Top Tips for looking after guests

When you move overseas one of the most exciting things can be having your friends and family popping over for a “holiday”. In fact, you’ll probably find you’ve never been so popular, and that friend of a friend will suddenly find themselves passing through. But, however exciting it is to have all your friends and family come to stay, we also want to make them feel at home, and be as relaxed and comfortable as possible while they’re with us. 

1. Give them the perfect night’s sleep.

Don’t let the guest room be an after-thought. It might not be the room you spend a lot of time in, but for your guests they will need to be able to relax and feel at home. So a fresh set of bedding is a must. There’s nothing like the feeling of getting into a freshly made bed so don’t scrimp on the bedding. You should also invest in a good quality mattress there’s nothing worse than an old lumpy mattress to give you a bad night’s sleep. A medium firm mattress will generally suit most people.

2. Make them feel relaxed.

My wife always provides guests with a fresh set of their own towels, as with clean bedding a nice bundle of freshly washed towels is very comforting. Go for that 5* hotel feel by getting out a bathrobe and some extra blankets. After a long’ish flight a warm refreshing shower might be just what they need before they go off exploring the amazing sites.

3. Make the room inviting

What better way to make a room fresh and inviting that with a bunch of flowers, not only is it a great way to welcome your new guests but the beautiful smell will make the room seem fresh and inviting. Lilies always make a room feel super clean and fresh, or you can add some colour by choosing something bright. You can even go tropical with a bird of paradise.

4. Give them a welcome gift

A lovely way to welcome guests is to provide a fruit basket in the room. Not only is it a lovely gesture but it will also let them snack without rummaging through the cupboards while they get used to their new surroundings.

5. Don’t let jet lag spoil the party

Leaving a small clock in the room will let you guests know what time it is, so that they can get into their new time zone as quickly as possible. It will also help them to avoid wasting the day sleeping in.

6. Add a kettle and some milk

Most people love a cuppa when they wake up and you don’t want guests getting up and crashing around the kitchen early in a morning just to make a cup of tea or coffee, and you probably don’t want to see your in-laws with just a bath robe on first thing in the morning either.

7. Time to reflect.

Having a mirror is a great way to let guests get ready in the comfort of their own room. Not only can they use it for getting the perfect outfit together, but it will also reflect light around the room making it feel bigger and brighter.

8. Dress the room

Curtains are a great way to dress a room. They can be bold and bright or soft and subtle. Either way be sure to use black out curtains so your guests get the perfect rest.

9. Hair today gone tomorrow

If you have an old hairdryer and dressing table then leave them in your spare room for guests.  A bulky hairdryer takes up lots of precious space in your luggage so being able to leave extra room for that pair of new shoes or another party outfit will be great news for your guests. It may even leave room for your favourite treats from back home.

10. Happy memories

Place some pictures of the great times you’ve had together in the room. This is a great way to make people feel at home and it will also bring back many happy memories of past times and get you all laughing and reminiscing.

Finally have fun and enjoy. Time with friends and family is precious so make their stay with you is truly unforgettable.