Will you be entertaining guests this holiday season? Family, relatives and friends could be flying across the globe to pay their loved ones a long-awaited visit. But, playing host can make the best of us nervous. Ultimately, you'll want to gift them an experience akin to a home away from home.
How should I prepare for overnight guests?
Stress not. With a few pointers in mind, you can become the talk of the town with your hosting skills. According to our home organising expert, who often hosts family from Canada, it all begins with anticipating your guests' needs.
"First and foremost, check whether you can accommodate them for those dates. Once you can invite them over, think about all the experiences you had when travelling that made you feel at home. You can use these to make them feel at ease in their space," said Alexandra Loepp, a luxury home organiser and the founder of The Orderly Luxe in Dubai.
The next step is to deep clean and declutter the house, including the entrance and the guest or spare room where you'll be hosting your loved ones. Make a note of any dietary restrictions and allergies beforehand, and then stock the fridge accordingly, says Loepp.
"If you know your guests' food preferences, such as diet over regular soda, it's nice to keep these in mind. It's so they don't have to ask you for things, in case they feel that they're in the way," she added.
What items are needed for the guest bedroom?
As for the guest bedroom, we'll naturally dress the space with fresh sheets, blankets, flowers and the best decoration pieces in the house. However, a room that's nice to look at isn't necessarily functional as well.
"If you want to make the room beautiful, make sure you also keep practicality in mind. Things like extra lamps, a reading chair, a bench for unpacking luggage comfortably, a first aid kit and such can elevate their stay," advised Loepp.
A rookie host can start out by grouping items under major areas of the room. They'll want to narrow down essentials for the bathroom, bed space and snack corner. Loepp shares her own list of thoughtful must-haves, which also considers the needs of jetlagged, international guests.
Once the stay is complete, and you've bid adieu to contented friends and family, don't lock the guest room till the next season. "Keep the room functional throughout the year - it could become an extra office space for work or for the kids to do their homework. But, make sure it's maintained so that you don't have to rush when unexpected visitors arrive," said Loepp.
In the event that you don't have room to spare, invest in a pull-out bed and dividers to quickly transform the living room. Without further ado, here's our curated shopping list for the eager host planning to welcome visitors overnight. You'll find electric kettles to mini fridges for the summer guest in here.
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1. Best Electric Kettle: Clikon 1.7-Litre Electric Kettle
Pros
- Temperature control knob
- Large 1.7-litre capacity
- Real-time temperature display
- Never boils on a dry kettle
- Spout filter
Cons
- Detachable lid
A snack station is incomplete if it can't whip up a hot cup of coffee or tea. Add an electric kettle to a corner of the room that's stocked with instant coffee sachets and tea bags. Offering evaporated or canned milk is a smarter option, too, since guests won't have to venture out to look for milk, if the host doesn't have a mini fridge, says Loepp. Clikon's electric kettle has been our best pick of its kind for a smart temperature control knob. This means visitors can tweak how hot they'd like their morning coffee, from 40 to 100 degrees Celsius. Reviewers find the variable temperature especially helpful with preparing baby milk. It also has all the basic safety features, such as auto-shut off and boil-dry protection. If you'd rather opt for a separate coffee machine, check them out here.
Warranty: The manufacturer offers a two-year warranty.
2. Best Luggage Rack: Winsome Remy Shelf Luggage Rack, Cappuccino
Loepp finds that a luggage rack can really add a touch of hotel-like luxury to the room. Having an elevated structure reserved for unpacking goes to show how you rather not have guests crouching to retrieve their belongings from the floor. We've gone for a double-tier luggage rack by Winsome, which is inclusive of a slatted shoe rack, as well. Its thick nylon straps can take on bags weighing up to 34kg. This two-in-one piece of furniture folds up easily for storage, without any disassembly needed, so it can slide under the bed or between shelves. Five-star reviews confirm how sturdy the rack is for holding larger suitcases, and call it a luxurious addition to the guest bedroom, thanks to the rich cappuccino wood.
3. Best Mini Fridge: Hisense 60-Litre Compact Single Door Refrigerator, Silver
Pros
- Adjustable thermostat
- Can store two-litre bottles
- Quiet performance
- Door can be adjusted to open from the right or left
Cons
- Wider than most mini fridges
There's nothing more welcoming than opening a mini fridge and finding it stocked with your favourite refreshments, especially after a long flight. Hisense's 60-litre refrigerator has the ideal capacity for storing your guests' daily eatables and drinks. It can hold up to two-litre soda bottles in the door. Depending on their preference, they can manually adjust the thermostat so that their water isn't ice-cold. Reviewers purchase one for their own rooms, saying it cools really well and looks good doing it, too. It's also quiet enough not to disturb your sleeping visitors.
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Warranty: The manufacturer offers a one-year warranty. Amazon offers a one-year extended warranty for Dh29, two years for Dh41, and a one-year accidental damage protection for Dh33.
4. Best Day Bed: Kings Brand Furniture Roll-Out Trundle Bed, Twin Size
Consider an extra sleeping space in the form of a day bed or a pull-out couch. You could be revamping the kids' bedroom to accommodate guests, and children can always make use of another bed. This twin-sized rollout bed frame from Kings Brand Furniture is fixed with castor wheels. The tubular metal slats can support a weight of up to 226kg. It's the perfect bed for young guests, say reviewers. Others slide it out from under their child's full-sized bed to make room for visitors staying over. Even with the mattress and bedding in place, it's low enough to roll under.
Bonus: Buy with 0% instalments and pay Dh76.09 for 12 months with select banks.
5. Best Sleeping Aid: Dreamegg White Noise D3 Pro Sound Machine
Pros
- Plays 29 sounds, including white noise and nature sounds
- 12-hour battery life
- Works plugged in, too
- Loops seamlessly without pauses
Cons
- Stops playing if battery runs out, despite being plugged in
A white noise machine is Loepp's number-one recommendation for sleep. "It's especially helpful if you have guests adjusting to different time zones. This also allows for the rest of the household to continue with their activities and not worry about waking their guests," she explained. The D3 Pro by Dreamegg has seven different types of white noise, 15 nature sounds and seven fan sounds. It's an all-rounder sleep aid for the entire family. Keep the unit charged, so that your visitors can use it cordless right away for 12 hours. Mums and dads are impressed with how quickly it calms their little one down. Others have drowned out ambient sounds, like snoring, thanks to the seamless looping of each sound bite.
6. Best Universal Adapter: OWNIT 35.5W PD Travel Adapter
Pros
- Compatible with over 150 countries
- Supports UK, EU, AU and US plugs
- Three USB-A and two USB-C ports with fast charge
Cons
- Makes a static noise when charging, per reviews
For loved ones flying in from different continents, there's a good chance that UAE power outlets may be incompatible with their electronics. Loepp makes available universal travel adapters on each side of the bed, to solve the problem ahead of time. We featured the Ownit 35.5-watt adapter in our travel essentials list, which not only powers devices but charges them, too. There are five USB ports in total, three USB-A and two USB-C, one of which supports PD (Power Delivery). It covers power outlets from more than 150 countries, with plugs used in the US, EU, Australia and the UK. Buyers confirm fast charging and like that it has some weight to it, unlike other adapters.
7. Best Hair Dryer: BaByliss Hair Dryer
Pros
- Powerful motor at 2,400W
- Ionic anti-frizz technology
- Lightweight and quiet
- Attachments include two ultra-thin nozzles and a diffuser
Cons
- Both slim nozzles are nearly identical
Stocking up on toiletries, such as hand soap, shampoo, conditioner and razors, is a given. But, what might slip your mind is a spare hair dryer for the guests. Pick up this travel-sized hair dryer by BaByliss, which features an Italian salon motor. It has two heat settings and two speed controls with a cold button to set any styling. The dryer releases conditioning ions to tame frizz and enhance shine. Your guests are getting a click-on diffuser attachment as well, for gently drying curls. According to users, the hair dryer is a decent styling tool for everyday use, adding that it takes less than five minutes to finish the process.
8. Best Room Fragrance: Cocorrína Reed Diffuser (Clean Linen)
Gift them the scent of freshly washed linen sheets, every time they enter the room. Loepp says you can either spray the bedding down with linen spray or keep a scented candle for use. For a subtler touch, we find this clean linen-scented reed diffuser a lovely option, as well. Cocorrina's fragrance diffuser is composed of fresh laundry, crisp air and lily of the valley notes. The six pure cotton sticks release perfume for up to 90 days. Our favourite part is the luxurious glass bottle the fragrance comes in, along with a bunch of real baby's breath flowers, all of which double as decor. Reviewers say it smells exactly like a new pile of clean clothes. Some reserve the reed diffusers for the bathroom, adding that the scent freshens up the bedroom as well.
9. Best Towel Set: Safi Plus Store 6-Piece Towel Set
You might have spare towels in the laundry, but consider a set of fluffy Turkish towels. Made from cotton grown in the Aegean region of the country, the towels have an absorbent density of 600 GSM (grams per square meter), meaning they soak up water faster than most. In this set, there are two bath towels, two hand towels and two washcloths. Reviewers assure that the towels don't bleed in the washer and dry like new.
10. Best Bathroom Accessory: IMAVO Bathroom Accessories Set, 6-Piece
When it comes to decking the guest bathroom, the shopping list can add up quickly. Offer the wallet some relief and opt for a matching bathroom accessory set. In this six-piece plastic kit, you're getting a toothbrush cupholder, a mouthwash cup, a lotion dispenser, a soap dish, one dustbin and a closed toilet brush. According to reviewers, the set holds up well against infrequent use, so it's perfect for the guest bathroom. Its matte finish gives it a luxe appearance, too.
11. Best Toiletry: Ur-Excellent Individually Wrapped Toothbrush, 40 Count
Bulk buy individually wrapped toiletries to save on expenses in the long run. This pack contains 40 pairs of soft-bristle toothbrushes and a tiny tube of toothpaste. They're elegantly designed, too, so the toothbrushes will fit right in with the aesthetic of the bathroom. Nearly every reviewer mentions picking the setup for travel or guest use. It even receives approval from dental professionals. Add travel-sized beauty products in a basket for a visitor who's forgotten their pouch.
Our recommendations are independently chosen by Gulf News editors. If you decide to shop through links on our website, we may earn an affiliate commission, as we are part of Amazon Services LLC Associates Program.
