Think the best guest rooms are only found in top hotels in New York or Paris? Think again. It’s true that in many houses a guest room can be an afterthought. It either doesn’t get used much or perhaps it doubles as storage, an office or something else entirely. And while there are many high-end decorating ideas out there to spruce up your room, no matter how beautiful it can look, comfort and a good night’s sleep are really key. Follow a few secrets that some of the best hotels use, and you can make a hotel-worthy retreat without having to spend a small fortune.
A Super Comfy Bed
What do some of today’s best hotels all seem to have in common? Great beds. Many luxury hotels advertise their amazingly comfortable beds, and any seasoned traveler can attest to what a difference it can make for your stay. You don’t have to fork out a bundle to get results in your own home. Go with a quality mattress topper to add below your fitted sheet, and you can transform any average bed into a cloud-like experience. Such a topper can be likened to a poor man’s version of Westin’s Heavenly Bed, which boasts a high-end built-in pillow top mattress. You’ll rest even easier knowing you don’t have to spend over $3,000 for your guests to have a bit of this indulgence. Since we have a lot of visitors with my husband’s family living on another continent and my relatives across the country, I sprung for a very nice pillow topper such as this model at Bed Bath & Beyond. Several of our guests have even asked me about it, so they can get one of their own. You can even throw one of these toppers on an ordinary sofa bed, which makes a world of difference for your guests.
Little Amenities Make the Difference
If you really want to wow your guests and show your thoughtfulness, put together a small basket filled with toiletry essentials. Think travel sized toothpaste, soap, and an extra toothbrush, above and beyond what you find in a hotel bathroom. Leave it on the bed or dresser for your guests when they first arrive. This makes even a multifunctional extra room seem more like a real guest room. I have to admit I borrowed this idea from my first trip to Brazil when my mother-in-law did it for me in her house. It was great to have things like nail polish remover and cotton balls that were overlooked in my packing. Pay it forward and do the same for your guests. They will thank you for it, especially when it’s late at night and they just discovered they left their toothbrush behind.
In addition, water on the bedside table is another nice and appreciated touch. I always use the hotel water bottles wherever I go, even if I don’t realize I will be charged a whopping $5 or more for doing so. Go green and forgo the plastic water bottle with a nice touch like this carafe and glass set from Crate & Barrel.
And, of course, a fresh vase of flowers or a single stem in a bud vase adds some real class to any room your guest will stay in. This also helps those double-duty rooms look more inviting. I have not gone as far as chocolates on the pillows, but maybe I can try that sometime if my almost three-year-old doesn’t discover them first.
Easy Function
Maybe it’s because I am a serial cleaner, but I insist on having a luggage rack in our guest room to save any chairs or the bedspread from dirty suitcases. Tuck it in the corner where it’s not an eyesore. but it’s still obvious for guests to use. Also don’t forget a bedside lamp with an on/off switch accessible from the bed (so your guests don’t have to get up after closing that book for the night). And it goes without saying that extra blankets and pillows should also be easily accessible. I leave a really nice basket full of blankets and magazines in the corner of my guest room, which also helps justify my gossip magazine addiction by sharing my issues with others.
Keep it Clean
If your room does serve more than one purpose, make sure to organize unrelated guest items out of sight or in neat bins or drawers. Keep closets orderly or closed if they are a real mess, and make sure to dust. It makes a big difference so someone doesn’t feel like they are sleeping in a yard sale or worse yet, a dusty, old room that’s just waiting for an unwelcomed visit from it’s resident spider. Ewww!
