If you have some extra room or live in a desirable location, you could find yourself playing host to family members or friends this holiday season. A little preparation goes a long way in making sure you provide your overnight guests with all the comforts of home. Go the extra mile and outfit your guest room like a posh hotel so your guests truly feel as if their stay has been a vacation. Here are a few tips to help your guests Have a Great Night's Sleep™ and ensure a memorably positive visit.

Deep Clean Like You Mean It 

Your guest room may or may not get a lot of use. Either way, you need to go above and beyond where cleanliness is concerned when expecting holiday visitors. The best way to do this is with a top-to-bottom checklist. Start by dusting away cobwebs in corners, cleaning the ceiling fan, and vacuuming or washing the drapes and dusting the blinds. Work your way from down, cleaning windows and dusting shelves, tables, photos, and curios as you go. Then vacuum everything, moving out furniture to get at every nook and cranny.

Give the guest bathroom a similar deep clean. Real Simple breaks it down into 10 steps from the shower head to the toilet bowl. After the bathroom is clean, we suggest stocking it with some of our luxuriously soft bath towels, a non-skid bath rug, and a comfy robe.

If guests are staying for more than a couple of days, clear some space in drawers so they can unpack and settle in. In our recently published book, Roll Into a Perfectly Made Bed, we share the secret touches used in fabulous hotels to prepare rooms for their guests. Cleanliness is always the first rule.

Make the Best of Your Mattress

It's not uncommon to resign your old mattress to the guest room when you upgrade in your own bedroom; however, if you're planning to have guests sleeping on the old mattress regularly, it might be time to purchase a new mattress for visiting family and friends to enjoy. If you’re not ready to invest in a new mattress for the guest room, consider a feather bed. Down Etc’s Essential Feather Bed adds a luxurious layer of extra loft, warmth, and comfort. Some of the most discerning hotels in the world create a cloud of comfort for their guests with our feather beds. 

Whether it’s the bed in the guest room or the master suite, waterproof mattress pads are a must. Every sleeper drools and perspires. Accidents and spills happen. An unprotected mattress can be easily ruined. To protect your mattress, Down Etc highly recommends the continuous use of waterproof mattress pads, which should be removed and laundered regularly. Down Etc has spent years developing and perfecting the Lily Pads^® to meet your need for a waterproof, motionless, soundless, and breathable mattress pad.

Provide the Right Pillow for Each Guest

The fanciest hotels offer their guests our Pillow Butler^®, which includes a menu of pillow options. You don’t need to go those lengths, but offering your guests a few choices would certainly make their visit special. Consider stocking the closet with a variety of pillows including: the All White Goose Down, our softest pillow, perfect for stomach sleepers; our 50/50 White Goose Down and Feather Pillow, a medium-firmness pillow for back sleepers; and our Rhapsody Wrap, a firmer option for side sleepers and those who like to prop up in bed to read or to watch television. Ask your guests their sleep positions upon arrival and provide them with the appropriate pillows. They will certainly appreciate your thoughtfulness. For those who claim allergies to down and feather pillows, we recommend our Aquaplush^® Hypoallergenic Down Alternative Pillow.

As with the mattress pad, Down Etc highly recommends the consistent use of zippered pillow protectors to protect against sweat and spills and to extend the life of the pillows you love. Removing and laundering pillow protectors is easier than laundering the pillows themselves.

Use Linens They Will Want to Take Home

Your guest room certainly doesn't get as much use as your bedroom, but that doesn't mean you should skimp when it comes to the linens. Nobody likes cheap, scratchy sheets, and they can contribute to a sleep deficit and irritability. The good news is that you probably only need one set of sheets for your guest room (or maybe two if you plan to host back-to-back guests) so think about selecting a nicer set.

Give your guests the gift of a silk pillowcase that you mean for them to take with them when they leave for home with our Tiara Silks® Aromatherapy Pillowcases. The pillowcase is made of whisper-soft silk charmeuse in a variety of sizes and jewel colors. It comes with a beautifully packaged organza sachet filled with premium aromatherapeutic lavender potpourri that tucks into a hidden pocket inside the pillowcase. The pillowcase folds neatly into a color coordinated cut velvet fabric bag. A wonderful hostess gift and ideal for bridal shower parties. Keep one for yourself to tuck into your suitcase on your next big adventure.

You might also want to look into purchasing a down comforter to keep visitors cozy and warm without having to crank up the thermostat. Comforters come in a variety of weights. We recommend our Essential White Goose Down, All-Seasons-Weight, Comforter, which is filled with white goose down in a weight that will provide year-round sleep comfort.

Consider a Couple of Our Favorite Bed and Bath Amenities

Providing a bed and a bathroom for guests is enough to keep them satisfied, but you can really wow them and show how much you care by going the extra mile when it comes to bed and bath amenities. For example, you can hand a couple of spa-like robes in the closet and set a couple of pairs of hotel-quality slippers by the door, add a vase of fresh-cut flowers to give the room a pleasant scent, or put out aromatherapy candles to turn your guest room into a relaxing retreat. Add a basket with water bottles, snacks, and a couple of delicious cookies and your guests will think they're in heaven.

As for the bathroom, you've probably already got standard toiletries. Think about adding a special treat for your guests to use and then take home like the Opal Wash Makeup Remover Washcloth. Eliminate your guests’ worry about leaving makeup on your towels by providing these deliciously soft, black washcloths.

Little Considerations Go a Long Way

Now that you've got your guests comfortable and sleeping like bears in winter, put some thought into the final touches that will make their stay perfect. For example, you could make an extra house key that allows them to come and go as they please, as well as provide a list of nearby coffee shops, boutiques, and attractions they might want to visit. Consider printing up a card with your WiFi password and leaving it in the guest room. A little forethought can go a long way toward keeping guests happy and relaxed, ensuring a wonderful holiday for all.

We wish you and your guests a great night’s sleep this holiday season and into the new year!