Having House Guests

Here in Australia, and over much of the world I presume, it is a lovely long weekend. Thank you Easter, thank you. For some, a long weekend means a well-earned trip away. For others, such as myself, this long weekend means having my feet firmly planted on home soil and catering for someone else’s trip away. Yes, this weekend I am welcoming house guests – friends from interstate are coming to visit.

At some point, whether now or in the future, all of us will invite a guest to stay in our homes for either one night or an extended period, whether it is family, a friend or a lover (that word always makes me cringe – I don’t know why). Such an occasion is when good manners should come to the fore. It is also the perfect opportunity to showcase your perfect hostess skills!

Though of course it's very generous of you to open your doors to your guests in the first place, there is something utterly alluring about putting in a little extra effort and presenting your home and your life to your guest in the very best light.

While you may not have facilities comparable to that of an esteemed hotel (there's nothing like selecting the perfect pillow from Brisbane’s Emporium Hotel's pillow menu), there's no reason why your guests can't feel completely comfortable and like they're receiving the star treatment while at your home. (And, of course, it is just another avenue to show off your superior domestic goddess skills.)

While basic cleaning is obvious when inviting others into your home, I’ve come up with a few extra little hospitality tips that can be viewed as ‘the icing on the cake'. Follow these guidelines (which I appreciate may seem ridiculous to some – or many) and you will cement your status as the hostess with the mostess.

Now I understand that in most cases, the people coming to stay with you will love you dearly – and certainly wouldn’t care about all of the below suggestions. And you certainly don’t want to be seen as going overboard and be likened to Bree Van Der Kamp (I'm a big Desperate Housewives fan). Whichever way you choose to welcome your guest into your home, the most important part is to make it comfortable, seamless and natural. So if my ideas below are too over-the-top then just shake your head, laugh at them and move on.

But if you’re game… Select one or all of the following ‘do’s’ and ‘don’ts’ as your signature hospitality move, to ensure your perfection transcends you and your home, and your house guests never forget their stay.

Bedroom:

Do: Ensure the sheets and pillowcases on your guest's bed are freshly laundered and pressed. For sweet-smelling sheets, add a drop of lavender or rose oil to your regular washing load. It will make your sheets smell heavenly. 

Do: Ensure there's enough bedding for your guest. All beds should have at least two pillows, as well as a fitted sheet, a flat sheet, a doona or bedspread and an extra blanket in case it gets chilly.

Don't: Leave anything random or grotty in, near or around the bed (pyjamas, tissues and teddy bears are a big no no).

Don't: Use sheets or pillow cases with any permanent stains, such as mascara or pen marks or fake tan. These miscellaneous stains will keep your guests wondering just what could be.

Do: Spritz your guests' bed with a linen spray. I’m a big fan of Jo Malone’s which is a particularly enchanting one infused with parma violets. 

Don't: Let pets wander in your guests' room or jump on their beds, unless expressly invited.

Do: Place a bouquet or even just a posie of flowers in a vase on the bedside table. Whether bought or garden picked, flowers will fill the air with a heavenly scent and make your guest feel very luxurious.

Do: Keep a box of tissues in the room, as well as a waste paper basket. If you want to leave a lasting impression, a classy touch is to give you guest bottled water, also left by the bedside.

Don’t: Let your guests get too hot or stuffy. Be aware of the temperature and if the room isn’t air-conditioned, make sure your guests have a fan or at least know how to open and shut the windows.

Do: Make sure the lamp on the bedside table is working. Also leave a magazine or coffee table book lying around, should your guest be unable to sleep during the night.

Do: Have a fragrant candle and elegant packet of matches by the bedside. Sweetly-smelling candles are soothing and relaxing to your guests and if it’s a stylish one like Dipytique, it’s also super classy and indulgent. Your guests will love you. 

Bathroom:

Do: Add thoughtful touches to the bathroom to make your guest’s stay more comfortable, such as a new bar of soap (although I prefer liquid soap anyway), a fresh hand towel and bath towel, and an elegant room spray (Loccitane's Cherry Blossom is exquisite or for those on a shoestring budget, simply add five drops of any aromatherapy oil to water and store in a container with a spritzer). A bottle of perfume or cologne is also a nice touch and allows your guests to quickly freshen up.

Don't: Leave the bathroom with a bad odour, whatsoever. It is very easy for bathrooms to start smelling musty and this should be eradicated as soon as possible. Open the windows for fresh air. Dab some lavender oil on a polishing cloth and polish the room's doorways. Not only does lavender smell fresh, it also has cleaning agents in it and will remove unwanted dust. The smell will stay behind and scent the room from the moment someone enters.

Kitchen:

Do: Ensure you have plenty of drinks on ice. Have a bottle of sparkling San Pellegrino mineral water and Champagne (or sparkling wine) in the fridge and a bottle of Vodka in the freezer. If your guest is male, stock your fridge with some beer and he will love you forever.

Don't: Leave old food in the fridge. There is nothing worse than seeing mouldy food in someone else's fridge, and if your house guest is particularly close to you, there is also the added risk they might help themselves to the food without realising the expiry date. Ew.

Do: Ensure you have tea, coffee, fresh milk and bread as basic staples for your guests. Cheeses, quince paste, olives, dips and crackers are also essentials in my book, and ideal if entertaining.