Villa necessities!!!

[DonnaM]

You guys are awesome! Thanks so much! I agree with having lots of beach towels. The villa we rented this summer gave us 9 for 6 people so I had to wash them every day when we came back from the beach just so we could use them for the pool. Not fun!

[susan & herb]

Let's not forget lots of flashlights, especially in the bedrooms as well as candles and perhaps some electric lanterns.

I also like nice wine glasses.

Where are you building your house?
Wish you lots of luck.

[PA Girl]

A well stocked kitchen and don't let it get cluttered. The stuff doesn't need to be expensive, just in decent condition.

Over the years, we have rented several houses (on STJ as well as other vacation spots) where we got the feeling that the kitchen was a dumping ground for whatever crap kitchen stuff the owners' didn't want at home.

The worst was the Peter Bay rental with the most disgusting assortment of beat up, baked on, melted handles, bent lids, etc. pots and pans. The silverware was just as bad, it seriously looked like someone stole it out of a college dining hall 25 years ago and treated it badly ever since.

Don't let items that have outlived their useful life stay in the house. Throw out warped and gross baking sheets, non-stick pans, melted plastic spatula, etc. Things like this can be replaced for so little money in comparison to rental rates/value of the house.

I also agree on a decent number of beach towels. One per person is not enough.

Have plenty of places to hang up wet towels and clothing. I have no problem using towels more than once but I have yet to stay in a rental that has a place to properly hang and air dry towels.

Keep an eye on the sheets and towels. Your "we just bought those" is another person's "gross, this stuff is stained/pill-balled/frayed bed covering nightmare." Again, it doesn't need to be super high end stuff, just plan on replacing soft goods on a regular basis.

[lazylane]

My favorite part of a villa is the deck which is where we spend 90% of our time so comfy furniture is a must. Last year we stayed at a villa with hard wooden furniture and there was NO WAY you could get relaxed. Also, keep pots/pans updated as others have mentioned.

[SOonthebeach]

We loved, loved, loved the really light beach chairs that were backpacks at the last house that we rented. A lot of good suggestions here. Some sort of large Thermos/Jug is great (for transporting cocktails), as well as toiletries- nice touch.

Also- plenty of kitchen towels- we always seem to run out.

A good updated binder with all the contact info is helpful, too.

Oh, and have the "local" (NBC, ABC, CBS, Fox) channels on the TV. We hardly watch it, but our last rental did not have the regular stations- we like to have the morning shows on while we wake up and missed that.

So jealous that you have a house! Where? Congrats! Our hope to do that one day....

[Exit Zero]

A notebook with a detailed explanation of the house and systems is an excellent reference guide to any rental house. Include phone #'s - the recommended Fix for common problems - suggestions to avoid those common problems ahead of time - a nice list of where some lesser used things are usually stored - some info about the BBQ grille - a plan for any no WAPA power situations - a strategy for dealing with garbage and the locations of nearby dumpsters - any suggestions for storing food to keep ants from invading - a polite suggested departure mode of how you expect the house to be left - a stash of SASE that allow a renter to detail any things that may be broken, missing or need attention that they have noticed during their stay and give you some suggestions for any improvements they think may be useful.

All bedroom clocks should be lighted and of the backup battery type so they don't need to be reset and at least one clock should be battery only in the main room.
Replacing things that get worn or tattered is an expense but really upgrades the appearance of a well used rental and is something that is not always obvious to an owner.

[Kealani]

I think most everything has been covered I will add a good quality sharp knife for the kitchen.

[DonnaM]

I have to figure out how to print this all out!!

First things first - we bought a mostly finished house in Estate Rendezvous and Ditleff, just past Chocolate Hole. It was owned by a couple that had the house built but were doing the rooms inside on their own but then decided to go back to the States to raise their young family. My husband is a mechanical contractor so we weren't too afraid of having to finish what they started: 2 bathrooms, new kitchen, plaster walls. The great room, master bed and bath are done as is the outside but we are putting in a pool. We are only going to be renting to friends and family ( so they can't complain about stuff! ) but I want to make sure everything anyone would need will be there. Next year our youngest goes off to college so we hope to be able to come down a lot.
So, while we wait for drawings and estimates, I have been keeping busy at Crate and Barrel, Ethan Allen and Pottery Barn! I think I have more art than wall space right now and my neighbors must be gossiping about the amount of times the UPS truck appears in my driveway ( no, there is nothing "going on"! haha ).
The villa we rented in March on our buying trip sounds like all of the bad things you have mentioned: no lounge chairs of any kind on the deck/pool area, non-working hot tub, cheap sheets, musty furniture, odd and ends in the kitchen and a freebie clock on the kitchen wall advertising Zyrtec.
One big issue for me is sheer curtains on East facing windows. I am a light sleeper and both of our last 2 rentals have had them so I am up at the crack of dawn.

thanks again for all the great suggestions!

[mit43]

This is a great list! Too bad every villa owner is not required to read it!

Our biggest disappointment was a lack of or poor quality pots, pans, and knives. One of the advantages of renting a villa is being able to cook, if desired.

I also enjoy reading a guest book with suggestions from previous guests.

[Teresa_Rae]

a freebie clock on the kitchen wall advertising Zyrtec.

Now that is a new (and hilarious) low!

[petepie]

blender blender blender blender blender

[Sumerwaters]

Since I spend most of my day at the beach I need a place to hang wet swimsuits and towels. Lots of hooks in the bathrooms. Also a clothes line or drying rack for outdoors is nice. I also like (and usually bring my own) lots of ice cube trays, I can make my own ice for the coolers and dont have to buy ice everyday. Also a hair dryer and dvd player.
Here are some other things: window screens without gaps and holes, a decent mattress, rugs on the floor by the bed, a box of tissues, umbrella, several pitchers in the kitchen for mixing drinks, and some inexpensive containers for leftovers, small and larger cooler, pleanty of beach towels and backpack beach chairs. Back up door key. Want me to be your trial guest?

[cjroyer]

Hey DonnaM, I live right up the road in Green Lane... We're neighbors, right?

Congratulations on the house! The only other suggestion I can come up with would be night lights in the bathrooms for those of us (or spouses) who get up in the middle of the night but don't want to turn on a bright light.

[EagleRayLover]

for those that are huge snorkelers ( like us0 and want to take care of the underwater environment as much as the land- i would say lionfish markers. During our latest trip . they had 2 but that was not enough as we ( as a group) saw 4 and when we went to town to scuba shops to get more they were out. ( did my best to explain where the little rascals were when i called the patrol but I think every villa should have them.
Everyone else's lists are great too!

[Marcia (Mrs. Pete)]

Clothes pins.
Don't laugh.
They come in handy for so many things besides drying your towels and bathing suits outside (please have a line to dry things).
They are great for clipping down towels on the lounge chairs on windy days, using instead of twistie-ties on bread and chip bags, etc. I always buy some and leave them at the villa.