Packing for a self-catering holiday is a bit different to staying in a hotel or a B&B. It's about finding the balance between packing so much stuff that you have to dig yourselves out of the car when you get here, and having to purchase essentials locally that you could have easily brought from home. We hope the following notes will help you to decide what to pack and what to buy when you get here.
What's provided?
All of our cottages have the following:
- A fully equipped kitchen: including an electric oven/hob, microwave oven, fridge/freezer or fridge with freezer compartment, dishwasher, coffee machine, basic utensils, crockery, cutlery, pans etc.
- Mattress and pillow protectors
- Luxury white cotton bed linen (with fresh linen provided every 7 days on request)
- Luxury white cotton towels (a bath towel and a hand towel per person, refreshed every 7 days on request)
- Bath mat
- Shower gel/hand wash
- Tea towel
- Oven gloves
- First Aid kit
Welcome pack
To get you started, we'll make sure there's a supply of the following (you'll probably need to bring/buy more if you're staying for longer than 4 days):
- Toilet rolls
- Surface cleaner, toilet cleaner, air freshener
- Dishwasher tablets/rinse aid/dishwasher salt
- Washing up liquid
- Bin liners/bio-degradable bags for food waste
- An "ecoegg" (alternative to washing machine detergent) in the laundry room
- Dog treats/essentials to borrow if you're bringing your dog/s to Foxglove Cottage or Primrose Cottage
... plus a welcome refreshments tray and some Kentish treats for you to enjoy. (Please let us know when you book your cottage if there's anyone in your party who has any food allergies.)
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What's not included?
Here are some of the things you might like to bring from home, or to buy locally:
- Rubber gloves
- Kitchen roll/cling film
- Washing-up sponge/cloths
- Extra toilet rolls
- Tea/coffee, sugar, milk
- Coffee pods for the coffee machine (Nespresso in Pear Tree, Lavazza in all the other cottages)
- Condiments - tomato sauce, mustard, vinegar, salad dressing
- Cooking oil, stock cubes, herbs and spices, salt and pepper
- Extra bin bags and biodegradable bags for food waste
Nearest grocery shops
There is a small Co-op in Ash, just 1.5 miles from Hawthorn Farm and a large Co-op in Sandwich, about 10 mins drive from here too. Plus there are lots of wonderful farm shops and all the big supermarkets within a short drive.
Supermarket deliveries
You'll be most welcome to place an online order for delivery on the day of your arrival. Please try to arrange the delivery for at least one hour after you aim to arrive, so you'll be sure to be here when it arrives. Please don't forget to give them the name of the cottage you're staying in, so they can come straight to you.
For the children
Here's a short checklist of things you might like to pack for the little ones:
- Sheets for the travel cot (we don't supply these)
- Children's cutlery and plates
- Potty/toilet booster
- Travel blackout blinds
- Waterproof sheet/mattress protector
- Spare bedding
- Travel games for the car journey and a few favourite toys, books and DVDs for when you arrive
- Buckets and spades (much cheaper than buying at the beach!)
Pet packing for our dog-friendly cottages
The pet-friendly cottages have a doggy basket, which includes items to borrow/use while you're here, including:
- A few toys
- A disinfectant spray in case of accidents
- A pet hair removing brush
- A pet wash bag in case you need to use the washing machine
- 2 temporary dog tags with our phone number, in case your dogs go walkabout!
But don't forget to bring:
- Plenty of food/treats
- Food/water bowl
- Poo bags
- Collar and lead (you'll need to keep your dog on the lead whilst in the Hawthorn Farm grounds)
- Dog bed/bedding
- Dog towels (ours are for humans only!)
- Throws for covering the sofas/arm chairs if you can't be certain they'll stay in their own!
Everything else for the list:
- Beach towels (our towels are to stay in the cottage please)
- Clothes for all eventualities!
- Toiletries
- Medicines/First aid kit (there are basic first aid kits in each cottage, but we ask that you replace anything you use)
What if we're travelling by plane?
Please let us know if this is the case, as we can either supply or arrange delivery of whatever you'll need that you can't fit in your suitcases, or easily buy from a local store. We'll let you know in advance if there will be any extra charges involved.
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