Bedrooms
October 3, 2017
We Asked H&H Editors What Every Guest Bedroom Needs
Want to make sure your guests count down the days until their next visit? The key is a guest bedroom they’ll never want to leave. Here’s some inside insight from the editors of House & Home on how to make a guest’s stay both stylish and welcoming.
“There are a few things I’ve noticed all our guests really appreciate in their room: fresh flowers, a bench to put their bag on so it’s not on the floor, books to read in bed, and last but certainly not least, the Wi-Fi code. I can never seem to remember ours, so I wrote it out on a nice piece of card stock next to the bed.”
— Emily Evans, Associate Editor
“Make sure it’s comfy! You don’t have to buy the most expensive everything but ensure you have a decent mattress and pillows along with soft bedding.”
— Kai Ethier, Design Editor
“Go the extra mile and leave a special package on your guest’s bed with a thoughtful note and freshly baked cookies (homemade or store-bought). We did this for our out-of-town wedding guests in their hotel rooms and they loved it!”
— Adena Leigh, Web Editor
“Call me old-fashioned, but a clock with an alarm is one of the first things I look for when I walk into a guest room, or even a hotel suite. Keeping a clock nearby ensures that your guests won’t miss out on any planned activities, an early-morning flight, or even breakfast!”
— Amanda Tucci, Editorial Assistant
“If you have a new home, spend a night in your guest room before having friends stay over. Otherwise, you’ll never know that the drapes don’t block the morning sun all that well, or that there’s no accessible outlet to charge a phone (your very polite guests won’t tell you!).”
— Reiko Milley, Associate Editor
“Guests should always be able to have a good night’s sleep when staying over. I think that an added, soothing touch is putting a relaxing essential oil mist on the nightstand for your guest to spritz in the air or on their pillow. Calm essential oil mist — a blend of frankincense, lavender and bergamot — uses 100% plant based, Canadian ingredients, so there will be no worries about unwanted chemicals.”
— Lauren Petroff, Design Editor
“This advice comes from being a guest more than hosting guests: the bed is the most important thing. Have good pillows, nice cotton sheets and enough blankets or duvets to ensure guests are warm enough. Everyone just wants a good night sleep. For bonus points, make sure there’s a hair dryer and toothpaste in the bathroom.”
— Kimberley Brown, Executive Editor
“Good lighting is important for your guests — bedside lamps with dimmers are a nice touch.”
— Sally Armstrong, Senior Editor
“A guest bed shouldn’t be where your old mattress goes to die. Invest in quality a mattress, pillows (have density options if possible), and bedding that will last. All the decor in the world can’t compare to a comfortable and restful sleep. For recent house guest I bought memory foam pillows that have a “cooling” cover that remains cool to the touch on one side, which is great feature for hot sleepers.”
— Joel Bray, Senior Design Editor
“A small arrangement of fresh flowers and greenery add life to a room. You don’t have to get fancy, you can snip boxwood cuttings or fern fronds from a garden, or sculptural palm leaves from a houseplant.”
— Wendy Jacob, Features Editor
“Decorate sparingly and use easy-to-clean decor items because you won’t be in there much and things get dusty… so no feather jujus or intricate chandeliers!”
— Reiko Caron, Producer
“Whenever I’m visiting family or friends overseas, I get overexcited at the prospect of getting some serious reading done and then inevitably finish my book before I’ve even landed. Stocking a guest room with some of your favorite reads or recent magazine issues lets guests feel welcome and keeps them occupied during downtime. A win-win for hosts and houseguests alike!”
— Jessica Flower, Assistant Editor
“Try and have a surface that guests can rest their bags on. Chests of drawers and closets are great if they want to fully unpack, but a surface (that isn’t the bed) where they can rest their purse or bag on while they rifle through it is always appreciated.”
— Jennifer Koper, Design Editor