Bringing the Bed & Breakfast to Your Home

Duncan’s Cove Bedroom

Who doesn’t love a getaway? When guests come stay at your home, making your guest room feel like a bed and breakfast is easier than you think! Bringing the bed and breakfast feel to your home doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg.

Here are simple and affordable ways you can get started.

  1. One of the best parts of a bed and breakfast is getting to relax in a fresh and clean room that’s free of clutter. So the first order of business is to declutter and declutter some more. That means all those old magazines in the corner and the storage bins filled with old clothes taking up space needs to go. There’s nothing that will kill the experience and relaxation faster than junk. You’ll want to make sure the room is cleaned every day and that the bed is made up.
  2. Quality bedding is a must-have to simulate the feel of a bed and breakfast. There’s no way your guests will feel totally relaxed on cheap scratchy sheets. Therefore, you’ll want to invest in quality sheets and comforters or duvets with a high thread count. Purchase pretty sheets with a nice pattern that you will love to look at, and will bring your guests joy.
  3. Don’t forget the layers of warmth which will include the fluffy decorator pillows and a blanket or quilt folded at the end of the bed. There’s nothing like sinking into a bunch of comfy pillows at the end of the night. Having a blanket or quilt at the end of the bed will not only add texture, but your guests will appreciate not having to look or ask for additional bedding if they are cold natured. Set the mood by setting up candles, investing up to a faux fireplace or purchasing glowing lampshades.
  4. You’ll want the bedroom to smell really good. Try using a linen spray to freshen up the sheets and the air in the room. Candles can also contribute to a nice smelling guest room. Also, give some thought to the colors that you use to decorate the space because colors can contribute to the mood.
  5. Create a basket filled with essentials your guests may have forgotten at home. This can include toiletries like toothpaste, deodorant, floss and tissue. Think of those things that are too bulky for your guests to travel with, but would be convenient to have during their stay.
  6. Add a decorative tray to the guest bedroom that includes flowers, a bottle of wine and two glasses or whatever treat you’d like to welcome your guests with.

Having a nice guest room will make your guests have a more enjoyable time while visiting. Any personalized touches you choose to add will only make the guest experience even better! That means you’ll want to be surrounded by beauty, peace and quiet.

Tips for Hosting Guests Overnight Like a Luxury Hotel

Having guests over can always be a good time. Whether it is for the holidays, a social gathering, or friends visiting from out of town, you want your home to feel welcoming. The best way to accommodate your guests is to consider what they may need if they were to stay at a hotel. What do hotels provide for their guests? Since hotels have mastered the art of hospitality, using some of their commonly-practiced policies in your own home can make you a guru of hosting guests as well. Here are several tricks you can take from hotels to practice in your own home:

Bedroom Comfort

One of the primary focal points to tackle is the guest bedroom comfort. Many hotels master comfort by using a high-quality mattress, pillows, and even chairs. Make sure your guest room has plenty of pillows, blankets, and seating for your guest. Everyone has their own individual sleeping styles. Adding some extra pillows and blankets can ensure your guests have a comfortable stay.

Restroom Accommodations

When you go to a hotel, many of them will provide you with bathroom essentials. This typically consists of shampoo, soap, and conditioner and sometimes a lotion. These are excellent accommodations to have in your own guest bathroom. Make sure your guests are familiar without how to use your shower system or any questions they may have. It should go without saying but have spare toilet paper and towels readily available as well.

R&R

While you will probably be spending most of the time with your guests, you still want them to be able to get away from everything. Nothing makes people feel more comfortable and at home that some privacy, rest, and relaxation. Provide your guest with the Wi-Fi password as well as any passwords to television streaming services.

Continental Breakfast

You do not need to set up a continental breakfast, but you can borrow the concept. Check with your guest beforehand for food allergies or restrictions. Making breakfast in the morning can eliminate them having to order food. These simple tricks can take your hosting skills to the next level.

Hosting should not be intimidating. Make sure you prioritize your guest’s needs and comfort. You can make your house feel like home to them with some of these simple tricks. For more great tips and tricks, make sure to subscribe.

Cozy Guest Room Doubles as Lounge

cozy-guest-room-doubles-as-loungewIf you have family and friends who enjoy visiting, particularly when the weather is wintery where they live, having a guest room makes everyone feel welcome. But that’s a lot of space to sacrifice for just a few weeks of use a year. Consider using it as an additional lounging space for family members the rest of the time.

This comfy guest room from the Capital model at Seaboard in Cooley Station has everything needed to make a house guest feel right at home. The bed is roomy and set up with a nice quilt and extra pillows and the desk includes a comfy chair for reading or writing smug postcards or Facebook posts to people back home in colder climates. There’s also a nice lamp for reading. The dark brown walls add to the warmth of the room.

Then once your guests are gone, this room can become an extra space for any family member who wants to relax and spend some alone time. Maybe it works for your high-school student who needs to finish a paper or study without distractions or a parent who wants some quiet time before dinner. It might be the right spot for a few of the junior-high set to plan a party or for mom to sit alone while penning a thank-you note to a favorite aunt.

Having an extra space for relaxing, thinking, reading or chatting that’s set a bit away from the rest of the living space can be nice at times. And this guest room is the perfect opportunity to create a room for this type of double duty.

Guest Room Doubles as Personal Retreat

guest room Marquesas

From the Marquesas model at Ironwood Crossing

It’s nice to have a guest room in your home. If you have family and friends back east, it’s great to have a place to invite them so that they can escape the cold winter weather. Or if old friends or family have ended up scattered, it’s easier to encourage visits when you have a special place for them to stay in your home.

But even the busiest guest room has its down times, and that extra bedroom is always prime real estate in your home. So what can you do with the space between visitors? Well, this may be the perfect opportunity to create a special retreat just for you.

Even the most wonderful of families can get overwhelming at times, and this room could be your escape to relaxation. Whether you use it to read, watch your shows on television, take a nap or just sit and think, what a treat to have a room that’s just for you. Here are a couple of suggestions to make it special.

Have a comfy place to sit. This room turned a trundle bed into a day bed with the right kind of frame and pillows. Without eliminating a sleeping space, suddenly a bed is also a sofa, just waiting for you to settle in with a good book and a snack.

Decorate it to your personal taste. Add artwork, colors and accessories that mean something to you. Maybe you have a quilt your grandmother made, hang it on the wall where you can see and enjoy it. Or some mementos from school or special events could find a place in this room. These memories can be shared with guests, making your choices extra special.

Make room for a hobby. Do you like to sew, build models, or paint? Whatever you enjoy doing with your leisure time can be part of your personal space. These things can make your guest room an everyday treat for you rather than a room that stands empty between visitors.

Guest Room Comfort

Corsica Model at Ironwood Crossing 027When you stay at someone’s house, what special features make the guest room memorable? The first and best thing a guest room can offer is comfort. After a day of sight-seeing or socializing with friends or family, it’s a pure pleasure to sink into a bed with a good mattress and a nice selection of pillows. This bed provides extra coziness with the plush bedcovering and plenty of pillows in all shapes and sizes – enough to prop your back against if you want to read in bed.

Have you thought about what guest room amenities you would appreciate? This room, from the Fulton Homes Corsica Model at Ironwood Crossing, offers a nice desk with a comfy chair in case you want to check email on your laptop, phone or tablet. Selecting a transparent desk and lamp keeps them unobtrusive while still functional.

A ceiling fan helps visitors from more temperate climates handle our hot summers in Arizona. And choosing carpet for the flooring will be appreciated by guests who forget their slippers.

To make your guest room more inviting, how about fresh flowers, several books or magazines for reading or just browsing through before bed, a few favorite snacks and some space in the closet for hanging clothes that wrinkle easily. Welcome your guests with a few little touches – if possible tailoring those special features to the personality and preferences of your guest.

So spend some time thinking about what you want in a guest room when visiting, and apply those thoughts to your own guest space. You’ll find that welcome guests enjoy their stay and will visit again.

Cozy Guest Room

With the coldest of winter weather across the country, this is a great time for family and friends to decide to visit Arizona. Our sweater weather is still warm enough for folks from the East Coast to wear shorts, and they are totally unused to sunshine.

Given this, it’s wise to plan a guest room in your home. This room in the Whitewater model in Fulton Home’s Oasis at Freeman Farms community is a good example. A few simple choices can make your spare bedroom a welcoming space that keeps your visitors comfortable. Here are a few suggestions.

Use color: Look for a coverlet and shams in bright colors and lively patterns. This choice warms up a room and provides a strong focal point. Look for bed linen sets that include a duvet, shams, a dust ruffle, sheets and pillowcases. These packages are often on sale, or available with coupons. They also come in a variety of colors and styles so you can find one that appeals to your taste. Choose art that complements the bedding so that the room feels coordinated. It’s also nice to have a mirror in the room.

Provide lighting: This room has two bedside lamps that can be turned off once your guest or guests are in bed. This is particularly important considering that your guests don’t know their way around and you don’t want them wandering in the dark. You may also want to put a nightlight in the room.

Include extras: A chest of drawers and some space in a closet make your guests feel welcome. You may also want to place basic sundries such as travel sizes of shampoo and conditioner, a toothbrush and toothpaste. With just a few touches such as this, your guests will find themselves enjoying more than our warm weather and sunshine.