Hosting overnight guests and preparing their guest room doesn’t have to be a stressful experience. Providing plush bedding and comfortable amenities can help promote a great night’s sleep and make your visitors feel right at home. One way to get started is to think about what you would expect and hope to see in a guest room. Here are some tips to help your visitors feel right at home.
Storage Space is Key
Providing a stand or a luggage rack is much more luxurious than having to stoop down to pull out clothes or a pair of shoes. If there is enough closet space, make sure you provide hangers, so guests don’t have to worry about wrinkling their clothing. Even a small chest or armoire is better than nothing. No closet space or room for a dresser? Placing multiple hooks on the walls, or investing in a space-conscious wardrobe rack is a great way to hang clothing and even provide more stowaway room for towels, extra blankets, or larger pillows. For smaller items like keys, wallets, journals, or electronics, have at least one or two drawers cleared to reduce a cluttered space and create a more relaxing environment for your guests.
Keep Necessities Well Stocked
Take a note from five-star hotels when providing your guests with some sundries. Having a small basket of toiletries will up your hospitality and make your guests feel more at ease if they forgot something. Consider getting a small coffee maker, complete with a lovely tiered basket full of coffee, tea, cider, water, milk, or sugar. Your guests will feel comfortable that they can help themselves, and you’ll avoid any uncomfortable maneuvering of using the kitchen if you have multiple people staying in your home. Even a well-stocked mini fridge with beverages and snacks will provide that extra level of comfort and provision, without guests sneaking down to your kitchen. If your guests are carrying a laptop, tablet, or smartphone, consider leaving any wi-fi passwords and an extra charger or two in the guest room.
Get Creative with Your Lighting
Dress your windows with some blackout curtains, so when night falls, your guests will be able to sleep soundly. Adding hooks to the sides of the panes also gives your guests complete control over natural lighting when they’re awake. Making room for a bedside light or installing a beautiful sconce will provide a soft, warm ambiance for your night owl guests. Even hanging twinkle lights around the edge of the ceiling, or vertically in an artistic fashion, not only dresses up your walls but provides a creative way for your guests to enjoy a nice book in the evening. There is nothing more uncomfortable than reading or catching up on work in a dimly-lit room, so don’t be afraid to provide adequate bedside and overhead lighting.
Plush and Luxurious Bedding
Previous methods for creating the ideal guest room will go unrecognized by guests if they’re sleeping on used, well-worn, or dirty bedding—stock up on fleece blankets, high-quality sheets, soft pillows, and a cozy down comforter. Always make sure you have extra linens in reach, in case of accidents, or for long-term guests. If your visitors are staying during the winter months, providing extra blankets and coverlets gives your guests all the comfort and warmth they could expect. Browse some of the coverlets from Peacock Alley for inspiration. Ensuring that your guest room has the coziest pillows, sheets, blankets, and bedding will help your guests feel at ease.
It can be overwhelming deciding how to decorate and create an ideal guest room. These tips can help you choose what’s important for you as a host, and your guests will appreciate all the details that went into the preparation. If you think you’re going overboard in transforming your extra space into a cozy haven, just think back to what you would expect if you were staying in any five-star lodging. You’ll be on your way to creating that perfect guest room in no time.
