I’d like to say a quick thank you to the brilliant friend who gave me the idea for this post.
If you have any suggestions for future posts, I would love to hear them!
So back to that friend…She recently spent the night in her own guest room – something she hadn’t done in a very long while. I know I occasionally sleep in mine if I’m under the weather, and I know many of us rediscovered our secondary bedrooms during Covid banishment. But generally speaking, the guest room is more of a ghost room – gathering dust until the next visitor descends.
As that friend points out, everyone should really spend a night in their own guest room. She admits she was surprised by what she found (or didn’t find) in her own. Here are some things to consider when making sure yours is visitor ready.
Fresh sheets and towels
It really doesn’t matter if the towels are technically clean. If they’ve been hanging on the bar for more than a month, they aren’t fresh. Towels get dull and dusty and lose that “just washed” fluff. The same goes for sheets – they can’t just stay on the bed indefinitely. Every couple of months they have to go in the wash to maintain a nice, clean smell.
And don’t get me started on mismatched towels or sheets. How does that even happen? But somehow, it does. (Maybe that’s why it’s a ghost room.)
If you do not have a good set of towels and sheets, go and get them now. Now. No little unexplained stains or holes will do. And for heaven’s sake, no one wants to use an old navy blue hand towel that doesn’t belong with the other towels. Have you had that since college?
I am a fan of white or ivory towels to go with the color scheme of your bathroom, but Sferra makes a luxe towel in a range of nice neutrals.
Blankets and Duvets
The same goes for the rest of your bedding. Check it for freshness. There’s nothing nicer than a duvet that has been hung on a line outdoors for a couple of hours.
Another thought on blankets and duvets: if possible, offer options.
Some people sleep warm, and others cold. I personally cannot sleep under a duvet to save my life, but somebody must like them. That’s all you find in luxury hotels anymore. I typically make the guest bed up with sheets and a blanket and fold a duvet at the foot – that way there is something for everyone.
The All Seasons Cotton Blanket from Peacock Alley is super soft and cozy. I recommend them to all my clients.
As an extra, a throw is always nice. It should feel luxurious, and the good news is… these can be found in all different types of material, at all price points. I personally like the degrade throw from EDA Milano.
Big, juicy pillows
I don’t know how it happens, but pillows get pilfered. Could be the ghost, or it could just be my husband who needs something like 7 pillows to sleep with and is always stealing them from the guest room.
If you are like me, it might be time to check the number and quality of the pillows on your guest bed. It’s nice to offer at least two or three luscious pillows per person. I do synthetic down so there is never a problem for those with allergies.
Think about the electronics
Don’t laugh, but the last time I used my guest room, I went to plug in my cell phone charger. Instead of an outlet, what I found was a big, tangled ball of electrical cords – and not an outlet in sight. Where in the heck were all those cords going?
If you haven’t slept in your guest bed since cell phones became a thing, it might be time to look behind the headboard. Make sure you have at least one easily accessible outlet. If not, get an extension cord. No one uses an alarm clock anymore, but everyone wants to plug in at least one device.
Lighting
Ask yourself a few questions. Is there enough light in the room if I need to do my makeup? Can the lighting be dimmed to a comfortable level when you don’t need it so bright? And this may sound simple, but are there working bulbs in the lamps?
The Smelly Stuff
Stocking your guest bath with soaps and shampoos that have a delicious fragrance is a treat, no matter who is using them. It might be time to edit out all the old, half-used, ugly plastic bottles of product, and get something that looks and feels special. And don’t forget the body lotion!
I think the milk + honey products are lovely and their No.16 smells wonderful – fresh and just a little exotic.
One more quick word on soap: if you like bar soap, that’s fine – but bring out a fresh one every time you have a guest. Or just use soap pumps instead. An icky bar of used soap is just that, icky.
And if you are about to have guests…
My French/Belgian mother-in-law had A LOT of guests at her home in the South of France. She was an incredible hostess and always did a couple of small things that made her guests feel particularly welcome:
First, she never failed to have a vase of fresh flowers in the guest room on your arrival. Nothing fancy. It was mostly a bud vase with flowers picked from her garden, but they always brightened the room.
And second, she would leave out a few magazines or books selected especially for her guests on the nightstand. Maybe a Vogue or an AD for me, and an Economist for Simon – and always thoughtfully chosen.
