The perfect overnight guest host.....

[Gatorade]

Our family and friends are scattered all over the UK and the rest of the world and often come to visit us.

We have a guest room with an en-suite where they can stay, but given they tend to travel quite a distance to visit us I would like to make more of an effort to make sure they are happy and comfortable during their stay.

I always make sure they have fresh bedding, towels, basic toiletries, small bottles of water in their room, but what are your tips for being the perfect overnight host? What little things placed in the room, or accessible around the house would make my guests feel more comfortable and 'at home'?

I think fresh flowers and scented candles are complete clichés but do really add warmth and charm to a bedroom! Make sure there are some good books on a little shelf - a variety that you can change regularly, depending on what you have read and enjoyed.

I have the same set up in our guest room, plus a hairdryer, cotton wool/buds etc. We also have a kettle with tea/coffee, biscuits or chocs.

I usually suggest to guests to just make themselves at home. If they want a cup of tea, glass of wine etc just help yourselves. I do offer too, of course. For the ones with small children, I show them how the tv works, point out where the cereal, breakfast stuff is in case they need to get up really early.

Um, I'll stick some books and magazines in the room too. As we are abroad, I'll leave a couple of guide books and the "What's On" paper.

Dressing gowns?

Perhaps a few different pillows (some firm, some squishy) That way your guests can chuck the ones they don't want off the bed but a comfy pillow accorfing to ones own taste when staying away from home is a rare luxury.

A little box with some headache, heart-burn, immodium pills in, a couple of plasters and maybe even a couple of tampax so that no-one is caught short.

Oh - that is a good idea, blondes...

Porto please may I have some chocolates and GB posters (framed) on the wall when I pop over for our fest?

Can I just say that the selection is inspired?

Oh and a decent bedside lamp - with switch you can reach from your slimber.

The selection of pillows.

Obvis.

Can I please come to stay with you all ?

I straighten my hair every day, so I really appreciate somewhere to sit with a mirror and a plug socket. A bedside lamp is also very useful.

Right, when will I come?

I think I am lucky though as most friends/family bring UK food parcels and are happy to get stuck in. We tend to have a weekend routine - Fri pm arrival - tea and sarnies, cake if they are hungry. Dinner - something like a roast chicken with loads of picky bits, chips, salad etc.

Saturday we go out for the day and make a picnic or go out for lunch, evening - get a takeaway or feed the kids fishfingers, and have nibbles, cheese etc depending on what happened for lunch, lots of wine....

Sunday - we go for a walk, to the park, swimming, or visit something, then come home and roast the UK offering if there is one. My bf always brings a joint of pork with crackling and the remnants of her organic veg box. We open the wine, the kids play, lots of hands for dinner preparation....Then more cheese and wine when the kids are in bed.....

I don't have a selection of pillows.....

Chaos, I don't currently have any framed GB prints in the spare room, but that could be arranged. My friends came last year the day of the Royal Wedding and I made sure there were postcards of the happy couple on the pillows....

Aprime example.

as well. Do you need a clock? I am thinking that my friends like visiting because my dh always wakes early (needing a wee) and feeds cereal to any number of small children whilst the rest of us have a lie in...

Porto, i want to come to yours, pillows or no pillows. I miss Belgium and belgium plus a roast dinner sounds like heaven

You are always welcome. I love visitors! Especially ones who bring a leg a lamb or pork with crackling. And cheap paracetomol. Sausages are always a bonus. Book your dates

Thanks all, I'm going to have seriously pampered guests if I follow all this advice...must be careful though as I don't want the in-laws to get too cozy and never leave.

I think I need a break and in going to come and stay with you Porto, only do you think I could leave DH at home so I could dribble over Chaos' poster boy?

Oh yes - the girls have been to stay and we had Mamma Mia, Sex in the City, PS I love you and the Ugly Truth on a loop with accompanying wines, whilst dh took dd out. I even have Nim's Island as back up.