What, in your opinion, are some nice things to have in a guest room? I have made a small list already, based on the things I like in the guest room at my brother/sister-in-law’s house:
(image from Amazon.com)
• tabletop fan, for white noise and breeze (I see I have bought this Honeywell fan seven times so far: I have one in each of several locations in our house, plus I have purchased one for each child heading to a college dorm room)
• extra blankets
• a couple pillows of various types, if possible, so the guest can choose (not necessary, but pleasant)
• bedside table
• with lamp
• and glowing alarm clock (that’s the clock I bought for each twin, after a previous purchase finked out; Elizabeth has declared it a success)
In a separate, Extra sort of category:
• a chair (fully optional, but pleasing if it happens to exist)
• luggage rack or other surface for suitcase (not at all necessary, but nice when possible)
• a trash can (not a huge deal, if a bathroom is nearby with a trash can—but it is pleasing to have one in the bedroom too)
• charging thingies, maybe? Maybe something like the bedside lamp I have, which has a USB port. I always bring all my own charging equipment, with approximately the same degree of vigilance with which I bring my own underwear, but I can see how it might be nice to have the charging built in.
A little dish of individually wrapped chocolates/treats. The wifi password for the house. 2-3 books by the bed (selected according to your knowledge of the guest). A mirror. Slippers.
I have a little framed sign on the bedside table with the Wifi username and password and which door in the hallway is the linen closet with extra towels. Most useful thing in the room. Oh, and a medium-sized plastic drinking glass so they don’t have to use the three-ounce paper cups in the bathroom.
If you’re going to go to town, some toiletries in a top drawer, like toothpaste, pads/tampons, deodorant, floss, etc, could be nice, depending on who is staying. But I think the extra blanket and fan is really the best idea because people set their house temps so differently.
A few bottles of water, a handful of non perishable snacks with a little sign that makes it clear that they are for them, in case they feel a bit peckish and don’t feel comfortable rooting around in the kitchen.
When we stayed at my in-laws’ house, they always left a supply of towels on a rack in our bedroom, which I thought was nice so we didn’t have to go looking or wonder which towels to use.
One of those water carafe things with a glass on top?
Definitely chargers.
New toothbrush and toothpaste (visitors always forget!)
We have an outdoor shower (the height of luxury!) so I like to provide cheap flip-flops to walk out to the shower and back.
A bedside table and lamp on EACH SIDE of the bed, pleaseforthelove. (You probably already thought of that, but every guest room we stay in does not have this.) Extension cord in a drawer, if the outlets/charging places aren’t easily accessible.
You are so thoughtful, and it is so nice to be able to have a guest room!
As someone whoI travels with a little Vornado fan I totally endorse the fan in the room idea!
-An option or two on blankets. I prefer to sleep with one or two lighter blankets vs. 1 big heavy one; staying in someone’s house you never know how that’s going to go. Can you tell I’m a hot sleeper?
-An outlet that has the ability to charge more than one device at a time.
A small card with the wifi code on it. And chocolate.
I also keep the guest bathroom/closest bathroom to the guest room stocked with minor first aid things like IB Profen and bandaids so they are easy to find without “bothering” the host.
Fun!
For sure chargers (both Apple lightening and USB C). Some magazines. A surface to put things on— their watch, jewelry, toiletries (especially when they are sharing a bathroom with the rest of the house), etc. I like to stack a bath towel, hand towel, and wash cloth on the bed before they arrive. A glass for water.
1) Wifi info
2) Set of towels that are clearly not in the family rotation – LOL this is more for my own peace of mind that my family hasn’t grabbed them at some point to clean up some horrible staining mess.
A few bottles of water, a small first aid kit (with Advil, tums, and Pepto), box of tissues, and accessible plugs (my mom keeps an accessible strip plug which is so handy). I put a stack of clean towels & washcloths on the bed to make it clear those are the ones to use. I also stock the guest bath with lots of TP, menstrual products, q-tips, travel toothpaste, etc. Most importantly let guests know the location of the plunger if it’s not obvious.
Yes to the plunger, in whichever bathroom the guests will be using, and a toilet brush!
I have a Philosophy that every guest room must have a clock, a trash can, and a mirror.
I recently stayed in a guest room that had a coffee-and-tea station: electric kettle (pre-filled with water), a tray of assorted teas/instant coffee packets and some creamers/sugars, and a couple mugs. Perhaps a bit over-the-top, but very nice to have when I woke up before anyone else and felt weird poking around the kitchen for coffee supplies.
A box of tissues is important along with a mirror and small trash can.
Tissues, place to charge phones etc, wifi password, towels, wash clothes on the bed so they know they’re theirs. We live in an “unusual” place so I tend to pull our books related to our area and leave them on the bedside for guests to read. Water glass.
We have a very small guest room without much room for amenities but I try to make it as comfortable as possible.
First and foremost, a comfortable bed! I’ve stayed in some guest rooms where the bed has been through several occupants, perhaps even several generations of occupants! A relatively convenient place to charge a phone, bedside tables with lamps on either side of the bed if possible and a thin cotton blanket. I hate when all there is is a duvet and I’m too cold with it off and too hot with it on.
As others have said, box of kleenex, carafe with glass on top, and a power strip for charging 6 things at once.
Also, depending on the bathroom setup, hooks or a rack for hanging towels so that bath towels can hang in the room instead of mixing with everyone else’s in a shared bathroom. A simple over-door hook would work nicely, like this one for $10 from Target: https://tinyurl.com/4wtkzcrd
Such great ideas here. If I’m staying somewhere for more than a couple days, it’s nice to have a small chest with empty drawers to put clothes, rather than digging around in my luggage each day.
It’s very thoughtful of you to consider the needs of your guests. I love the suggestions so far. I will add a couple of things. For the bathroom: a supply of period products, a bin with a lid, and crucially…a bin bag in it! It’s the worst to be staying away from home on your period and nowhere to dispose of waste. Bleach and a loo brush by the toilet is also important!
Ooh good question!
Super useful things I would appreciate in a guest room- other than what you have listed:
– a pen
– a spare phone charger or a basket of chargers (tbh most people I know use iPhones so one would do!)
– a black out blind!
– water glass and an empty carafe so people can fill with water as they need
– an assortment of old well-read books
– somewhere to hang a couple of things
We had a guest for the summer. I had the stuff you listed, but I also put a mini fridge in there in case they wanted a drink in the middle of the night and didn’t feel comfortable walking around in a strange house. I also included a couple extension cords, surge protector, a notepad and pen, a flashlight, and some basic meds like ibuprofen, acetaminophen, antacids, etc.
I agree with everything suggested above, particularly the blackout blinds. If you don’t have those, leave them some sleep masks. I’m now thinking about what I love in hotels: snacks (so I can eat something if I’m peckish when I arrive without asking for it) and robes, if they have to walk to and from a bathroom in the hallway.
Someplace to dit and/or put Things on (like a chair or bench or suitcase rack).
A hairdryer. Not necessarily for the bedroom, but so nice if I can get away without packing my own.
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When I went home to stay with my parents last summer I really liked this plugged in motion night light. So when I got out of bed it would light up near the floor just a little – not super bright but enough where you could see to get up to go to the bathroom. Nicer than trying to find a bedside lamp in the dark.
A mirror!
We had short notice for a guest and put in $5 blackout paper shades that turned out to be so effective we got more for our bedroom. They clip up when you want light.
Guest slippers can be a nice touch.
Besides the WiFi password and charging station and water glass (or bottles), I’d say for sure a small smattering of feminine products. And at least one cleared surface where they can set out various items when they unpack – perhaps a couple of pottery cups or sweet little dishes. I always enjoy putting my ponytail holders and Bobby pins out in a wee dish, my comb and brush and tube of vitamin C face cream into a heavy mug or small vase. A little ring dish for my couple pairs of earrings. Lots of coasters so I don’t have to search.
Others have left the same comment, but I’m saying it again because of sleepless nights in overly bright guest rooms: blackout curtains or another way to make the room really dark (including something to cover that glowing alarm clock, because that would keep me awake…). A trash can. Knowledge of the routine of the house: can I come downstairs at 10am in my pajamas? Or should I present at breakfast showered and dressed at 7am? Do people eat together or should I find my own way in the kitchen? That sort of stuff.
– A mirror (especially if the guests will be sharing a bathroom with others in the home, so they can free up the bathroom when doing their hair/makeup)
– Hooks for towels/purses/etc
– A laundry hamper (not for laundry to do at your house, but so that they can keep their dirty and clean clothes separated during their stay)
– And for the bathroom, a stash of toiletries and a hair dryer
We got some of those tabletop buttons that you plug your lamp into and then it functions as the on/off switch. We had them in a vacation rental, loved them so much we got them for our bedroom, and just got some for the guest room too (also got some for my parents). Turning on unfamiliar lamps can be kind of tricky and I love the buttons so much.
I added a power strip to the guest room so there would be plenty of outlets for a guest to charge phone/tablet/watch/etc. I also tried to curate the bookshelf in the guest room to be heavy on short story/essay type books and other books that would be interesting to look though. A few hangers in the closet are nice along with letting guests know there is an option to hang up clothes.
I also add a nightlight to the hallway outside the guest room to make it easier to find the light switches and make a nightlight available in the guest room which a child guest greatly appreciated.
Wow! You have many super thoughtful readers – I want to be a guest in these homes! Several people mentioned this, but I wanted to underscore the hook suggestion, a whole row of hooks if possible. They are cheap and easy to add to a room and are surprisingly versatile, you can hang purses, backpacks, toiletry cases, towels, pajamas, sweaters, coats etc…. I always appreciate these in a hotel or guest room and I find they make living out of a suitcase much more pleasant!
Love this conversation! I just stayed at a friends and asked her to add more hooks or hangers. After reading through I’ll be adding a couple things to my guest rooms too. I live in a vacation destination and have a lot of houseguests. A friend gifted me a guestbook and it was something I’d never get for myself but I treasure it. After my guests leave I reread old entries and the newly signed page. Plus lots of visitors know each other so guests enjoy reading it too
This is a great conversation. I shudder to think of anyone besides a college kid staying in our home. Someday, perhaps, we will have a space designated for actual guests. I’m big on noisemakers and the fan is a great idea. A set of towels on the bed, so that it’s clear what is specific for guests is a must. I also like the idea of snacks, in case they wake up early or go to bed late and don’t want to dig around in your kitchen. Maybe a plastic bag for laundry, like those hotels offer.
I recommend sleeping in the guest bed every now and then! I have slept in some awful mattresses (and I’m not fussy) and you wouldn’t want to say anything but I know the owners would be mortified if they knew!
This is especially for when there is a shared bathroom so I don’t want to just leave my toiletries on the counter to be in someone else’s way – a place where it is obviously safe to set things that might be damp. I don’t want to set my contact case or toothbrush or water glass on a wooden dresser or night stand, so it’s great if there is a tray or placemat or even some coasters where I can place such things. Also, hooks for towels and coats are awesome.
A long mirror where they can see their whole outfit (like the $10 dorm kind) and a small double sided mirror (one side magnified) that stands up on a table for makeup. We have hosted older female relatives and they always appreciate this. I grabbed both of these from Target.
I love the list of things you have in your guest room.
From the commenters, the ones that have been most useful to me in the past have been:
– Power strip ON the bedside table. (I do this myself now). No hunting for the sockets! Woot!
– Hooks in the guest room for towels
– spare tooth brush and toothpaste. Ibuprofen, antacids, etc.
– Wifi password in a prominent place
Things I have in my guest room that I didn’t see mentioned:
– TV with instruction manual
– Nice hangers in the closet
– brand new slippers (from the dollar store)
Before the guests come, I ask if there’s anything they’d like me to have stocked for them.