to be so fussy about creating perfect guest-room?

[theboatisleaking]

We've just completed extension and for first time ever have a proper guest-room! I'm very excited about making it as comfortable and welcoming as possible but DH thinks I'm going OTT and wants to keep it very simple.

When you're a house-guest, what things make a perfect guest-room? What do you need or wish hosts had provided and what's too much?

It's a small room, just space for a double-bed, plus an open-storage wardrobe (with shelves and rail), also a small chest of drawers. Large window with no blind/curtains as yet (DH thinks no need to cover window but I diasagree!) No ensuite but a bathroom right next door for guests' exclusive use.

So far I've added a bedside lamp, box of tissues and a warm throw. I want to add a tea-tray with travel-kettle, cups, tea, biscuits etc and a TV (we have a spare) but DH thinks this is too much and might make guests feel they're not welcome in kitchen and living room. I also want to add fresh flowers, a bowl of wrapped chocolates (like Lindor) and some books/magazines but he thinks it will make it look cluttered! What do you think? What would you appreciate if you were a guest?

And do you think plain white bedding is best or something colourful (I think white looks a bit clinical and makes guests paranoid about marking it but DH thinks otherwise!)

Any advice/opinions appreciated!

Curtains, comfy bed, clean sheets, warm duvet in winter, something lighter in summer, lots of pillows, bedside light, bin.... That would be great. We have always had a guest room and in our old house, we used to have a wall of books in there which went down well, this house we have an extra downstairs room so they are in there but the loss of the books was commented on so we put a few upstairs so that when Guests want to read at night they can pick one without having to go downstairs again .

Coloured sheets for the obvious reason.

What obvious reasons?

You need a tray on the bedside table with tissues, wet wipes and penis beaker.

Condoms too would be useful for guests who forget.

People who visit my house should make themselves at home and help themselves to anything they want. No special "guest" treatment. Curtains though are essential, as they are for anyone else who lives here.

All I require is a bedside lamp and comfy, clean bedding that hasn't been washed in anything fragranced and a clean towel, no need for a separate handtowel, I'll just use the one in the bathroom. Curtains or blinds go without saying.

Additional things that would be appreciated are a few books or magazines, a mirror, wastepaper basket, a clock and a box of tissues. I'm fine without any storage space if it's only for a couple of days, I just live out of my bags.

I would think toiletries, flowers, chocolates, drinks etc totally OTT and it would make it seem like a B&B not a home. If I want toieltries, headache tablets etc I'll ask and I'd like to feel free to use the kettle in the kitchen.

Oh and lastly - no air fresheners please.

I dream about the guest room I'll have one day when the DC finally leave home. I've never had a spare room, even before they were born and think I'll be just like you some day making it all look lovely

But since you ask, the things I value most when i stay elsewhere are a couple of drawers to unpack in, a spare blanket, tissues and an old dressing gown to borrow.

A really good and sparkling white mattress and pillow case protector.

Mortifying if a guest [looking at you MIL] decides to be "helpful" and strip the bed before they go [or melts your chocolates or worse] and the mattress is anything other than perfect.
My sister had a guest who put fake tan on before going to bed and it came through the sheets and ruined the mattress. She left without saying a word and was never asked back...

I'd only bother with the kettle if your kitchen is inaccessible at night [downstairs alarm or mad noisy dog] but if there isn't really the space then just a bottle of water with a sports cap as they don't usually spill everywhere when they are knocked over.

Nice bed linen, bedside lights and space to unpack clothes. You defiantly need blinds or curtains.

Lovely to put out some nice toiletries like a lovely hand and body cream and fresh flowers.

An "emergency basket" is nice as another poster suggested (toothbrushes/toothpaste/sanipro).

I'd say no to the kettle and tv though - it's not a hotel room.

Make sure there are fresh towels and nice toiletries in the bathroom.

However the MOST important thing of all is that it's clean. I've stayed in very simple rooms that are fresh and lovely and with "posh pals" with large rooms with every possible gadget where it was awful because all the bedding/towels were obviously used and dirty.

Sounds great, when can I come and stay.

Comfy bed and clean anything more us a bit Hyacinth Bucket!

When guests come to stay, they usually go to their room to sleep and come straight out when they wake up - do people really stay at people's houses and hang out in their room? I would probably find it funny if there were B&B style tea and coffee making facilities in a spare room at a friend's house, but I suppose if you have people staying for weeks at a time, or those who can't make it out of the room without coffee, then I suppose it would be welcomed.

Flowers - yes
Chocolates - no
Bottles of water and glasses - no
Kettle etc - no no and no again
Clean - yes
Comfortable bed - yes
Towels - yes
Window covering - yes (essential)

Too many hotel features when staying with friends would make me feel a bit uncomfortable.

Our youngest has just left home, we have visitors at the weekend and I have spent the past few days preparing a guest room. It has:

Very comfortable bed.
Nice bed linen.
Towels.
Flowers.
Bedside light.
Books.
A few vintage bits and bobs (old tat, but I like it).
Absolutely nowhere for them to hang their clothes (our overflow is stored in the wardrobe).
The poor things have to share the one and only bathroom we own.
Light switches which appear to work upside down which are very confusing (for some reason my husband had to replace the light switch and it only works that way. No idea why, as he is very good at electrics).
Guests are welcome to help themselves to a glass of water.

I'm sure they will survive a couple of nights in our quirky accommodation.

And it has a bin.

And no air fresheners.

Trouser press. Mini bar. Free WiFi. Porn channel on the TV.

We live in Australia so very aware that guests have travelled a long way and don't want to pack a load of stuff, so...our spare bedroom has:
blinds and blackout curtains
comfy double bed
good pillows
good bed linen, all cotton
throw
wardrobe and shelf space
full length mirror
bedside lamp
chair
towels
beach towels
waste bin
spare toiletries
dressing gown(s)
nice artwork on the walls
fan
earplugs
aircon
books and magazines.

A kettle looks vaguely unwelcoming.

I agree with your DH - simple basics in a guest room are more welcoming that making it like a B&B.

• Clean and comfortable bedding (possibly including a mattress topper and definitely nice pillows)
• Ability to modify sleeping conditions e.g. extra blankets, flat sheet (if very hot in summer), fan
• bedside table & lamp
• Curtains that block out the light effectively
• Good stock of clean towels
• Everywhere very clean and uncluttered

I wouldn't go with extras like spare toothbrushes, lotions, tights in the room (but have them available and let your guest know that if they need anything just to let you know as you have plenty of travel size/spares etc). Definite no to the kettle etc.

A waste paper basket, absolutely. MIL has one bin in whole house. V annoying to have to hoard face wipes, snotty tissues etc. for disposal at a later date.

Write the password for the wifi down on a notepad for them. antisocial guest particularly when visiting PIL

I'd be laughing if I went to stay at a friends and they had a guest room to rival b & b. Is your company not good enough?

Dubious stainage Flipchart

Make sure you can actually read with the bedside light - so many bedside tables (inc. in hotels) have pretty little 'table' lamps that are absolutely useless for reading.

Is the bed comfortable? So often in a guest room it is an old bed and I have lost count of the times I have actually had to sleep on the floor rather than a soggy mattress. I have a very dear friend who I love seeing but her spared bed is just so uncomfortable that it puts me off going to stay.

Perhaps your guest room will become so comfortable that either you or your DH will use it every night like we do so we each sleep blissfully - apart .

I recently bought my house - its a 3 bed and currently I sleep in one room, the master room is being decorated (into which I will move as my main bedroom) and the third is my dressing room! Yes just me on my own at the mo lol. As I am moving myself in the master room as it will fit a king size bed I am umming about what to put in my guest room. Currently thinking double wardrobe new bedside tables either side but cannot decide whether a dressing table is necessary. Happy for any guests to use my dressing room if need be.

Any thoughts on whether a small dressing table with mirror is useful?

We don't have a guest room/spare bedroom but whenever people stay over on the sofa, we make sure they've got a drink, can see the time, and plenty of bedding.

Whenever we've stayed out at someone else's house it's always nice to have a drink of water, somewhere to charge my phone, clean sheets and a towel for showering. Anything else is a bonus.

This isn't real. please tell me this isn't real.

Cleanmyhouse

I'm very excited about making it as comfortable and welcoming as possible but DH thinks I'm going OTT and wants to keep it very simple.

Also, bear in mind that if this is your first guest room but you have had overnight gusts before, who have chosen to stay with you despite a lack of tailored facilities, then your hospitality is already up to scratch so I wouldn't worry too much!

You definitely need curtains or blinds! Then decorate like a normal room. Pictures and bedding to match the room. Few books on a bookshelf, whatever. They're staying in your house, not a B&B..

Bedside lights (we live in an area with no street lights and guests have struggled finding their way around in the dark!)
Bottle of mineral water.
Mirror.
Plug sockets.
Hair dryer.
Clock (that isn't too loud!).

I wouldn't put a basket of toiletries etc. just tell them to shout out if they need anything.

The last time I put flowers in my friend's husband's hay fever kicked in.