacation rental interiors, especially when it comes to the kitchen area.
Spices and Staple Pantry Goods
Cooking without any sort of spices can be a bit of a depressing endeavor, but most guests aren’t going to shell out even more money on their grocery bill to purchase the same spices they would find at home. Rather than expecting guests to provide every single spice and pantry item needed, it’s a good practice to have a few commonly-used spices and basic pantry staples (like flour and cooking oil) available for guests to use. Chances are, you won’t have to restock it too often and it’ll make cooking a much more enjoyable and easy experience for your guests.
Containers for Leftovers
Finally, our last kitchen essential is an often overlooked item: plastic containers for leftovers. While this might not strike most vacation rental owners as an absolute necessity, it does come in useful when guests are cooking large meals or entertaining groups of people. Rather than allowing their extra food to spoil, purchase some inexpensive food storage containers so that guests will be able to enjoy their kitchen creations later on. Most guests won’t think to bring these and providing them can be a huge boost to guest convenience and satisfaction.
Discover More First-Time Vacation Rental Owner Tips and Tricks
Stocking your very first vacation rental kitchen can be an overwhelming process, full of time, energy, and money that you may not have accounted for in your budget. However, most guests will be quite satisfied with just a few simple essentials, like the ones that we listed above, leading to better reviews and more repeat stays.
Hoping to find out more ways to boost your new vacation rental business? Take a look at our first-timer’s guide to owning a vacation rental or check out our advice on finding the best cleaning service for your vacation rental.