To ensure your guests feel welcome on arrival, light a candle or use a diffuser, leave out clean towels and a few toiletries, or add a vase of fresh flowers, as shown in the Bohemian bedroom above.
‘You’re creating a hotel feel, which is always a lovely treat,’ says hotelier Julia Hands. ‘Make sure there’s a plug point for chargers and hairdryers too.’
For Julia, it is all about the welcome: ‘As a hotelier, it’s the only chance you have to make sure guests feel instantly relaxed and at home. A hand-written note on the bed always goes a long way, alongside fresh flowers, scented candles, and magazines.’
Interior designer Nicky agrees: ‘It’s the small details that count. As a guest, you want to feel welcome, so arriving in a room that’s been specially prepared for you is wonderful.’
‘It’s the little touches that really make the difference. Calming bedside lights rather than a glaring bright overhead light,’ says Jo James. ‘A carafe of water with glasses on the bedside and a towel on the end of the bed. Storage if guests are staying for longer than one night will help them live in organized harmony. Bathroom spares for forgotten essentials. A flickering candle on a nightstand to relax and aid good sleep, books and magazines to help them wind down well, and a universal phone charger to avoid the dreaded dead battery – these touches will make guests feel welcome as soon as they arrive.’
