How to Host Overnight Guests

What's the difference between staying at a hotel and crashing at a friend's house? Usually there's a big difference. But with a few touches, your friends will be clamoring to crash with you when they're in town. You'll become the hostess with the mostest very quickly.

Think Hotel Plush

Let's start with linens: every four-star hotel has great linens, so that's a great thing to pick up. Try a high thread-count cotton in a sumptuous rich brown or crisp white. Then pick a comforter that matches to create a cohesive look in your guest room (whether it's your living room or a separate room).

One way to keep guests relaxed and restful is to paint your guest room a calming color, like a pale aqua blue. Clearing clutter out of your spare room can also make them feel like the room was meant just for them.

Another hotel-inspired trick is to offer them bathrobes. Keep two on hand in your guest bathroom (if you've got one) and that way, they won't be putting on clothes in a damp bathroom or forced to dash back to their room after checking to see if the coast is clear.

Pillow Pleasures

Do a turn-down on your guest bed. Turn back the sheets to expose the pillows and remove any shams from the bed so it's easy to crawl in. Then try leaving a pillow mint (or pillow chocolate!) on each pillow and use a small carafe and glass set to leave a carafe of water by the bed, should they need a drink in the middle of the night and not want to stumble into your kitchen.

Space of Their Own

If you've got the space to do it, provide your guests with a sitting room of their own. This can be in their room (this is ideal since that's "their space" while they're visiting) and try a chair and ottoman pair that allows them to sit in peace and not have to socialize or party constantly. This will offer them a retreat in a home that is not their own, and they can recharge their batteries, read a book or just relax there. A chair and ottoman also serve as great spots to lay out tomorrow's outfit, store those shams while they're not on the bed and more.

Bed & Breakfast

It's nice to have any kind of breakfast provided in the morning, but if you're feeling like a hostess all-star, it's time to pull out your culinary skills and make a hot breakfast. Whether you make some oatmeal, cinnamon rolls, a strata or other egg dish, you'll be offering them a warm breakfast (hopefully with a steaming pot of coffee) when they wake up. And what's not inviting about that?

If you follow these thoughtful tips for your overnight guests, you'll be known for your hospitality in your group of friends or your family, and you'll have guests asking to stay all the time. In fact, they may never leave!

Print Article

Email Article

View All Articles

How to subscribe to feeds