If want to know how to best entertain house guests, just ask a Southern woman.

To be more specific, ask a Kentucky woman who has Derby guests every year. She makes Martha Stewart look like an amateur.

 

I happen to like having house guests.  A different kind of relationship evolves with a person who is drinking coffee in your kitchen in his/her jammies. It can be awkward to stay at someone’s home, so I do my best to make things extra comfortable for my house guests.

I am going to share with you some of my favorite “nuggets” for giving overnight guests a five star experience. I also asked my friend Shelby to give me her best tips for hosting houseguests. Shelby is a Kentucky gal who opens her house to Kentucky Derby guests every year. She also entertains throughout the year at her homes in Kentucky and Florida. No one knows how to entertain like Southern women, and Shelby is the best of the best.

You don’t have to have a huge house (like Shelby’s) with lots of extra guest rooms for house guests. Whether they sleep in a king size bed with their own private bath, or on your sofa, you can make their stay enjoyable for both of you.

Here are 5 nuggets that will make your house guests feel like they are on Millionaire’s Row.

1. Nice Linens

Whether you are making up the guest bed, or turning the sofa into a bed, your guests will be much more comfortable with comfy, cozy linens.

Annie’s tip: I ONLY buy white because they are able to be washed with bleach (rinse twice with vinegar) and always come out sparkling clean.

Shelby’s tip:  Always wash linens right before the guests arrive so that they have that “beautiful, fresh smell”. 

Sheets and Comforters

In my opinion, the best purchase you can make for your guests is a set of high thread count sheets and down comforter (also called a “duvet insert”) with a white cotton duvet cover.  (Again, white means you can bleach it. Plus it looks gorgeous on a bed.)

I personally like an insert that not real down but instead, hypo-allergenic, (also called “alternative”).The real down comforters are nice but they are next to impossible to clean effectively. What guest wants to sleep with a comforter that can’t be washed, ugh!! Also, lots of people are allergic to real down.

You don’t have to spend a fortune for sheets and an alternative down comforter with a duvet cover. You can find an elegant white on white cotton duvet cover for $60-$150 depending on the size on Amazon. I also like buying linens in-store at HomeGoods and Target because I can feel them in person. My favorite sheets are at Costco. If you want to splurge, Pottery Barn  has inserts with duvet covers that are the same size.

While I was in Paris one year I stayed at a hotel that had THE best linens. I noticed the comforter was 100% silk filled with a 100% cotton cover. I have since bought several for our house. Silk filled comforters are not hot. My guests LOVE them. If you don’t want to go to Paris to get them, Amazon has a good selection.

Annie’s tip: Buy a comforter one size bigger than the bed.

It will work just fine and you won’t regret having the extra room. For a king, compare the dimensions. I have found a difference of at least six inches in comforters. Buy the biggest you can find.

Bath Towels

When I go to a hotel I love having piles of fresh clean towels.  It feels so indulgent! Your guests will feel the same way if you offer them a stack of fresh white towels.

I look for pure white, fluffy towels. I don’t buy bath sheets because they are really too big to be practical. You can find really nice all cotton towels at HomeGoods, Target, and Costco. The key is getting towels that match, then, if you need to buy more, your towels are always the same. I never pay more than $10 a piece for nice towels.

Washcloths

Along with the towels, I put out a stack of  matching washcloths to use in the shower.

Shelby buys black washcloths that have “make up” embroidered on them for taking off make up. Guests (especially Derby guests!) really appreciate knowing that they are not going to ruin your nice linens with make up stains.  You can get packages of black washcloths like Shelby’s here on Amazon.

2. Toiletries—The “Front Desk”

Shelby shared with me an ingenious nugget for guests. In a room accessible to all of her guests, that she calls the “Front Desk”, she has a basket of emergency goodies: toothpaste, toothbrushes, floss, razors, shaving cream, mouthwash, hairspray, feminine products, Tylenol, tums, band aids, a hair dryer and curling iron.

Shelby says “guests don’t need to bug the host for things they may need and or have forgotten. The front desk thing is always a big hit!! “

If you don’t have a separate room that can serve as the “front desk”, you can always make a nice basket with these things and put it wherever your guests are staying. I cleaned out the top drawer of the dresser in our guest room to use for “front desk’ items.

In addition to the “front desk” items, I always put good quality shampoo, conditioner and body wash in the shower.

Body Wash

To me, it’s all about the smell. I love really fresh, clean smells in bath products.

I think body wash is much nicer for a guest than soap, especially if they are sharing a bathroom with others.

I have had several male house guests comment about the body wash I always have in the guest bathroom. I am not kidding. How long has it been since a male actually made a comment to you about your body wash???

It is not expensive, smells incredible, and makes your skin soft. It is Softsoap Body Wash Pomegranate and Mango. It smells like a much more expensive product and everyone loves it. I buy it for $7 at the grocery or drugstore, or a 4 pack on Amazon.

3. Always Test The Bed and the Room—Sleep at least one night wherever you are putting your guests

I have found that the key to happy guests is a good night’s sleep.

No matter where your guests sleep, you MUST “test” the bed (sofa, rollaway, air mattress, etc) to see what it’s like to spend the night there. You will learn real quickly what you need to do to make it comfortable. When was the last time you slept where you put your guests? Is there a plug handy to charge their phone? Is there a light coming from somewhere? Does the air conditioner make noises at night?

4. At Least Two Pillows Per Guest

Shelby has “a pillow bar”, an assortment of pillows, firm, soft and in between, where guest can pick the type of pillows that they prefer. She says comfort is important and she wants her guests to have their best shot at a GOOD nights sleep.

While you’re in the linen department, pick up (at least) two pillows for each guest–one squishy soft, and one firm.  I personally am a squishy soft pillow person and don’t understand those who prefer firm pillows. Everyone has their preferences, which is why you need to buy at least two. You really have to feel the pillows to make sure they are nice. You don’t have to spend a lot. I have bought pillows for as little as $20 a piece that were wonderful.

5. The little extras

Shelby says: I put all of the little comforts in our guest rooms– fresh flowers by the beds, bottled waters, basket of snacks (ie nuts, pretzels, or bars.) It serves as a little robo bar in their suite. Chocolates on the beds, extra phone charger, local magazines (light reading) about our city, ie restaurants, shops, and attractions. If they are Derby guests I generally get some kind of horse/derby/bourbon swag and place on their bed for them to remember their trip. 

Can I come to your house, Shelby???

 

In addition to all of the great tips that Shelby shared with me, she also sent me this article in the Martha Stewart magazine, The 10 Subtle Hosting Habits Guests Secretly Appreciate the Most.

Martha has nothin’ on you, girlfriend.

 

 

These are all little nuggets for making your house guests feel comfortable. But remember that in order to be a good host, YOU need to feel comfortable too!  So, pick up some of that great body wash for yourself, make sure you have a comfy comforter on your bed, and treat yourself like an honored guest!

 

Do you want to make your house guests really happy? Read here how to increase the water pressure in your shower!