December 21st, 2011 
There is so much to do during the holidays that we sometimes are pressed for time and cannot properly prepare our guest room for the arrival of house guests. However, making your guests comfortable over the holidays will make the season all the more merry. Check out my list of guest room essentials – they will bring your family and friends the comforts of their own home this winter solstice.
Bed and Bedding
Often people put an old mattress in their guest bedroom that may have strange divots or uncomfortable springs. If you don’t want to sleep on it your guests won’t either. Make the investment in an affordable, but comfortable new mattress for your house guests; nothing kills the merry mood faster than a sore back. Nice bedding is also essential in giving your guests the “relaxed get away” feel. Use high-thread-count/high-quality sheets, duvets, and pillow cases like the Marcus Collection by Sferra pictured below exclusively at Neiman Marcus. Also, keep an extra blanket in a storage bench or closet in case your guests are cold during the night, and be sure to add a few extra pillows as well.
Marcus Collection sheets by Sferra exclusively at Neiman Marcus
Toiletries
One of the first things I do when I check into a hotel room is scour the bathroom for toiletries. I am always impressed when a hotel offers it’s guests a variety of toiletries to meet their over night needs. To achieve this in your own guest bathroom go to your local grocery store and pick out items from the travel section, they will have disposable toothbrushes, mini tubes of toothpaste, a small bottle of mouth wash and so on. A travel kit I like to include in my guest bathroom is made by Molton Brown, their Frequent Traveler Toiletry Kit includes five travel-sized unisex relaxing bath & body products that are sure to meet all your guests needs. And, if you are near a super Walmart, Target or Bed, Bath and Beyond, they usually have whole aisles dedicated to these small travel-items.
Be sure to get gender neutral bath products to appeal to all your guests like these from Molton Brown
Bathrobe
If you want your guests to feel pampered an elegant, basic white bathrobe will do just the trick. Pottery Barn has a variety of bathrobes to choose from and they can be embroidered to add a touch of sophistication. If you really want to impress, add matching slippers.
Pottery Barn's "Lounge Bathrobe"
Extra Closet Hangers
Make sure you have extra durable hangers for your guests to hang up their clothes. The Container Store has a great variety of hangers to choose from and they even offer them in different hues so you can give your guest closet a pop of color.
A Luggage Rack or Bench
Give your guests a place to store their suitcases so they feel like unpacking and settling into their temporary surroundings.
Bottled Water
Never let your house guests get parched, make sure you leave out bottles of water daily. I like to leave out bottles of Voss Water, the lines on the bottle are clean and chic and really embody that hotel experience.
Your guests will appreciate having a bottle of water close by (Photo Credit: Voss)
Entertainment
I like the idea of having a small flat screen television in a guest room so house guests have a place to retreat and relax at the end of the day. The holidays can be quite hectic and after a day of “togetherness” guests might be ready to settle down on a cozy chair and watch some holiday classics on the tube. Books should also be made available; I like to keep a few classic novels in my guest room. Anthropologie has a collection of Embroidered Penguin Classics including Black Beauty, Emma and the Secret Garden – these books can serve as great reads and accessories for a book shelf. And, don’t forget to include a small clock radio in the room so your guests can set a wake-up call or listen to their favorite tunes as they get ready in the morning.
Embroidered novels will be sure to "wow" your guests, like these available for sale at Anthropologie
I hope this list helps you serve your guests well this season. I have no doubt by paying these details a little extra attention your guest room will be cherished by your house guests this holiday season and for years to come.
Wishing you the happiest of holidays!
