# What do you need to do before leaving your unit?



## vacationlover2 (Apr 11, 2007)

Hi,

This coming trip at the end of April will be my first "real" timeshare stay.  I am going to Manor Club Sequel.  First off,  do I need to bring detergent for the dishwasher and washer?

Second, do I need to take out the trash and strip the beds or anything else before I leave?

Thanks!


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## dmharris (Apr 11, 2007)

They provide multiple packages of detergent for the dishwasher and a sample pack of laundry detergent to do one load.  There is a small bottle of dish washing liquid as well.  We do take out the trash periodically, but when we check out we leave the bedding as is and what little trash is there we leave.  We run the dish washer periodically, and put what dishes are dirty in the dish washer, but don't run it at the end, in case housekeeping has some other things they put in that we didn't.  

I'm curious if we're doing it "right".


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## Cathyb (Apr 11, 2007)

Each timeshare is a little different in requirements. We usually stack all towels in bathroom corner, take out trash and put bedding stacked on top of bed.  We also wash dishes but leave them in DW.  Read the timeshare binder, sometimes they will tell you what they expect.  Stayed at Bluegreen Branson and they requested all bed linen to be taken off and stacked.

You will have lots of years of fond memories -- welcome to timeshareland


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## CMF (Apr 11, 2007)

*Leave a tip.*

I would clean-up anything I would not not leave for my own cleaning person helper at home, e.g., spills, unrinsed dishes, and the like; then I leave a nice tip for the people cleaning up after me and my family.

Charles


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## TomF (Apr 11, 2007)

This brings up another question:  What do you do with surplus food?

If there are any leftovers we throw them out, but often have an unfinished loaf of bread, box of pasta or cereal, an unfinished carton of orange juice or milk, cans of soda, etc.  I don't know what the policy is at resorts that we've stayed at , but we usually leave this stuff and let the cleaning person determine what to do with it.

This past February at MountainSide, we opened our door one morning to get the paper and someone had left most of a 12-pack of beer at our door!  We appreciated that!


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## Harry (Apr 11, 2007)

*Tipping*



CMF said:


> ..I leave a nice tip for the people cleaning up after me and my family.
> Charles[/QUOTE
> 
> Spouse and I disagree.  She always leaves a tip which I admit I take at times.  I agree, if the service is extremely good tipping is in order.


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## JimC (Apr 11, 2007)

Upon departure we leave the place "broom clean" so to speak.  We load and run the dishwasher.  We don't do anything with the linens or the trash.  There is not much because we usually take out the trash every other day during our stay.

We generally clean out leftovers, but have left over food/drink items for the staff to use/dispose of as they desire.  It would be nice if there was a food pantry that would pick this stuff up on checkout days -- there is probably a lot of waste that could go to some good for someone else.

In Aruba one family was at the pool asking if anyone was just arriving and wanted their unfinished items.


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## laxmom (Apr 11, 2007)

My husband is slightly AR.  We run the dishwasher, take out the trash and strip the beds and pile the sheets with the towels in the entry.  Anything we can do to speed up the turnover of rooms! That way it is easier to see if we left anything. ( These were instructions in our first timeshare stay 7 or 8 years ago, I believe.)

As far as leftover food. If it is unopened, we leave it on the counter or in the fridge for the housekeeping crew to determine what to do with it.  We've gotten better at not overbuying as time goes on.  If we buy for just a few days, we end up with enough for a week!


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## Smooth Air (Apr 11, 2007)

Put all towels in the tub, clean out fridge & freezer, take out all garbage and newspapers, stack & run the d/w. Leave any unopened soda, bottled water, beer & wine in the fridge. Leave a very nice tip for the housekeeper.


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## ownsmany (Apr 11, 2007)

always put all dishes in dishwasher & run it - even if not a full load.  Take all trash out.  Dispose of leftover food usually trash & try to give the leftovers to someone staying longer then us.

I think it is best to leave it as clean as possible.  As someone stated - makes checkin time better for next guest.

It was beautiful when we get to the timeshare - like to leave it nice when we leave also.

How much tip is normal for a week stay?


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## Smooth Air (Apr 11, 2007)

Hi, Ownsmany: We always leave at least $20 per week. Sometimes more.


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## cindi (Apr 11, 2007)

A (very) few of the timeshares we have stayed in had a list of the things they wanted done at check out. Most of them do not, from what I have seen.

We always pile up all the towels and put them either in the bathtub or beside the bathtub. Load the dishwasher and start it up. If it is finished before we leave, I will put the dishes away as well. I don't strip the beds any longer. We do take out all the trash and clean out the fridge/freezer. If there are unopened food items we leave them on the counter for the maids to do with as they wish. I always hope someone can make use of it. I just can't bring myself to throw good food away.


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## labguides (Apr 11, 2007)

Westgate Gatlinburg requests that all linens be placed outside the unit by a specific time on the morning of check out.


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## Smooth Air (Apr 11, 2007)

You mean they just want you to dump the bed linens out in the hallway??? So, you have to hop out of bed, strip the beds & put everything out there? That is way too weird. The hallways must be a mess. I can't even imagine walking past everybody's "dirty laundry"!!! Gross. Yuk! Do people really do that??


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## labguides (Apr 11, 2007)

<<You mean they just want you to dump the bed linens out in the hallway??? >.

We had a "cabin" (4 units to a building). Linens were all tied in sheet and placed in front of the building.


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## sage (Apr 12, 2007)

We leave it as we found it - spotless!
Everything is clean & put away. Linens are either left on the beds or at the request of the resort, left in the bath tub.
Unused, unopened food is taken with us if travelling by car. If overseas, such as when we went to Fiji or Thailand, it is left for the staff - they greatly appreciate it as they are very poor. We usually tip around $5 per day minimun for the room if it is serviced every day. The tip is worth the great service we get.


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## AMJ (Apr 12, 2007)

I keep the unit very neat during our stay so as a result it is very clean when we leave. We wash the dishes, leave all towels in the tub, and empty the trash. Linen is usually left is a pile.

Any food items that have been opened are thrown away. I have always wondered what to do with the unopened packages. We have thrown them out because we didn’t want to burden housekeeping with this duty in case they didn’t want it. In the future, I think I will leave a note with the unopened items. I hate to waste the food since someone else might be able to use it.

Joyce


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## wuv pooh (Apr 12, 2007)

*We surprised our neighbors last Sat. Night at MHZ ~ Horizons by Marriott, Orlando*

by giving them a welcome home gift of Pillsburry unopened cookie dough.

We never found time to make them & didn't want them to go to waste.

We gave our jars of unopened baby food to other guests when we were in Kauai Marriott.

hth,

j


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## pharmgirl (Apr 12, 2007)

for unopened food we bring this to a nearby church food pantry along with a case of tuna or soup that we buy for the food pantry. Also any dish detergent even if it is opened and the little shampoos, etc.
Leave opened food in the kichen or frig, hope that cleaning staff can use but I think not.  They are going from unit to unit most of day and wonder how they would be able to carry or store


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