How we keep our Barns clean for our guests

By Carl Scott

When looking at hotel reviews, ‘cleanliness’ is a topic that always pops up. It’s obviously a huge indicator of quality for many travellers; after all, none of us enjoy seeing traces of previous guests during a holiday! This is why we take cleanliness at Woodfarm Barns and Barges very seriously.

Our fantastic team dedicates hours to cleaning our Luxury, Dog-Friendly Suffolk Holiday Cottages and Historic Dutch Holiday Barges after each stay. They ensure that the cottages are not just tidy, but free of dirt and germs too. You can see from our outstanding reviews that we succeed in our efforts!

If you’re curious about just how we keep our Barns so spic-and-span, here’s a run down of our cleaning regime, room by room:

Kitchens

Our cottage kitchens are fitted with everything you might need during your stay, including ample work surfaces, a range cooker and a luxury coffee machine. And with the ability to cook delicious dishes comes the need for a tidy and hygienic environment.

With this in mind, we use anti-bacterial sprays and wipes to clean all surfaces and appliances; pay special attention to cleaning the oven, fridge and freezer, and sink; and hoover and mop the floor space (we use Harry Hoovers, which are pet-specific, ensuring any lingering dog hair from previous guests is removed).

We provide cutlery and other utensils, which are always checked for cleanliness and streaks – this includes glasses and crockery (and our very special Woodfarm mugs, which can actually be taken home!). We then clean out and wipe down cupboards, shelves and drawers, clearing up any crumbs along the way.

Finally, we replenish all those helpful extras that complement your Woodfarm stay, including tea, coffee, sugar and condiments.

Bathrooms

We like to keep our bathrooms looking good as new, without a trace of any prior guests. This means that we pay close attention to vital areas such as the toilet bowl, shower and sink, as well as a thorough clean of smaller (but still important) details such as the extractor fan.

It’s essential that our guests are never without necessities, so we keep toilet paper fully stocked, as well as beautifully scented hand soap and shower gel, and bleach.

Each of our Barns and Cottages have one bathroom, so you can imagine that our excellent team spends a lot of time making these facilities perfect for you!

Bedrooms and living areas

The Granary Barn bedroom — The bedroom inside Granary Barn

Not only are our beds luxuriously comfy, they’re also splendidly clean! Obviously, each guest receives fresh bedding and towels, laundered to a very high standard and well presented when you arrive for your holiday.

Meanwhile, all surfaces and storage areas are cleaned, floors are vacuumed, and windows are left spotless for you to enjoy the view of our central communal garden.

Outdoor areas

Alde Barn hot tub — The hot tub at Alde Barn

Our brilliant staff also take care of each cottage’s enclosed garden as well as our manicured communal garden. Each patio is swept to be free of leaves and mud, and the grass is mown to create a neat and tidy appearance. We know that many of our guests spend much of their ‘down-time’ on the patio enjoying a beverage and a meal, and a nice-looking garden makes this experience even more enjoyable!

Following that, outdoor furniture and BBQs are cleaned before our team moves onto the hot tubs. Five of our Barns boast spacious, luxury hot tubs that are stringently cleaned in line with hospitality standards. Although we ensure that our team pays special attention to our hot tubs, we also ask that our guests play a part in keeping our hot tubs clean and well-maintained – this means avoiding wearing fake tan, makeup and body creams, and not eating food while using the hot tub.

Our Barges

Our beautiful, Historic Dutch Barges, moored on the River Alde and River Deben, are maintained just as strictly as our Barns. As our Barges are also dog-friendly, we clean each room meticulously after each guest’s stay – just like our Barns. Each barge features a kitchen (two on board Onderneming), bedrooms, bathrooms and living areas, and all rooms are subject to the same attention that we give to our holiday cottages on dry land. If you would like to find out more about our Barges, just click here!