Western civilization is largely built on the Greek and Roman template; if you’ve done any reading on those societies, then you’re familiar with the importance they placed on hospitality. To the traveler, few things are more memorable than having a place of comfort when you’re away from home – which is why creating a great sleeping space for guests will place you in even higher esteem amongst your friends.
With that said, creating a guest room or space can be quite fun – as it helps you tap into your natural creative spirit. To facilitate this, we’ve created a list of tried-and-true ideas that are guaranteed to make your guests feel (almost) at home.
1. Simplicity is Divine
Simplicity by no means suggests sparsity. Think of the principles of Feng Shui when designing your sleeping space for guests: certain combinations of fabrics and textures exude calm energy. Most importantly, you want them to feel at home, so if the space is decorated to your specific tastes, this will take away from that. Keep things simple; reign in the self-expression.
2. Create Extra Space
This part really just covers the need for space to perhaps hang up clothes, put their shoes, etc – all the things that might fo inside of a suitcase. Even for the businessperson, living out of a suitcase is not ideal – therefore, having access to a closet, dresser or large container adds a whole to your guests’ comfort.
3. Room Amenities – Chair, Workstation, Etc
A bed is, of course, mandatory in a guest room – but a chair is an extra feature that anyone would appreciate. It’s nice to be able to relax without laying down. In addition to the small chair you set up, consider a desk or workstation so that your guest doesn’t have to check email and surf the web in bed. It’s definitely a nice tough if you can afford the space. On top of the desk, place your Wifi username and password for easy access, as well as several ways to reach you (phone, email, intercom number, etc).
4. Coffee and Snacks
Remember – this isn’t your guest’s house; therefore, the kitchen will be unfamiliar. If possible, a small coffee station right in their guest room could be a slice of Heaven. Be sure to place cream, sugar, cups, etc to make it a complete though portable setup. Adding bags of green tea (or other) is definitely a nice touch in case your guest isn’t a coffee drinker.
5. The Sleep Setup
The bedding, of course, should be new or clean. Give your guests the option to change sheets, as well, by placing extra ones on a dresser or chair. Since sleep takes up at least 1/3rd of our lives, make sure your guest has a good mattress – try and select a mattress type that will suit a wide range of sleeping preferences, such as memory foam. To save money, go for innerspring; if money isn’t a concern, then a latex mattress can do wonders for sleep comfort.
Once you’ve got the mattress squared away, be sure to have extra blankets. New ones are better, of course – but any washed blanket in great shape will do. Depending on the time of the year that your guest drops by, you might consider placing more than one blanket in the room to account for cold nights and mornings. If you really want to level up – place a space heater in the room, as well.
6. Bathroom Options
Your guests should be provided with their own towels; place these on their bed instead of hanging them in the bathroom. This way, they’ll know that the towels aren’t meant for decorative purposes. While we’re on the bathroom, it’ll be nice to provide them with inexpensive toiletries, as well – in case they forgot their own toothbrush, paste, dental floss, etc. For women, you’ll need more than the basics that you’d need for men so keep this in mind. You really can’t add too many fresh towels and hand dryer cloths.
7. Cleanliness is Next to Godliness
Your job as a hospitable homeowner isn’t one with the setup; make sure the guest room or space is clean. This could mean checking in whenever your guest steps out, to make sure that towels are replaced, coffee cups, cream, sugar, etc are refilled as needed. Seeing new, fluffy washcloths after a trip out can be quite the morale-booster!
8. Electronics
Given the sheer plenitude of different types of mobile devices and laptops, your best bet is to go with a universal charger and the three major types of USB-charging cords. These are very inexpensive; additionally, make sure that there are at least two wall outlets that are clearly visible and readily accessible – along with an extension cord just in case.
You’re pretty much all set, minus a few minor changes that are particular to your taste. If your guest is going to be there for awhile, and he or she is more on the autonomous side, you might consider placing a pamphlet or something containing the locations of various hot spots in your city. Do these things, and there’s little doubt that you’ll be in the running for having the best guest room.