by Tierney O'Hara

Created on: July 31, 2010   Last Updated: August 01, 2010

Think of the items found in a sumptuously appointed upscale hotel room which is specifically created and decorated to pamper paying guests.  If you use only some of the items found in posh hotel rooms, you can still give your guests the feel of a luxurious and peaceful place to rest and sleep when they are staying at your home or apartment.

1) Beautiful snowy-white, high-thread count bed linens will give even a second-hand bed a first-class appearance. Press the edges of the pillow cases and the top sheet to give a new out-of-the-package look to your linens no matter how old they might be.

2) If your guests aren’t allergic to feathers, use down pillows and a down comforter to keep them warm and cozy.  Leave extra pillows and blankets in a visible spot so your guests will have access to more warmth or more pillows if they desire.

3) Even a budget hotel room usually has a television, telephone and a radio.  Provide your guests with the above items and they will have ways to occupy themselves in your guest room, call home to friends or family and go to sleep to beautiful music.  If your radio doesn’t have a working clock, include a small travel alarm clock by the bed.  If your guest-room radio also plays CDs, leave a few CDs for your guests to listen to.

4) Splurge for a DVD player and your guests can watch a movie in their room if they want.  Leave a selection of DVDs that include both comedies and dramas.

5) Soft lighting makes a room glow with warmth and comfort.  Overhead lighting alone is too stark for a guest room so add in some additional light sources that can add soft, welcoming light to the room. Leave a stack of books and magazines for your guests to read as they wait for sleep or to peruse during the day.

6) Place soft plush area rugs on guest-room, hardwood floors or choose carpeting that will feel good on bare feet to give your guest that extra special softness to experience when they get up in the morning.

7) Tissues, candy, gum, and breath mints are little extras that equip your guests with some common items they may need or want but have not packed in their suitcases.

8) Pure white spa robes and adjustable Velcro spa slippers are lovely additions to any guest room, as is a college dorm-sized refrigerator stocked with a few snacks and beverages including bottled water - just like one finds in a high-end hotel room.

9) Place a fruit bowl on the dresser with an assortment of colorful fresh fruits and spoil your guests with a bottle of wine and two sparkling clean wine glasses (plus wine opener) in case they want a night cap alone in their room.

10) Amuse and impress your guests by leaving a menu for the following day with a few choices for their breakfast.  This is easy to do on the computer and they can check off whether they want pancakes, scrambled eggs or muffins for example. Tell them to leave the menu outside the door when they go to bed so you can pick it up in the morning without disturbing your guests. You can also make a "Do Not Disturb" sign and hang it on their bedroom doorknob just for fun.

Few people can or will provide all these extravagances, but even just one or two of these special touches will make your guests feel totally pampered and loved.

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