Holiday / vacation mode (sun, beach or suitcase)
An energy-saving setting for when you are away: the fridge section is set much warmer (Bosch +14 °C, Hisense 15 °C) or effectively off, while the freezer keeps running normally.
What the manuals say to do
Take the food out of the fridge section before switching it on — Bosch says not to store any food in the refrigerator compartment during it, Liebherr says to remove all food from the fridge and BioFresh drawer because “it will go off otherwise”. Frozen food can stay in the freezer.
What it does not mean
It does not keep fresh food cold: the fridge part is set to about 14–15 °C or off. And it is not a freezer-off switch — the freezer compartment stays on.
Makes differ, check your fridge’s manual: the same drawing can mean different things on different brands, and only your model’s manual says exactly what a button does, what temperature it sets and when it switches itself off.
- What it looks like
- A sun over waves or the horizon (Liebherr, Miele), a suitcase, or the word “Holiday”. On Liebherr the display shows “Ho”; on Electrolux the fridge temperature shows “--”.
- Names used
- Holiday mode / vacation mode (Bosch); Holiday mode (Miele, Electrolux); Holiday setting (Liebherr); Holiday (Hisense); Vacation (LG, Samsung)
Where makers differ
Bosch uses the mode button; Hisense and Liebherr need a 3-second press. Liebherr says it also stops smells building up behind a closed door. Electrolux cancels holiday mode if you pick super cool or super freeze.
Other symbols with the same shapes
Sources
No public standard defines this panel symbol, so its meaning is taken from the manuals of 5 different maker groups (Bosch, Hisense, Liebherr, Miele, Electrolux), each fetched and read on the date shown:
- Bosch: Bosch — Instructions for use, fridge-freezer KGN.. (9001101173 F, PDF) — Holiday mode: “The temperature of the refrigerator compartment is automatically switched to +14 °C. Do not store any food in the refrigerator compartment during this time … Freezer compartment: remains unchanged.” Checked 2026-09-27.
- Hisense: Hisense — User’s operation manual, HR6BMFF435 / HR6BMFF520 (PDF, copy hosted by productreview.com.au) — “When the holiday function is activated, the temperature of the fridge is automatically switched to 15°C … the freezer compartment remains on.” Press “Holiday” for 3 seconds. Checked 2026-09-27.
- Liebherr: Liebherr — User guide, built-in combined fridge-freezer HCB 1060 (7086622-03, 2021-04-09, PDF hosted by a Liebherr parts store) — “The holiday setting saves energy and stops smells building up … The freezer section continues to operate … Remove all food from the refrigerator and BioFresh compartment because it will go off otherwise.” Ho appears on the display. Checked 2026-09-27.
- Miele: Miele — Operating instructions, fridge-freezer, M.-Nr. 11 746 390 (PDF) — “The Holiday mode function is useful when you go on holiday, for example, if you do not wish to switch off the refrigerator section completely or do not need a high degree of cooling.” Checked 2026-09-27.
- Electrolux: Electrolux — User manual, freezer-fridge RCB732E5MX (PDF) — Holiday Mode: push MODE until the holiday symbol appears; “Cooler temperature segment will show ‘--’”; super cool and super freeze cancel it. Checked 2026-09-27.
Written in our own words; quotations are the regulation’s or the makers’ wording.