Guests Who Cook a Lot in Your Vacation Rental: How to Prepare and What to Expect

Some guests arrive and never step into a restaurant. They cook breakfast, lunch, and dinner in your apartment. This isn't bad (in fact, it often indicates long stays and families), but it significantly changes the needs of the property. I'll tell you how to prepare the kitchen, what wear and tear to expect, and how to avoid these guests costing you a lot in electricity, water, and replacements.

Why it matters to you

A guest who cooks a lot:

• Uses more electricity, water, and gas.

• Wears out the kitchen faster (countertop, stove, hood, utensils).

• Generates more trash and odors.

• Usually stays longer (stays of 5-14 nights are the ones that cook the most).

• Leaves better reviews if the kitchen is well-equipped.

If you have a family apartment, a residential area flat, or rent weekly, this profile is your daily bread. It's worth adapting.

What type of guest cooks a lot

Not all guests use the kitchen the same way. These are the ones who will really wear it out:

Profile	Kitchen Use	Average Stay
Family with children	High (3 meals/day)	5-10 nights
Group of friends in an apartment	Medium-high (breakfast + dinner)	3-5 nights
Digital nomad / long stay	Very high	20+ nights
Foreign retirees (winter)	High	30-90 nights
Weekend urban tourist	Low (coffee and little more)	2-3 nights

If your location attracts the first four profiles, this guide is for you. If you only host weekend city stays, you can have a more modest kitchen.

How to prepare the kitchen for avid cooks

Sufficient (and real) utensils

The classic mistake is leaving just enough utensils for the maximum number of guests. If your apartment is for 4, leave utensils for 6. Why? Because when they cook seriously, they use more pans, more pots, more plates. And they won't wash between meals.

Minimum for 4 cooking guests:

• 2 frying pans (one small and one large).

• 2 pots (a medium and a large).

• 1 pasta or stew pot.

• Strainer, large salad bowl, decent cutting board.

• Good knife (just one, but sharp).

• Spatula, ladle, slotted spoon.

• Large mixing bowl.

You can see the full list in the kitchen utensils in vacation rentals post.

Appliances that make a difference

• Powerful microwave (not the cheap 700W ones).

• Decent coffee maker (see the coffee makers post).

• Toaster with at least 2 slots.

• Electric kettle (cheap and widely used by foreigners).

• Hand blender or small jar blender.

• 4-burner ceramic hob (2 burners are usually insufficient).

• Oven, even if small. It makes a difference with families.

Minimal pantry

There's debate here, but my opinion: leave the basics. Salt, oil, vinegar, sugar, coffee, pepper. I explain in detail in salt, oil, and spices in vacation rentals.

The real cost: what increases

Consumption

A guest who cooks 3 times a day uses twice as much gas or electricity as one who doesn't. If you have a flat rate in your listings, this is on you.

Real example from a 60m2 apartment in Valencia:

Concept	Regular guest (week)	Guest who cooks (week)
Electricity	8-12 euros	18-25 euros
Water	3-5 euros	8-12 euros
Gas (if available)	4-6 euros	12-18 euros
Extra total	-	+20-30 euros/week

If you rent at 90 euros per night, an extra 25 euros per week isn't ruinous. But for long stays of 30 days, we're talking about an additional 100-120 euros. It's worth adjusting the price or setting consumption limits (more info in electricity, water, and gas consumption).

Wear and tear on utensils

A serious cook will break:

• Glassware faster (calculate 1-2 glasses per long stay).

• Non-stick pans (last 6-12 months instead of 2-3 years).

• Knives (they put them in the dishwasher and ruin the edge).

• Cutting boards (stains, deep cuts).

Deeper cleaning

A heavily used kitchen needs thorough cleaning, not just a quick wipe. Grease on the hood, splashes on tiles, dirty oven. Your cleaner will take longer and probably charge more. Talk to them beforehand to avoid surprises.

Odors: the silent problem

Cooking a lot leaves odors. And odors are a common reason for negative reviews (see odors in vacation rentals).

What to do:

• Effective extractor hood. Not just decorative ones that only make noise. If recirculating, change the filter every 6 months.

• Cross ventilation in the kitchen. If you have a window, perfect. If not, leave a small fan.

• Clear instructions to turn on the hood when cooking (many don't).

• Neutral air freshener after each stay (avoid aggressive car scents, they are disgusting).

Watch out for fish, fried garlic, and curry. If you have international guests cooking with strong spices, the smell can linger for days. Vent thoroughly between bookings.

Trash: prepare for more

A guest who cooks generates 2-3 times more trash than one who eats out. Containers, organic waste, bottles.

Solutions:

• Minimum 30-50 liter trash bin (not 10 liters that fills in a day).

• Extra visible bags (leave 10-15 for long stays).

• Clear recycling and collection instructions (see trash and recycling).

• For long stays, consider intermediate collection.

How to adjust the price (if necessary)

For short stays, don't change anything. The extra cost is minimal.

For long stays (more than 14 nights), you have 3 options:

1. Increase the monthly rate by 5-10%, assuming utilities included.

2. Set a consumption cap (e.g., electricity included up to 150 kWh/month, the rest billed).

3. Bill utilities separately (more common for stays over 30 days, mid-term).

Option 2 is the fairest but requires reading the meter at check-in and check-out. Option 1 is the simplest and the one I use.

Communication with the guest

If you see in the reservation that 4 people are coming for 10 nights, you already know they'll cook. Add to your welcome manual:

• The location of the nearest supermarket.

• Local market hours (loved by foreigners).

• Oven and hob instructions (with photos).

• How the hood works.

• Where to dispose of each type of trash.

• What NOT to put in the dishwasher (good knives, pans, wood).

This reduces calls and breakages. I explain in the welcome manual.

What NOT to do

• Don't prohibit cooking. It's absurd if you have a well-equipped kitchen and scares away bookings.

• Don't leave a 5-year-old non-stick pan. It looks bad and doesn't work anymore.

• Don't skimp on utensils. An extra 30 euros on plates and cutlery prevents complaints forever.

• Don't forget the oil. A guest arriving late without oil to cook will hate you.

• Don't buy expensive glassware. It breaks. Buy IKEA and move on.

How Autoregistro fits in

Managing guests who cook a lot often goes hand in hand with longer stays and families. And with more registered guests per reservation, more travel documents for SES Hospedajes.

Autoregistro simplifies this: send a link to the guest, they fill in the details (all adults), and the system sends them to SES automatically. You don't have to do anything. It costs 1 euro per month per property (less than a coffee), so even if you have guests cooking until the farewell breakfast, registration isn't your problem.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it worth having an oven in a small apartment?

Yes, especially if you accept families or long stays. A small oven (30-40 liters) costs 100-150 euros and improves your kitchen rating on platforms. It also differentiates your listing from competitors without an oven.

What if a guest leaves the kitchen dirty?

If you have a deposit, deduct the extra cleaning cost with photos. If not, charge it through the platform as an additional fee. Airbnb and Booking allow claims for excessive cleaning. More info in damage and deposit management.

Can I prohibit cooking certain dishes due to odors?

Legally, you can set house rules, but banning specific dishes is rare and hard to enforce. It's reasonable to ask guests to use the hood and ventilate. If it’s a recurring issue, consider installing better extraction.

Should I include basic products like oil and salt?

Yes, the basics (oil, salt, sugar, coffee, pepper). Replenishing costs 15-20 euros per month and prevents negative reviews from late arrivals who can't go shopping. Details in salt, oil, and spices.

What if I am a non-resident and can't monitor utensil replenishment?

Arrange with your cleaner a monthly check of basic utensils (pans, knives, glasses). They notify you of what needs replacing, and you order online with delivery to the apartment. It's the only way to keep the kitchen in good condition without living nearby.