Hospitality Tips

Hosting strangers in your home may seem daunting at first. After all, your home is your home, not an actual bed and breakfast. With that in mind, the most important thing for you to remember is to just be yourself.  Once you’ve got that down, here are a few other hospitality tips to help make your home a warm and inviting place to host guests.

• When your guests arrive, provide a friendly, warm welcome. Offer a quick tour of your home, then show them to their room and give them a chance to get settled in.
• Offer a beverage or light snack after your guests have had some time to settle in. We always have coffee or iced tea and some mixed nuts or cookies on hand.
• Share your local knowledge. You are the expert on your city. Your guests will appreciate your sharing the name of your favorite local restaurant or offering driving directions to the beach. We keep a local travel guidebook in our guest room and have bookmarked our favorite places.
• Give your guests something to read. It’s nice to set out some good books and magazines in your guest bedroom. Our guest area is well-stocked with magazines, from Martha Stewart to DWELL.
• Stock a basket of essentials in your guest bathroom. This is really going the extra mile, and boy will your guest appreciate it if they forgot their toothbrush or toothpaste! Consider providing a variety of sample-sized toiletries, a box of Kleenex, and an extra unopened toothbrush.
• Have some bottled water ready for guests on their nightstand, or a put a pitcher of water with glasses.
• Provide some extra touches to help your guests feel welcome and at home. Arrange some fresh flowers from your garden in a vase on the nightstand. Place a scented candle and some matches by the bed. Make sure your guests have an alarm clock. Check in before bed to make sure they have enough pillows and blankets.
• Lastly, be sensitive to your guests’ desire for privacy and space. Likewise, you will hope your guests are sensitive to your need for privacy and space.