The holiday season always brings a flurry of visitors, so I've partnered with Serena & Lily to get our home guest ready this season! I'm sharing my top picks from Serena & Lily to treat your guests to a little bit of luxury during their visit, plus all of my personal tips for making your guests feel welcome!
1. Comfortable, Good Quality Bedding
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When it comes to overnight guests, this is probably the most important thing to get right. This is definitely the one area not to skimp on quality to ensure that your guests have a comfortable stay and get great rest during their visit! Like a nice hotel, I always like to use high-quality white linens that send a message of cleanliness and freshness (and don't feel like sandpaper, lol!). Comfortable, soft and breathable sheets are a must, and I LOVE this bedding from Serena & Lily -- it is absolutely the best in its class. The linen sheet set and duvet cover are super soft but add subtle texture and interest to the space, and the coverlet is the perfect weight for every season. I always like to get the next size up from whatever the bed is so there is room to spare (and no fighting over the blanket!). I also like to provide lots of layered options depending on the season, since some guests prefer just a light blanket while others like to snuggle under a puffy duvet... and let's be honest, these New England winters get COLD so a good quality multi-season duvet is a great investment in this area.
No two guests are the same when it comes to pillow preferences, so I always like to provide multiple options of each type (down, down alternative, memory foam) and firmness. I keep the extras in the guest room closet and invite my guests to use whichever makes them more comfortable. And of course, you can never have too many throw pillows, am I right!? I love the texture and soothing color these pillows from Serena & Lily add to the guest room. It's so much fun to play around with combinations and tailor them to the personality of our guests! But, since most people don't actually sleep with the throw pillows on the bed, it's a good idea to have a large basket nearby for them to go when they're not in use. This huge basket from Serena & Lily is the perfect solution for stashing those extra pillows & bedding!
3. A Place to Sit (or throw your stuff)
I think it's always important to have at least one cozy chair in a guest room -- whether the guests use it for sitting or just a place to put their things. It's a great way to add some decorative interest and make their stay a little more memorable. I think this Malawi chair feels like something you might see in a fun boutique hotel or exotic resort! I also like to add some light, entertaining magazines or coffee table books nearby for guests to peruse while they sit and relax.
4. Fresh Bath Linens
I keep a separate set of bath linens exclusively for guests (that I launder separately) so they are always fresh & new. Even if they are clean, I still wash them the day before or the day my guests arrive so the are fresh, clean and fluffy. With these Serena & Lily towels, it's going to be super tempting to steal these babies for myself -- I've never felt such a thick, plush bath towel and the bath sheet is so generously sized!
I'm also a little obsessed with this color right now!! It's called "fog" and is the perfect shade of grey with a slight green undertone (very similar to the color I just painted my island... hmm, I'm seeing a trend here...).
5. Extra Toiletries
When we're traveling out of town, sometimes we forget things. It happens. So I always like to provide some essential travel-sized toiletries for my guests, and keep the bath & shower fully stocked with my favorite shampoo, conditioner and shower gel (I use these refillable bottles from amazon in all of our bathrooms for a uniform look, free of labels and packaging that contribute to visual clutter). It's also a fun way for friends & family to try out some of your favorites! And this cute pouch from Serena & Lily is the perfect way to store them in an attractive way for guests.
6. Hooks & Closet Space
One little thing that always bothers me about staying in a hotel is that there are never enough hooks! I don't like throwing my stuff on the bed or (eek!) the floor, so I really appreciate it when I stay somewhere that has plenty of hooks for hanging things. A simple hook rail in the bedroom and one in the bathroom should do the trick (by the way, I 100% prefer towel hooks over a towel bar!). I also make sure to leave plenty of space in the closet for guests to put their bags/suitcases and any clothes they want to hang up. Anyone else have a serious pet peeve with people putting their bags or wet towels on the bed!? 🙋😖 These simple solutions offer convenient and subtle encouragement for your guests to hang up their towels and put their bags somewhere other than the bed!😉
7. Technology: Wifi Password & Spare Phone Chargers
Technology is sort of a necessary evil of traveling of hosting. It sounds mundane, but providing the wifi password and easy access to outlets for charging can make a big difference in a guest's experience. I like to write guests a personalized welcome note with the wifi password and leave extra phone chargers in the nightstands in case they forgot theirs.
8. White Noise
There's nothing welcoming about a noisy guest room, so it's a great idea to offer a simple white noise machine (or fan) to help guests get their best sleep during their stay. When you live in an older house like mine, sounds carry from every room so a white noise machine is a must. I have a basic one with a handful of sound options and it has worked out very well! My personal favorite is ocean mode -- nothing like the sound of crashing waves to relax and unwind!
9. Blackout Window Treatments
A nice feature to offer in a guest room is blackout window treatments for guest who like to sleep in, or who have a nap during the day! Our guest room has blackout curtains and plantation shutters so guests can control the amount of light according to their preferences. It's a nice thing to have, not just in guest rooms, but in all bedrooms!
10. Late-Night Snacks
Providing a fun snack tray is another personalized way you can make your guests feel welcome, and you can incorporate their favorites to help them feel right at home! I like to mix in a few of my own favorites too, and always include bottled water (and maybe a bottle of wine, depending on the clientele! 😊. This tray from Serena & Lily makes the perfect snack tray for guests -- it is surprisingly large and holds a ton of stuff! We also have a single-cup coffee machine down the hall for guests to use, so they can enjoy their coffee before heading downstairs if they choose, and I always like to leave out some cute coffee cups for them along with the coffee pods.
One final tip I have is to avoid using any heavily scented detergents, candles or air fresheners when you have guests visiting. So many people (including me!) are bothered by certain fragrances or have sensitive skin, so I always use mild, unscented laundry detergent and avoid any candles or air fresheners (if anything, I might diffuse some eucalyptus essential oil for a subtle spa-like vibe ).
I hope these tips are helpful and would love to hear in the comments about the ways you like to make your own home feel welcoming for your guests!
xo,
Marcie
p.s. - click on the images below to shop this post! All artwork is by Deb Presutto.
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