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Jun 07, 2017Be Our Guest: Tips & Tricks to a Welcoming Home

We’ve all done it. We’ve all stayed over at someone’s house and found ourselves longing to just go home to our own bed. It isn’t because they aren’t welcoming hosts—it’s because the typical comforts of home that you’re used to aren’t there. Maybe for you, this means a late night snack, or perhaps you like to watch a show before bed…but since it isn’t your house, you don’t feel right about imposing. We happen to think there is a solution to make your guests feel more relaxed that requires minimal effort: model your guest space after a five-star resort. We’d like to share the ways we create a home away from home for any guest that stays over.

Start with the Basics

Waking up in an uncomfortable bed will meancrabby houseguests in the morning. Avoid them grumbling into their coffee by selecting a comfortable mattress, pillows, and comforter. The best way to ensure this is to make it a bed you’d like to personally sleep in. Always make the bed with fresh sheets every time—clean sheets that have been made on the bed for months will have a musty smell.A stylish comforter and a few throw pillows will make the room feel more welcoming. Be sure to have some extra blankets and pillows in the room, as some guests might want more than what is already on the bed.

At-Home Hilton

There’s a reason that staying at a nice hotel is so enjoyable: no detail goes unnoticed! Create a guest cart, tray, or basket filled with important amenities: bath towels, a washcloth, small toothpaste and toothbrush, mouthwash, small shampoo and conditioner, lotion, pain reliever, and soap. Fill a small basket with some snacks (we like to include a variety that includes sweet, salty, and healthy) and a carafe orbottled water. Don’t forget a trash can for them to have somewhere to put those snack wrappers!Include a lamp by the bed to make it easy when it comes time to go to sleep. These seemingly small details will have the biggest impact on your guests.

Personalize it

If a guest is staying at your house, chances are you know some of the things that they enjoy. You can simply take the ideas above and infuse personal touches within them. Does your guest love Reese’s peanut butter cups and LaCroix water? Put those on your guest cart to show them how well you know them. Take ten minutes to find a few pictures of you and your visitor and frame them in the room. Walking into a room that is customized to you is a really special feeling. Why wouldn’t you want to do that for your visitors?

Kick it Up a Notch

Your guests will already be impressed with your guest room if you stop right here, but we suggest that you take it a few steps further…

1. Display seasonal fresh flowers by the bed the day your guest arrives for a fresh and natural touch

2. Create a charging station for their phones, cameras, and any other electronics they might have with them while traveling

3. Place a catch-all bowl on the nightstand for keys, jewelry, and other odds and ends that wind up lying around

4. Put out a notepad and pen, a few magazines and some books

5. Leave out a suitcase holder, and make space in the closet for guests to unpack, including hangers for them to use

6. Frame your Wifi password on the nightstand so guests can easily get online

7. If you have an extra TV and DVD player that’s not being used, add those with a small collection of movies

Traveling can take a toll on you. From the seemingly endless plane flights or car rides, to the lifestyle of living out of a suitcase, it’s easy to begin longing for your own home. However, imagine if you were arriving to a guest room like the one we just described. It would be very easy to settle in and enjoy your stay, wouldn’t it? Give it a try and let us know how it went!