5 tips to Prepare Guests for a Comforable Stay

So, have I mentioned how truly blessed I am?  Well, I am.  Truly!  Back in December, hubby and I were surprised by his parents with a VERY generous gift.  We, along with his two sons and mom and dad, are flying out to Oregon to see hubby's daughter.  Can you give me a YAHOO?

It's hard to believe-but we are all so excited!

Another blessing is-our dear friends are going to be staying at our house to babysit Bentley while we are gone!  (Side note- in case you missed it - our sweet little Bentley, experienced a near fatal allergic reaction almost a month ago. He has recuperated for the most part, but he is still on a restricted diet and needs a lot of TLC.)

Mr. Bentley generally doesn't look this crabby, but he hasn't liked getting his photo taken since Christmas, when I made him pose a few (many) times for our Christmas card!

Okay-so back to our guests.  For me- it is utmost important to make my guests feel at home.  But-I also like them to feel as if they are on vacation as well.  I want to be sure their every need is taken care of, and the good thing is, it really isn't that difficult.

1.  Make your guest bedroom feel cozy and inviting.  Do a thorough cleaning-wash the bed linens, and add a few 'personal' touches.

A single flower can add a punch of color, and a nice dish to store place a watch or earrings.  I also add a glass (or two) for water!

I don't know about you-but sometimes when I'm staying in a strange place, I have trouble falling asleep.  So I always leave a few "good" books for those late night insomnia attacks!

Fresh bedding-a place to set luggage-some hangers, and a quick fluffing of pillows-and the guest bedroom is ready for plenty of ZZZ's!!

2.  Create a 'spa-like' bathroom.  You don't have to gut your entire bathroom and install all of the 'finer' things to make your current bathroom like one in a fancy hotel.  All it takes is a five KEY items:

1. Clean-fluffy towels.  (If yours have seen better days-place them in the washer with 1 cup vinegar and 1/2 cup baking soda and wash in HOT water!)  I guarantee they will come out smelling fresh and feel so soft you would swear they were brand new!)
2. Fill a basket with personal' items your guest may have forgotten.  Shampoo, shower gel, lotion-toothpaste, toothbrushes, and cotton swabs, can all be purchased in trial size at a dollar store.  Adding a few 'extras' like band aids, ibuprofen, antibiotic cream, etc, can also be helpful!
3. Flowers!
4. A pretty basket for that 'extra' toilet paper
5. A cozy robe.

3.  Feed them WELL!  I always try to have a plenty of meal options available when guests come to stay.  No-I'm not running a restaurant, but YES, I do want to be sure I take into account -food allergies, etc, as I am preparing my menu.  I also want to cook up some of my guests favorite dishes.  After all-they are guests, and they deserve to be treated as such!!!  The good thing is, you can do so without breaking the bank!

I've already cooked up several dishes for my guests stay, and all of them are 'freezer' friendly! 

Here a just a few:

Chicken Lasagna 
Sloppy Joes
Goulash
These dishes are quick and easy to prepare and they taste even better reheated!   I even put the 'reheating' instructions on them. (See #4)
I'm also going to prepare some homemade bread sticks, cinnamon rolls, waffles, lemon pound, and salted caramel sauce-which can all be frozen!!!   I'll be making a trip to our local farmer's market the day before we leave, so I can have a variety of fresh vegetables and fruit on hand as well.

4.  Help them with your electronics!  Obviously, your guests are going to have plans for their stay that don't involve staying in your home!  But, I never ASSUME that they won't want to cozy up and watch a good movie, or listen to some music- or DVR their favorite show-sometime during their stay.  So I make sure to write down instructions on all devices!  These include -a.  how to turn on the TV/cable.  (Don't laugh-everyone's TV is different-and why make them FIGURE it out-when you can make it so much easier?)  b. A list of the channels you have. (Most cable services have a guide-but it's always nice to have a hard copy too! c. Include instructions on how to use your DVR service-AND rent a movie!!!
d.  Yes, most people have a microwave, and they are all pretty self-explanatory, but again, make it easy for your guests.  If you've prepared dishes for them-do as I did, and attach a note with easy 'reheat' instructions.  Or, make a note next to the microwave-on what the 'most used' buttons are for reheating beverages, snacks, sauces, or dinner plates.
e. Heating and cooling.  Everyone wants to be comfortable- and knowing how our weather in Minnesota can be cold one day, and 100 degrees the next, I make sure our guests know how to use the thermostat!  I also keep our electric fireplace and and a few fans as 'portable' devices for added comfort.  ***Extra blankets are good too!
f.  Coffee maker.  Our coffee maker is pretty simple-but some are NOT!.  If you have one of those FANCY pieces of technology- PLEASE- FOR THE LOVE OF ALL THAT IS GOOD-leave instructions on how to use it!!!  I need my coffee in the AM folks-as do-most of you!  Don't, what ever you do-forget this VERY important STEP!
5. Show them a GOOD time!  Sure, your guests can GOOGLE pretty much anything that is 'happening' in your neck of the woods, but why put them through the effort?  Instead, make a list of all the 'IN' places and sights to go, that you know will interest them.  Whether it is a restaurant or event, let them know what their entertaining options are-and give each one your own 'personal' review.  No one knows your 'area' better than you do-so if your guests are coming from out of town (or even if they live next door) let them know what YOU recommend.  And, if they are doing you a HUGE favor (like our friends)-do something extra by giving them a gift certificate to your FAVE place to eat-a coupon for free drinks at your FUN local bar-tickets to an event or movie of their choice-a mani or pedi, OR my favorite (a massage) at one of your Trusted specialists!

What are your tips for giving your guests that "extra' special treatment? 

Happy Thursday everyone!!!