We have three guest rooms with their own bathroom AND kitchen plus, they will have to use the den downstairs as well and I want it to be nice for them. Thanks! Wow!! Thanks for your amazing responses….nice!!! Um, welcome to our hotel? LOL!!
If you stayed in someone’s guest room, what would be something essential for you?
Preferably one that has a top that closes. ESPECIALLY if the house has dogs.
Yeah. I housesat for my neighbors. Not knowing how dogs can be (I have cats), when they came home they had to pick up a bloody tampon from the middle of their floor. OOPS!
I can’t believe they told you this!!!! How humiliating.
The husband at first thought it was a mouse in the middle of the floor LOL! We laugh about it now
I pulled a tampon out of my daughters dogs butt once. My dumbass was like, "What is this string?" Yank!
Huh???
Ohhh the horror!!! Oof 😓
I am laughing TOO hard at this. But I am at least glad it passed.
With a lid! Essential.
And a liner!
I would add feminine essentials to this too! For the same reason
Hygiene baggies especially so the person can get rid of period products discreetly.
I also put a box with medication, toothbrushes, hotel bottles of shower gels etc. there. The room has room spray, scented candles and a tea station as well (glass bottles full of water for the kettle). But I'm extreme. I also put bottles of water (still/sparkling) and glasses there.
Also: Kleenex, charging cables, a night light, various lights to choose from, extra wool blanket, a valet stand to hang clothes and some hangers.
Edit: I'm a terrible Swiss person, as I forgot: yes there's chocolate (and sometimes flowers)! Of course!!!
In this day and age, multiple easy-to-access cable hubs are essential. At least one on each bedside table. Preferably including a regular plug so that I can plug in my travel fan or laptop.
I would be thrilled if providing smallish, tabletop, moveable fans became the norm. I will often take one into a bathroom because I’m so hot. I, pretty much, run my own personal fan all the time.
Multiple pillow choices. I LOVE my feather pillows, but I just had a friend visit who hates feather pillows. Thank goodness I had some other types. Then they also asked if I had a body pillow. I don’t, but I’ll bet you can guess what’s now on my short list to buy/provide.
If there’s room, a desk (I’m putting in a fold down desk that’s super cool with a folding, rolling desk chair that I’m figuring out how to attach) and an “easy chair” with an over the shoulder lamp for reading - and a small side table to place a drink.
I would include a tv, but probably not a big one since I’m assuming there are public TVs available. But, like, at least a 32.” With access for someone to plug in their Roku or Apple box (I know people who travel with both).
Btw: WHAT A GREAT QUESTION!! I’mma save this post so that I can remember all these super suggestions!
I never knew such a thing existed! I’ve been discretely rolling pads in a sheet of toilet paper before disposing it
I love your thoughtfulness, but I stayed in a room with an (unlit) scented coconut candle and unfortunately I HATE coconut- (but otherwise I'm a pretty chill person). I double wrapped the wretched thing and banished it to the bathroom, but still the lingering stench of it ruined my entire stay. And yeah, I clearly sound like a crazy person now, but also still traumatized by it 🫣😉
How do guests know that they're allowed to use the toothbrushes (and that they're unused)? Do you just tell them?
I'd just keep them in the packaging
You just leave the toothbrushes in their packaging. I buy multi packs of them at the warehouse store and they are all individually packaged.
Don't forget that some elderly people have incontince and use depends and other things.
Same!!!!! You might just be my soul mate!
A surface to put things down or lay them out. Sometimes in an attempt to make things pretty the surfaces have so much stuff on them you can’t lay a book or laptop or small bag anywhere.
Good hangers. Decent light.
My mother puts a nice, but decent sized plastic tray on the table next to the bed so guests can drop their toiletries and clutter etc without marking up the furniture. It’s so easy to not worry about spillage etc.
This, this, this. A thousand times, this. People need a place to sort out their toiletries & medicines, especially if the bathroom they’ll be using is shared. Most people don’t feel comfortable bringing in all their toiletries & depending on the person, makeup, and hogging up all the space.
More than 3 hangers please! I hate it when hotels only have like 3 hangers. I don't care if they make them so you can't remove them, put enough, please.
Along with this, just space to hang things in the closet. When I visit my parents, there is no space for me to keep my things together because there’s a corner here or a wedge there. I’d like to feel that I can have enough space to infuse my things into the room without competing with their things.
Good pillows. There’s nothing worse than going to sleep at someone’s house with a $2 pillow that goes completely flat once you put your head on it. Bonus for extra comfortable, layered bedding in the event anyone gets cold.
Could I suggest a variety of pillows? Like, flat, fluffy, memory foam. Instead of three identical ones.
Edit: For added context, I sleep without pillows.
Yes! I hate fluffy pillows. My neck doesn’t like them. Give me a flat soft pillow any day.
Agreed! I would rather sleep flat on the bed without any pillows than use an overly fluffy pillow. They always make me feel like I'm suffocating when my head sinks into them.
Lots of great ideas in this thread (trash bin, chargers, different blankets). If I might add- as I saw a suggestion for a clock - if you do have a clock, I would also suggest that it's not one that 'ticks' each second. I have super sensitive hearing and find that I can't wind down or sleep if I can hear a ticking clock in the background, sometimes even with ear plugs. I've stayed in a few rooms that had a ticking clock and always find myself unplugging them/ removing the batteries.
We have 4 pillows on the guest bed ... Not because anyone need FOUR but it's a pillow buffet :)
"Pillow Buffet"- love this term!!!
I have it for my guests too 😉
Yes! I need a flat pillow because I have a bad back. Not everyone likes a fluffy pillow.
Yes! For years I thought I liked fluffy pillows because I'm a fluffy person, but it turns out flat pillows are the best because they don't put your neck at a weird angle.
Where do you get $2 flat pillows? Asking for… me.
lol…I get the $4 ones at Target but I only use them for my pillows with shams that we don’t sleep on. They are literally the worst pillows to sleep on…your head will sink like a bowling ball straight to the mattress! But they are perfect for decorative shams that aren’t used for sleeping. I don’t know where the $2 ones are but I thought my $4 ones were a great deal! PS: don’t make the guests toooooo comfy; they might never leave haha
Ikea
Extra blankets that are not cheap and scratchy. And several to pick from with different levels of warmth.
I have herniated disks and I completely hate cheap pillows.
I am currently in Amsterdam on an air mattress (which is a very good one) sleeping on a very soft pillow and bad. Waking up with my neck all sore and stiff.
Essentials: Kleenex tissues, extra blankets and pillows, easy operating lights (lamp next to bed I think is best) Upgrade: a fan, luggage rack, extra phone chargers
So my caveat is to me if someone is lovely enough to let me sleep at their house, the ‘essentials’ are a pillow and a blanket of some sort (and if that’s not possible, I’ll find something else to make it work) but we once stayed with some family friends, and they had a bathroom fully equipped with: - Towels (two for each guest) - Mini shampoos and conditioners (we had just been camping without running water, you have no idea how much I appreciated this!) - Enough toilet paper we did not need to ask for more - Lovely scented liquid soap and hand cream - Something that made the bathroom smell wonderful. Idk what it was. I couldn’t figure it out
The actual bedroom had a mirrored built in wardrobe to store clothes (and so you could see yourself before you, you know, saw everyone else), extra blankets and pillows, charging ports and lamps on both bedside tables, a rack that would have fit a large suitcase on top, blackout blinds and curtains, aircon for the room (we were in an area that gets very hot), and a comfortable bed.
It didn’t feel like an AirBnB because the sheets/bathroom tiling/etc were very ‘them’, but it wasn’t as decorated as the rest of their house.
ETA: It’s occurred to me that you’d also probably want easily accessible bins and to consider a discreet toilet brush, especially if three couples/people are sharing the same bathroom.
BLACKOUT CURTAINS. Clutch.
Literally don't know what I did before I had them.
Just came here to say this!! My mom’s guest room doesn’t have good curtains and it is the WORST. I’d rather have black out curtains over some of these other comforts 😂
Sound machine! White noise if they are a light sleeper!
Along with the toilet brush, A PLUNGER. Nobody wants to have to go bother the host due to an extraordinary log!
I’m curious do toilets in the US get clogged all the time? I’ve only lived in a house where a toilet was clogged once, and it was in an old house with a bathroom shared by 8 people (30 yr old, Australia, US toilets are different but it seems like plungers are more common as a day to day thing/need - I haven’t owned one in around a decade)
When I moved into my current house I bought a plunger/brush combo for each bathroom. In 5 years here I’ve never used a plunger but it’s always nice to know you don’t have to ask for it when you do need it.
It varies a lot depending on the age of the house and the quality of the plumbing.
USA input - I have a plunger in both of our bathrooms as they are relatively inexpensive and I’d rather have someone be comfortable and not have to ask if they need one. I think I’ve personally used one maybe a few times in the past 10 years and like another commenter said, it does kind of depend on the toilet and associated plumbing. Maybe there are outliers but it’s usually not even a weekly or monthly occurance for most people.
It depends on where you live, how old the house is and the vegetation around the house. I live in an area with a high water table and lots of vegetation. The 100-year old clay pipes have cracked and then roots start to grow into the pipes. Another problem is people flushing things that may be labeled “flushable,” but aren’t, i.e. tampons and wipes. I had a small clog that was easily resolved with a plunger because the newer, softer Kleenex (or other brands) doesn’t break down like toilet tissue. So i haven’t used my plunger a lot, but I’m glad I have it handy.
I dropped a comb in the toilet while it was flushing (it fell off the back of the toilet as it was flushing and I could grab it out of the toilet fast enough) I called a plumber to snake the drain but it was down too far. It has been clogging my pipe now for 20 years! Have to plunge sink and toilet in that bathroom frequently
Poop knife has entered the chat.
Seconding lamps on the bedside table. Used to pet sit overnights and I read before bed. Can’t tell you how many guest bedrooms don’t have them. Started packing a book light in my bag, but it was less than ideal.
Second the comfortable bed. I have friends who have kindly let us stay in their guest bedroom then mentioned they wanted to upgrade the nightstands. "You might have noticed they don't match" No I didn't notice the nightstands, but I had a tough time sleeping on that super old bed. Another friend has a literally broken bed from when they were a kid in their guest bedroom. Yet another friend got rid of their spare bed and now just have a futon. I personally feel like a reasonably comfortable bed is the first upgrade I would make to a guest bedroom. Next would be blackout curtains, and lastly maybe a space heater or other temp control depending on where in your house the guest room is. Sometimes they're not in the best temperature managed part of the house.
Yes, definitely a mirror in the bedroom. Many times when I am waiting for my husband to get out of the bathroom, it is nice having a mirror so I can get ready for the day.
Adding in outlets and usb outlets. People want to comfortably charge wherever they are
Outlet access is a must! Having to move furniture to charge my phone sucks!
Somewhere to store clothes please!!!!!!!!! Just a drawer or two is enough.
I HATE staying at my parents because it’s just a bed and night stand in there and then I have a bag on the floor and my clothes all over the place like omfg can we put SOMETHING in here for storage?
A drinking glass to use.
And a small trash can
Right on
If you have attached baths it’s always nice to have a few extra supplies - tooth brush, toothpaste, feminine hygiene products, spray deodorant…
And plenty of toilet rolls. Don't want your guests to get caught short in the middle of the night.
All this but also some tylenol or motrin as well. People get head aches.
A full length mirror!
As a contact lens wearer, i always appreciate having a mirror!
I bought and mounted full length mirrors for all the guest rooms at my house.
Blackout curtains, fan, power bar for plugging in phone etc, extra blankets, hooks/coathook for clothing, somewhere to put luggage, a garbage can, tissues, nightlight I can turn on or off, flashlight.
An extra phone charger, if you have one. The wifi password written down so they don't have to ask you at 11pm.
Extra pillows and blankets. A bedside lamp and a clock somewhere.
Good idea about the Wi-Fi password.
A digital clock or a QUIET ticking clock. If the room is sparsely decorated, regular clocks are insanely loud when you're trying to go to bed and you're hearing tick tok, tick tok, tick tok. I can't tell you the number of times I have had to remove the batteries from these clocks just so I can get some sleep!
To add to this, there are phone chargers with multiple different port types like an all in one that would be great for this very thing. Kind find them on Amazon.
A friend of mine has a small framed printout with a wifi logo, the network name, and the password, which sits in an easily visible spot in his living room. I copied him and did the same in one of my previous apartments, and I think that would be nice in a guest room
Oh ya having the WiFi info easily displayed and available is always such a relief
Good pillows & cotton sheets
A bedside table with an empty drawer, or box, or something, for personal items.
Not necessarily essential, but ...
Soft tissues and toilet paper.
Assorted charging cables.
A book of short stories.
A reading lamp that can be directed away from a sleeping spouse.
Unscented, dye free soaps trial size soaps.
Emergency sanitary products for a woman, enough to get her to CVS.
A flashlight
OTC allergy and headache meds
Seconding the meds. I live in another country so people are jet lagged and sometimes catch colds when they visit. Some people are embarrassed to admit it and don’t want to ask me for meds so I started keeping things in the guest room
A small adjustable fan.
YES I always sleep with a fan and have a hard time sleeping when I get warm
I would die without a fan! Or, more likely, just sit there, cranky and frustrated, all night long without sleeping a wink.
Scrolled way to far down to find this comment. Fan is a must.
NON-NEGOTIABLE.
This isn’t something “cute” but always keep a plunger in the bathrooms. There’s nothing more embarrassing than clogging a toilet as a guest and not having a plunger.
trash can in the bathroom!!
sorry, 3 guest rooms?? how big is your house?!
Bedside table for electronics, meds and Kleenex.
Extra bonus points for a noise machine or fan.
Heavy covers. If guests don’t like heavy covers they can throw them off. But if you crave heavy covers and all you’ve got is light little blankets, you’re miserable.
When I travel by car I always take my weighted blanket.
I always put together a basket of Q-Tips, individually wrapped toothbrushes, toothpaste, sunscreen, and antacids. I have the wifi password written down in an easy spot, extra blankets, and a fan.
Tissues; trash bin; blankets; bedside tables large enough to place a phone, a water bottle, and a pair of glasses. As someone who is very sensitive to fragrance (they induce nausea and migraine), no fragrance items like candles or plugins!
A full length mirror, a trash can, extra blanket
There’s already a full-length mirror in every room 😃
I ALWAYS leave a carafe of ice water and glass on each bedside table. I also put fresh flowers in a small vase for the room.
You’re an angel. I’m a fiend for ice water and I get anxiety if my emotional support water bottle isn’t full of ice water. Access to cold water and ice while traveling is so underrated (as a needy American who loves ice 😆)
Noo literally. I’m also American, but I traveled to the UK earlier this year and not having access to ICE cold water at all times had me stressin! 😮💨
Blankets, pillow, bed, maybe clean air and not a hot room. Plants, good lighting, and art or windows.
Can I just say- i love how you listed stuff like bed and clean air, like those aren't a given, then went to good lighting and art. I have been reading your comment for the last few minutes just grinning
Haha well yeah. I have stayed in some rooms that felt thick and not illuminated enough. If the room has some plants and it feels clean then it's pretty much a dream scenario.
Oh same, I know what you mean. Trust me. It was just the juxtaposition of the necessities from bed, to art that really got me. I'd like to think you would enjoy being my guest:)
Is your place very well thought out? Haha I feel like people who enjoy having guests over have put thought into each item. And I'm not a snob tenant 😂 I really make the most of any situation even if you gave me newspaper as covers.
MAYBE clean air, not a requirement
some pads/ tampons would be considerate:)
Hooks to hang wet towels
Seriously, why does every hotel and airbnb - even at places that are water-centric (beach or pool) NOT have enough hooks??? It drives me crazy. I literally stayed in a large suite that slept 6 people at a waterpark and there were 2 hooks. 2. We had 5 wet bathing suits and 5 towels. …?!?!?!
I have a clock on the wall (elderly guests don’t use their phones much). I got a low-cost power cube on Amazon that has outlets, regular USB and USB C. It’s on the small, also low-cost bedside table from IKEA. Also small shelves and bins to put random shit in/on.
There’s always a box of kleenex, a waste basket and extra towels and washcloths. Also extra duvets/blankets (some of my regular guests are always cold). Hooks on the back of the door for bathrobes and damp towels.
In the bathroom there are new in the package toothbrushes, and always a full complement of period products.
Tube of hand cream! Get so dry when travelling
Honestly if I just have access to an extra blanket. The floor is clean and clear for me to easily reach the clean bed. There’s an easily accessible wall plugin. I’m happy.
It can be nice to have easy access to kleenex, water bottles, maybe a small snack of choice, and a mirror.
My boyfriend, his biggest thing is good airflow in a room. (He sleeps hot)
A fan by the bed (both for white noise and cooling down), night light, a hair dryer, a bottle of water in case I forgot to bring my reusable one, wifi password, chargers, toiletries in the bathroom in case I forgot anything, small trash can in the bedroom. Also as a bonus if money is no object - a mini fridge! That’s what I want to provide in my own guest room eventually.
Probably a tv, cause guests do need time to themselves alone in their room. I leave a little relaxation kit for them, with face masks, chocolates, etc
A way to block out light completely, like blackout shades or a sleeping mask.
Take the time to pack a small overnight bag and then actually “visit” your guest room. Spend the night, use that bathroom, shower there etc. It’s amazing what you’ll learn about the space by being in it instead of just looking at it!
My sister leaves a guest basket sitting on the bed with towels, slippers, fancy bottled water, magazines tailored to the visitors interests and edibles.
I have a stack of vintage nudey magazines in my guest bedroom😂
sound machine/fan
A stool or luggage rack to put their suitcase on, Kleenex,bedside light, power bar( for phone chargers) facecloths, towels. A basket of snacks, tums, Tylenol, bottle of water , a couple magazines maybe. I also have a vanity table in my guest room.hair dryer
Echoing all the above, but one thing a friend had in the guest room was the WiFi info on a little card!
Bidet.
I have a lot of guests. I like having a mini fridge available to them (they’re loud so I put it near their room) for their faves like pop and water and their medications.
I have a night stand on each side for phone charging and for their specs if they wear them. I bought touch lamps to not fool around with switches.
I always have lots of tp, extra toothbrushes, body wash, pouffs, shampoo and conditioner (better quality), some lady razors, some men razors, dental floss, Q-tips, eye make-up remover and square cotton pads, and a small fan. It circulates air in the room and is white noise.
Coffee maker. Or some sort of electric kettle or French press pour over thing. I like to get up early and I don’t want to feel uncomfortable tip toeing into the kitchen to get my coffee going while others are sleeping.
I have a decorative container that holds three rolls of TP. I have a diffuser with a mild scent and I only use three diffusers so it isn’t overpowering. Towels are stacked under the sinks for easy access. There is a hair dryer mounted on the wall like the ones in hotels. There are individual bars of soap for each guest.
A volume of short stories (Saki comes to mind) and a few short novels.
Water for nighttime
Bottles but ehh a carafe and cup is super classy IMO. Never experienced this but dream to do this when u have a guest room to offer.
Getting up and wandering to the kitchen ~ is it the fridge, the faucet, a brita pitcher. Oh crap I woke the dog! Where’s the lights? No no lights everyone’s asleep!
lol that’s my anxiety narrative of worry if I’m stuck in a guest room without water 😂
At least one sturdy hook, preferably two, in the bathroom to hang your toiletry bags.
And rods or a drying rack on which to hang wet towels and items that the guest might be handwashing.
This has only come up once, but TELL YOUR GUESTS HOW TO HANDLE THE GHOST. Or, you know, warn them that the wind sounds like souls of the damned burning out of a hollow windy hole at 3am so they don't wake up pissing themselves
Hooks! Either over a door or on the wall.
Me personally I'll sleep on the floor in the laundry room and be fine... but to consider it nice I'd say a fan, more than two thick pillows, one of those puffy comforters and a spare phone charger.
Wow!! You’re so easy to accommodate!! Come and stay with us lol!!
Absence of scented candles/plugins. Many people are very sensitive to fragrance (not to mention a lot are neurotoxic)
THIS! so many times people go overboard, trying to make something smell nice and they make their guest very sick. Fresh air is 1000 times better than covering smells or burning candles.
I always have a fan, few different pillows, different blankets, blackout blinds or close enough
In addition to the spot on suggestions in this thread… a lint roller, Static Guard and a little first aid kit with a few band-aids.
Also going with a fan or a white noise machine. I already have a tough time getting to sleep in someone else’s house, I need to be able to focus my brain on something to relax.
Honestly, the most important thing for me (not a physical object) is to just have the room at a comfortable temperature. There’s nothing worse than walking in a room you’re staying in and it’s like a sauna or Antarctica
I wish I didn't have to say this, but a television. I have a hard time going to sleep without one!
If I may answer this in a different way :)
I'd like to emphasize avoiding excessive decoration in the room with miscellaneous or non-functional items. As someone who frequently stays in Airbnbs or guest rooms, it can be frustrating when essential spaces like desks, dresser tops, and nightstands are cluttered with decorative items. These surfaces should be kept clear for practical use, such as using the desk for work.
I'd also suggest ensuring the room is clean and has a fresh, pleasant scent, without feeling sterile.
Definitely not a necessity, but if you’re hosting female guests, I like to make sure there’s a small, portable, lighted mirror available for makeup and skin care/routines if wanted. You know, the small round ones with the light ring. It allows them to move where they’re comfortable to do their makeup/skincare. It’s something I’ve noticed I always bring with me when I’m staying somewhere, and I’ve had guests comment on it specifically during/after their stay!
I agree with some of these but I’d agree with toothpaste (I usually remember a toothbrush but don’t bring my giant toothpaste)
…and unscented lotion! Like a nice big cheapish bottle (eucerin lotion is an easy one). Maybe I just think that because I’m a dry girl but I often travel with lotion and I hate after I’ve showered feeling so dry…
A fan. I need a fan to keep cool (even in winter) and to drown out noise. Also an extra blanket and pillow would be great too.
People like different pillow types. So one firm, one softer.
A fan, a water and a charger. Nothing worse than being hot and/or thirsty in someone else’s house lol. If you’re cold, you can hopefully layer up.
A bathrobe that is warm or cool depending upon the season and how drafty your house is. I was an in home caregiver for years. One of the homes I worked in I had a miserable first weekend. It was a drafty old house (and some other things about the job made me a miserable, not the time or place). I remember being so cold and dreading getting out of the shower. I put on my heaviest pajamas as soon as I could, but it just made them damp soon. The whole weekend I was there I never really felt warm. I would like to add either warm slippers or slipper socks. Sometimes when you are in a new house it is so different to your normal home that you end up wishing you had packed differently.
So what is it about your home that your guests are going to find different than where they are from?
Enough TP that is either visible or show them where it is kept so they don't run out/go looking for it
A supply of clean hand towels
Soap at the sink
These are the things that bother me when I'm an invited guest at someone's house and they don't have out
A full length mirror. Drives me crazy when I’ve stayed at places with no mirrors in the room itself.
A hair dryer.
My sister lives on a resort island, and in her two guest rooms, she keeps a basket with bottled waters, granola bars, chocolates, local tourist guidebooks. I love having a little private snack in bed late at night.
Oh and fresh flowers, even if it’s just one little hydrangea it makes such a nice touch, smell, vibe
Cotton bed sheet because polyester gets unbearably hot and sweaty.
A hair dryer and a fan would also be nice.
If there are any lights from electronics that stay on over night then an eye mask for sleeping.
Body Lotion is my personal number one must that I always have to bring with me when I travel.
A fan or something that creates white noise.
Ceiling fan.
Easy access to an outlet and a fan if there is no ceiling fan over the bed.
I have a little 1 bedroom 1 bath close to the beach so my friends come and will spend the night here a lot. I've learned mini toiletries for the bathroom (shampoo,cnditionr, toothpaste, toothbrush, extra loofah or washcoths) are definitely essential. I have my shampoo, conditioner,and body wash in my shower but it's a nice touch for guests. And extra pajamas. I have a men's set and women's set. I can't share clothes with people. One minute they're wearing your sweatpants. The next minute they're going home in them. Other than that, the girls always ask to use my blow dryer so throw an extra in there too.
Nightlight. Clock. Lamp. Noise machine. Outlet access, extension cord, curtains, luggage rack, extra blankets and pillows, fan, soap / things I might have forgotten in small sample sizes, some bottled water, champagne flutes. ;-)
Extra pillow and blanket, extra towels and facecloth, nightlight in bathroom, good reading lamp, clock, blackout curtains, some toiletries as backup, including toothbrush, clock
Ear plugs
To add- Glasses for water
A gift for the host.
Night lights for adults. I hate fumbling to find my way in unfamiliar spaces
Blackout curtains, good pillows, and a fan.
Tissue, mirror, trash can, lamp within reach of pillow.
Extra fans. I'm always hot and love an extra fan
Just a clean fresh bed. Anything else I am capable of pre-preparing for.
Tempur-Pedic pillows. My dad commented on how he enjoyed staying over at my brother’s much more after my SIL upped their pillow game. I’m sure there’s many good lux brands, but that’s what I like. Also super soft sheets and cozy blankets. Fluffy towels are a plus.
A fan -small or large- any fan
Lip balm, extra pillows, bottle water and/or a glass,and a fan.
Comfy bed
Bluetooth speaker lol
A bed and a flat pillow
Good pillows, cool a/c, curtains/blinds to keep out light. Fluffy new towels, bath mat and a cotton blanket, toilet paper, Kleenex, air freshener, hand soap. I usually travel with my own toiletries!!!
Something warm like a heated blanket. I am Always freezing in other people’s homes
A mirror!
Definitely a fan! Like a Dyson air blade. Sanitary kits for menstruation are always good. Extra tooth brushes. Basically anything you might forget when traveling but you don’t want to bug your host for.
Also one of the smallest touches that stood out to me as a very thoughtful detail was when a host offered fuzzy socks for all the guests. They asked for no shoes inside and offered a brand new pair of fuzzy socks or house slippers as soon as we walked in.
Lamps with charging ports or bedside outlets are always a relief so a guest doesn’t have to dig for their charger.
SLIPPERS
Heated blanket and mattress topper
ive stayed at a bunch of hotels, air bnbs & hostels & my essentials are pretty basic. for the bedroom id like extra blankets incase it gets cold, a fan incase it gets hot, visible outlets (a Samsung & iPhone charger would be great too,) & a paper with info like the wifi password. for the bathroom hand soap, shampoo & conditioner & towels would be appreciated. in the kitchen basic cooking supplies would be nice (pot, pan, strainer measuring cups/spoons, knifes, cutting board, plates, cups bowls, coffee maker, etc.) & things like cooking oil & salt/pepper
An outlet next to the bed so I can charge my phone.
Not my house so I don’t really care much but I fucking love carpet and carpeted floors. Longer shag carpets are great in my opinion even if it needs cleaning regularly I’ve never not been able to take a banger nap on carpet.
Decent pillows, sheets, blanket. Extra blanket (or two). A glass & pitcher of water or a bottle of water on the nightstand. Phone charger. Ear plugs. Liquid IV packet. Hand sanitizer and lotion.
Towel, wash cloth, basic soap for bathing in the morning. I always have travel sized toothpaste, q-tips, dental floss, shampoo and conditioner too.
I'm a frequent and grateful guest, and I appreciate:
A powerstrip (if the outlet is far away from the bed, for phone charging)
The WiFi password
A bottle of water
A clock
Towles (you'd be surprised how often hosts for get to give guests a towel)
A bathroom with soap, shampoo and conditioner
An extra blanket
Bonus: a TV and a fan
Those clever bedside lamps that also have charging ports are <chef's kiss>
Must haves for an easy and comfortable stay are: Enough hangers. The main issue I have everywhere I stay is not enough hangers. I end up putting three of for items on one. Decent bed and pillows Outlets near bed and mirror. Lamp near bed and low level lighting options in general (neurodivergent and hate ‘big lights’ Spare USB chargers and plugs. Water (bottles) Good towels: Bath sheet, bath towel, hand towel and a towel for hair (you’ve no idea how often there’s no towel for hair)
Then some things I don’t need but do appreciate. Some basics in the kitchen to make tea/coffee. Travel size basic toiletries in case I’ve forgotten something (toothbrush, toothpaste, razor, cotton wool pads, shower cap)
Bedside lamp
A brown thirsty hand towel with the word 'Make Up' embroidered on it. Land's End has never let me down. Guests, however, do and wipe mascara and lipstick all over the nice towels
I learned something from my MIL. Her guest room had a basket with a selection of freebies that she nicked from every hotel she ever stayed in. Mini shampoos, lotion, toothpaste, etc.
I copied that in my guest room, now. Adding many other things, including floss, contact lens solution, and nail polish remover. And a small chalkboard next to it advising guests to take whatever they need.
For my regular guests (adult children), I find out what their regular personal care products are and keep a separate bin for each of them to keep these items in. They even keep some clothes there, so they can fly in with just a small carry-on, saving money on baggage fees.
Please don’t have 50 LED lights from various electronics still glaring when you turn out the main lighting. My dad’s guest room is also his office. I can’t count how many times I’ve been up in the night hanging socks and underwear over these nasty little beacons.
I liked having access to Tylenol so I don’t have to awkwardly ask for it. A trash can, a couple snacks and bottles of water.
Make sure you have a plunger in bathroom
a charging station on the nightstand. Not essential but makes life easier
Joints and a lighter
Not essential but really nice: Room darkening window treatments, a fan, white noise machine, empty surface to set my stuff, wall hooks, full length mirror, and a talalay latex pillow.
A plunger and toilet brush so they don’t have to ask for one lol
A side table on both sides of the bed with easy access to outlets.
More than 1+ available outlet near the desk or bed
Okay, specifically make sure to provide clean bedding and pillows. There’s nothing worse than feeling icky about someone else’s sheets or towels. Make sure they have been laundered recently, smell clean, are hair/dirt/bug/stain free.
A comfortable temperature, and a fan or something for white noise, hopefully a comfortable mattress.
I stayed with a friend in WA recently and she had a small basket with a few sweet treats and chocolates, a couple magazines I could take with me and a warm blanket. The best thing though, was one of her spare Patagonia fleece pullover I could wear while staying with her. It was great because I felt extremely comfy in the cold weather. I knew what was mine because she walked me through the house, showed me where the bathroom was, and gently mentioned what was gifted. I’ve left a guest basket w some of the things others mentioned as well and just let my guests know “everything in the basket is for you”.
While I’m enjoying these responses, some of y’all are very high maintenance and/or have high maintenance guests
Somewhere to hang multiple wet towels
Make sure there's a garbage can in the bathroom! As a female guest, this necessity is sometimes overlooked in guest rooms.