Must Haves  Comfortable seating for at least the number of people that you sleep  A TV large enough for said guests to watch from across the room (27” or larger)  Basic cable  Reading lamps  A DVD player, or at the very least a VCR (If you only provide a VCR, it's probably a good idea to also have a stock of videos, since they may no longer be readily available at the local video store.)  A few decks of cards and a board game or two for rainy days

Extras
 A big-screen HDTV. Can be a deal-maker for sports fans
 A DVD Library with flicks for the kids
 Satellite, premium cable or movie channels
 Recliner or comfortable reading chair and ottoman
 A fireplace (If your home doesn't have a fireplace built-in, consider adding a freestanding electric fireplace)
 A stereo with a CD player or an iPod docking station
 A CD library 
 Game systems like Xbox, PlayStation or Wii with games.

Must Haves  Microwave  Teapot  Coffee pot with filters and a starter pack of coffee, creamer, and sugar  Basic pantry items like sugar, salt and pepper  Cleaning supplies, including liquid hand soap, dishwashing liquid, carpet cleaner, all-purpose cleaners, bleach/disinfectant   Adequate cooking gear  Enough plates, glasses, and flatware for double the number of people that you sleep - who wants to be constantly doing the dishes while on vacation?  A dining room table that will seat the number that you sleep  A fold-up table and chairs readily available for the kids, if you sleep large numbers

Extras
 A deluxe coffee pot with grinder or espresso machine
 Granite countertops
 Stainless steel appliances
 Specialty gadgets like a juicer, waffle maker, soft-serve ice cream maker or margarita machine
 Other small appliances like a mixer, crock pot or griddle
 Fresh fruit, pastries or a bottle of wine or champagne

Bedrooms

Must Haves  At least a queen size bed in the master bedroom  Two sets of high-quality sheets for each bed  Pillows with pillow protectors.  Extra blankets  Mattress pads  Full-length mirror  Alarm clock  Reading lamp on a bedside table in each bedroom

Extras
 King-size beds
 High quality or Egyptian cotton sheets
 Down comforters.
 Feather pillows.
 Television

Bathrooms

Must Haves  Two quality bath towels per guest  Two hand towels per guest  Four washcloths per guest  Hair dryer  Hand soap.  At least one roll of toilet paper  Tissues Extras  Shampoo and conditioner  Body wash and lotions  Unique shower/showerheads  Jacuzzi/whirlpool tub in the master bathroom  Steam shower or sauna  Bathrobes  Towel warmer

Balcony/Backyard

Must Haves  Outdoor seating  Lighting  Ash trays (even if your home is non-smoking) Extras  An area for lounging and dining  Barbeque grill  Hot tub  Swimming pool. Heated is a bonus  Outdoor fireplace or chiminea  Children';s play area  Basketball hoop, volleyball net, croquet set or horse shoes

Other Amenities

Must Haves  Vacuum  High-speed Internet (This used to be an extra-- now it's a deal breaker for many travelers.)  Iron and full-size ironing board  Landline telephone - even if you only keep it around for dialing 911   Local phonebook  A first aid kit  Liners in trash cans  Guestbook

Extras
 Washer and dryer.
 Air conditioning  - If you own in a location where air conditioning is not a standard home feature, providing A/C could be a draw for those who are used to having it
 Baby/toddler gear like a portable crib and a high chair
 Game room with a pool table, foosball table, ping pong table and/or dartboard
 Exercise equipment like a stationary bike or treadmill
 Office equipment like a computer, fax machine and printer
 Free long distance phone service
 Ice chest/cooler
 Sports equipment like tennis rackets, footballs, or golf clubs
 Region-specific gear like beach towels, a ski locker, canoes, kayaks, or bikes

What is a fun amenity you have in your vacation rental? "I have a countertop snow cone maker." -Teresa M., Orlando, FL. "We have a farm-shaped waffle iron that makes cows, pigs, and rooster waffles at our Ranch House." -Colleen, Carmel Valley, CA (VRBO #189381)  "I have a number of Victorian paper masks that transform faces. Lots of laughs are had by all." -Lisa, Vermont (VRBO) "Our poker felt and chip set gets a lot of use but don't expect them to put the chips back in the right order." -Nick "One thing I do that seems to be unique is my cabin photo album. I leave a camera out so the guests can take pictures to put in the albums. It took a little while for it to really catch on but after doing this for eleven years folks now compete with some fun photo shoots. For a long time I put the disposable cameras out but 3 or 4 disappeared. They have taken good care of the nicer camera and I get much better photos." -Dennis S., Oneida, TN (HomeAway #171328) "We have a mini market umbrella, two canvas and teak sand chairs, sand castle molds, pails, shovels and a polka dot carry bag for picnic stuff. Our cottage is on the beach in Baja, and our guests love the beach toys." -Susan, La Paz, Mexico (HomeAway #193419, VacationRentals.com #40013) "You mentioned s'mores, so I thought I'd add a unique s'more making recipe. 1. Roast marshmellow. 2. Push an individual Teddy Graham treat into the melted marshmellow. 3. Push one square from a chocolate bar ino the melted marshmellow. Fr a twist, use a square of a Caramilk bar. 4. Shove the whole thing in your mouth. Yummy, and your hands stay clean! As for a fun amenity, we have a large DVD library, plenty of family games, and a variety of books (both fiction, and guidebooks for the local area)." -Rockies Rentals, Canmore, AB (HomeAway #207710, VRBO #164905, VacationRentals.com #33783) "Family DVDs." -P, Lincoln City (HomeAway) "I have a toy closet where I keep various puzzles, games, books, kites and sand toys. We are on the beach so we also keep foam noodles and beach chairs for the adults. Toy closet goes over real well." -Donna, Cocoa Beach (HomeAway #152783, VRBO #25055, VacationRentals.com #11652)

Kitchen Checklist for Vacation Rentals Which items should you provide before you claim to have a fully-stocked kitchen? Rainy-Day Amenities for Your Vacation Home Bad weather is a bummer, but you can help alleviate guests' disappointment with fun rainy-day amenities   How to Increase Your Bookings Use a special offer to make your property easy to find and increase bookings   From Pool Tables to PlayStations: Creating a Game Room the Whole Family Can Enjoy Give your property a leg up on the competition while adding rainy-day recreation for your guests  © Copyright 2007 HomeAway, Inc. U.090212.LC