7 Ways to Take a Guest Room from Good to Great

Rough Linen I give guests my room, so I know they have everything my ingenuity can provide. Two things I have noticed though: tall guests always remove the bolsters from the bed, and not everyone shares my love of ticking clocks!
Getting the room ready for guests also helps me focus on what is needed - now I have a comfy chair and little table by the window, also good for visitors if I'm fragile and receiving my dear ones en deshabille.

Kit Pollard Ah - a lovely view always helps, too! Great picture, triciarose!

Valerie Personalise guest rooms... if you have a photograph of the guest's loved ones or perhaps a photo of you/your family with the guest/their family, placed in a lovely frame, adds a very personal touch :)

Nat We also added a suitcase stand to our guest room so they have somewhere to unpack. I do like the idea of books though - going to add that to the list!

rebeccakov Guests underfoot? They should be helping you in the kitchen if they are going to enjoy such lovely and thoughtful accommodations ;) Nicer than my bedroom, for sure!

cookingchick Good reading lights next to the bed are critical...I have swing arm wall mounted lamps on both sides of the bed with 3-way bulbs. I also have a huge glass decanter of travel size toiletry items in the guest bathroom in case they forgot to pack anything. And a four cup coffee maker and fixings for a cup of joe so my guests don't have to schlep out to the kitchen first thing in the morning.

wandm Good ideas! Someone suggested to me the idea of putting a basket in the guest room filled with water bottles, fruit, wrapped snacks, napkins, etc. as well as a small coffee maker with all the amenities. Also, in the guest bath (if you have one), provide a basket filled with travel sized containers of toothpaste, deodorant and other toiletries. My guests mostly seem to like the water and coffee.

Lynn I got a small antique makeup suitcase at an antique store. I collected lots of travel size items such as toothpaste, hair care products, razor, tweezers, tissues, makeup removers, scissors, pain relief, nail care, lotions and such. I also add a small basket of treats, a nice chocolate bar, granola or nuts, and a few bottles of water. I put reading material from the local chamber of commerce in the room too so my guests from out of town can see where they might want to visit or to learn about my town. And a blank book for comments is always fun to find when they leave.

Kit Pollard These are all such fantastic ideas! And they make me want to go on a very long road trip, so I can stay with all of you!

Lynn Also forgot to add this. If your guests have allergies...down pillows and comforters can be a real vacation downer for those who do. Aside from keeping pets out of guest rooms at all times it is best to ask your guest of they do have any allergies and learn what you can do to make their stay allergen free for them.

artistschmartist You know what was in our guest room when we stayed at a lovely B&B in Bath, England? I'll never forget it - on the nightstand was an open bottle of port (you could put fine sherry or scotch, or whatever) and a little shot-glass sized piece of stemware. We really felt welcome, and enjoyed a nip before bed! I thought it was a really old-world gesture that made me feel both "trusted" (not to drink the whole bottle) and that my comfort was really valued and respected. I would do this in a guest room for sure!

zuitzy I read a great tip that I've put into practice. I place a small basket of sundries on the nightstand that might be needed by my guests. For example, band-aids, Q-tips, cotton balls, note pad & pen, granola bars and bottled water. Local brochures and guidebooks are also nice for out of town visitors that may be venturing out on their own during the day.

Peter Medvin Great post. Creating a comfortable and welcoming space for guests is so important! If space is really tight, consider Zoom-Room, the electronic, remote controlled Murphy Bed. The Standard cabinet comes with space to hang clothes, store linens and even a small suitcase, and retractable side tables. Check out the video at: http://www.zoom-room.com/the-standard-introduction/

patscats2 Lovely guest rooms. I love nubmer 7 the best. Has all the comforts of home.

divimalolos Our family den/ entertainment room doubles as a guest room so it has all the things a guest would need to feel at home . I created a space for a minibar in a small closet . It has a small ref, microwave and coffee maker and a drawer that I fill up with snacks for late night cravings, cups and utensils. But one of the things they REALLY appreciate is our wifi connection so I place a laptop computer along with some writing materials and an iPod
dock on a desk in case they need it or get homesick. Soft slippers also make them smile.

gerrycabc A small coffee maker is a great idea, cookingchick! I once had an overseas guest who went out to Tim Horton's for take-out coffee so as not to wake me......that was pretty embarassing.

gerrycabc a hot water bottle perhaps after a long achy day of travel....

Leighanne Mary It never even crossed my mind to make sure there was a mirror near an outlet haha something to keep in mind when I designate a guest room down the road.

ariadne Books in the guest bedroom are a brilliant idea. I stayed at a friend's house where her husband stored the 'spillover' books that couldn't fit in the bookcase in their living room. As a chronic night owl/insomniac, when I'm someone's guest I'm stuck in my room at their bedtime which is often hours before my own bedtime. Having a selection of books to entertain myself was a nice, quiet activity I could enjoy without them feeling the need to stay up with me. Having some books in the guest bedroom keeps you from feeling uncomfortable about messing up the perfect display of their main bookcases or from creeping around their house after lights out to switch books.