When putting together the guest room in our home, we paid attention to detail. We want our guests to be comfortable, feel welcome, and know that we enjoy sharing our time with them. Little touches mean the world to a guest; an extra pillow, a lovely plush blanket, good lighting, a comfortable chair, and extra hangers in the closet. Following is what we consider a guide for the “Ultimate Guest Get Away”.
Our Number One Rule is – Do not let your guests ask for towels, toiletries, etc. Instead we place a basket of towels in the guest room or the guest bath. We also include in the basket an assortment of lotions, shampoo, soap, etc., so our guests have all the fresh supplies they need.
In our opinion, guest rooms do not require a television; instead we leave our guests a selection of current magazines, books, and a note pad, for a bit of entertainment. I am an early riser, but sometimes guests rise before me, and with some reading materials in the guest bedroom, our guests have something interesting to read before they start or end their day.
When Lee and I stayed at the home of a friend, we found the guest room lighting to be less than desirable, especially after we bumped into the bed frame. Our first act upon arriving home, was to add additional bedside lighting to our guest room.
We always leave a bottle of port, glasses, a dish of chocolate, and a few granola bars in the guest bedroom, just in case one of our guests’ experience hunger pangs. In addition, there is always a bowl of fresh fruit on the counter in our kitchen.
Guests are fun to have, and if you are well prepared with a solid plan in place, the visit will be effortless. We usually plan to have easy breakfasts, coffee, yogurt, granola, fruit, oatmeal, etc. When guests are in town, we keep an assortment of hummus, nuts, cheese, salami, crackers, olives, roasted peppers, etc. Easy snacks that can be enjoyed at any time during the day or early evening.
We generally plan one simple, but nice, dinner at home and then dine out during the balance of the visit.
We recently had friends visit, and as a treat for Lee and I, our friends shopped and cooked a delicious meal for us while in our home. We had fun, shared a great meal with friends, and after dessert they did the dishes. A delightful way for friends to say thank you.