What things make you feel really comfortable when staying over at someone’s house?

[SteaknSalad]

We recently moved into a new house and now have a spare bedroom, so we can have guests to stay over. Our old flat was far too small to ever contemplate this! Our very first guests will be my PILs over this Easter weekend, and I want them to feel really relaxed, welcomed and at home.

What things, big or small, help you to feel comfortable and relaxed when staying as a guest at someone’s home?

Nice big comfy bed and pillows with a bedside lamp. Bottled water and some sweets by the bed. 😀

Own bathroom

prosecco

Slippers and dressing gown? It's not a hotel. Bring your own.

A dressing gown / bathrobe. Towels. A bathroom bin. Being invited to make a cup of tea if I want one.

Blackout curtains, a mirror with decent lighting and a plus socket close to get ready for a night out - full length is fab, enough coat hangers in the wardrobe, a TV is nice too for longer stays, but the most important is good pillows and a spare pillow to put between my knees when i sleep.

A bedside table, bedside lamp or nightlight, electricity socket (for plugging in chargers), loads of pillows, blackout curtains, proximity to a loo.

Thanks so much for all your responses! I’m feeling much more confident seeing that I’ve got the majority of these things covered - bedside table lamp and clock, king size bed with lovely new 100% cotton sheets, bathroom to themselves, etc.

Somehow I had not thought about being able to charge their devices at the bedside table, so I will make sure to put an extension cord there.

Great idea to put a few bottles of water and glasses in the room, I’ll do this too!

I often stay at my SIL and she always has extra clean towels, hairdryer, few toiletries, toothpaste, charger for my phone, WIFi code, water & a glass. Good luck!

Mirror preferably with somewhere near it that I can plug in my hair dryer etc. and lamp as Pp said

Most important, absolutely spotless freshness, I don't want to sleep with musty old pillows and duvets, no matter how sparkling the linens are. An extra blanket available. Good lighting I can turn off from the bed. No clutter. Ideally my own bathroom, but most homes can't allocate a bathroom for every guest!

100% not blackout curtains for me, I detest them, normal ones that let light in please.

Nothing fragranced in the room (no reed diffusers, no fabric conditioner on the bed linen etc).

Bedside lamp with just a lamp, no other clutter (especially not water which could get knocked over, I never, ever drink in the night). Plug socket nearby for my phone.

Mirror and wastepaper bin. That's all that's needed.

Sounds like you have everything covered OP!

Ability to charge my phone definitely on my list as well, so good to sort that.

I do really appreciate it when there's a box of tissues.

I'm glad you have a king size bed. I know not everyone has the space, but DH is 6ft2 and when we used to stay at his dads house- the spare room only had a double. It was against the wall- so one of us had to crawl across the bed to get into it 😡

Not mandatory, but having an overhead fan in the room, or even just a plug in table one is good if its a hot summers night

Check the room at night and sit in there in the dark. PIL's house has an alarm system of some sort and there are little sensors in the corner of each room. For some reason, their ones flash a green light every few seconds. It used to absolutely drive me mad at night, because I was aware of it even with my eyes shut. They were oblivious when I asked what it was. I wore an eye mask after that!

Blackout curtains are a must! Check there isn't a massive halo effect around the window though!

Firm pillows as well as soft pillows so people can choose.

I fucking hate the squishy pillows my parents use.

And I'd avoid overpowering fabric conditioners. Clean and neutral is the way forward.

A glass for water next to the bed and a bedside lamp

I'd suggest blackout blinds for those that want them and normal curtains for those that don't, I really, really hate waking up in pitch darkness.

Some of the lists read like an inventory for a hotel room. Remember it's someone's house. 😁

@thecatsthecats it's not the ruddy Premier Inn.

Everything else is basic hospitality imo. Who wouldn't provide:

A decent bed
Clean bedlinen
Pillows
Bedside lamp
Hanging space
Mirror
Offer water on the way up
Show people where the tea and coffee is

Why cant you just leave the curtain slightly ajar is darkness isn't what you want?

*if darkness

A freshly laundered bathrobe
Those slippers that lots of Koreans have for guests.
Plenty of towels
Clean bed linen
An explanation of what is and isn't OK to have from the fridge/cupboards
Game night! Love a game night with hosts.

Hosts who schedule in time for me (and them) to have time to decompress during the visit. A couple of hours before dinner to read/nap/have a bath, minimum.

Blackout curtains. So many people have shit curtains in their spare room!
Also decent size towels.
Sockets or an extension cable at each side of the bed is fab.

Mainly a welcoming atmos and an invitation to use what I want from the bathroom / kitchen.

A few things planned to do, some choices, but not over packed.

room:
Well aired
Reading light
Wastepaper bin
Decent linen and towels
decent soap/shower gel in the bathroom
Somewhere to hang clothes
Some flat surface to put bits on
Extension lead if there aren’t many plugs

Room not full of junk
Curtains that block the light (if you don’t have buy too eye masks)
Earplugs if it’s noisy
Water glass

A basic chair if they are elderly - can help to get dressed

Own key if they will go off to do stuff
A tour of the kitchen and invitation to get up and get what they want
Any house rules eg take your shoes off or don’t open that door or the dog will get out

If they are elderly early cup of tea people then leave out mugs and teabags ready for them. In a bigger house it’s a nice extra room have a tray in your room but no need in a flat.

Nice extras:
A basket with spare deod, body lotion, toothpaste, spare toothbrushes
box of tissues
dressing gowns
tin with some biscuits
Bowl of fruit
water jug
some info leaflets about the local area
(couple of magazines that you think they might like if they are people you want to
spoil)

Clearly no one needs these these days but they add to a cosy atmosphere and the feeling that it’s ok to retreat to their room if they want:
A row of books - a local history and short stories especially good
Radio

A comfortable chair If you have space for it

Not that you will do all this for one visit, but if you want tI build the perfect guest room..