5 Things Every Guest Room Needs

by Penina Taylor and Shoshana Isaacson

Sep 1, 2022 | Advice, Holidays, Home Organization

As we approach the fall holidays, many people are beginning to think about traveling or hosting to spend the holidays with friends and family. In the Jewish world, especially the Torah Observant community, hosting guests is a cultural norm. Since traveling on Shabbat and holidays is prohibited, the only way to spend time with friends or family who do not live within walking distance is to host or be hosted. Whether you live in Jerusalem, New York or London (or any other city for that matter), there’s a good chance that your guest space is at a premium. Whether you have a large home with ample space for guests, or a small apartment with limited space, here are five things that are essential to making every guest room a little more comfortable.

1. A comfortable mattress

In addition to trying out your guest mattresses before buying them, it is important to consider who you will be hosting, as height is as key to comfort as the mattress itself. It’s not a good idea to put mattresses on the floor or a pull-out frame that doesn’t rise if you are hosting parents or grandparents who may have difficulty getting up from a low mattress – and this is important to remember if you are outfitting a guest room with multi-use furniture. Ottomans that fold out to a single bed are fine for teenagers, but your 80-year-old grandmother is another story. Not sure what will work? When shopping for your guest bedroom beds, bring your grandmother or an older friend or neighbor with you to try out all the options; chances are she’ll be the best indicator of the right bed solution for your guest room. If you are relying on a pull-out sofa bed, consider purchasing a mattress topper to add another layer between your guest and the frame.

2. A mirror

Many of us don’t think about the necessity of having a mirror in every room, especially if there’s one in the hallway, and of course there are mirrors in the bathroom. Most bathroom mirrors only show the head and neck area, but even if you have a full-length mirror in your bathroom, guests prefer to know what they look like before leaving the bedroom where they might run into other people. A full-length mirror can be hidden behind the door (or hanging on the back of the door) or even behind a curtain on the wall. If you have a closet (built in or not) you can hang a mirror either on the door, or if you don’t like the way that looks, you can hang it on the inside of the door. Just let your guest know where they can find the mirror when they need it.

3. Wall hooks

You don’t have to clean out space in your closet for a guest who is only staying one night, but they do need a place to hang up clothes that they will be wearing over Shabbat or the holiday. Nobody likes walking to synagogue or showing up at the Shabbat meal looking like they just slept in their clothes. In most cases you can use an over-the-door hanging rack, and even have both the rack and the mirror there. Another option is a row of hooks on the wall. Super limited for wallspace? Even a single peg in the wall will do the job, as long as it’s big enough to support a suit hanger.

4. A clock

Nowadays it’s common for people to use their cell phones as a clock, but sometimes something goes wrong and the phone stops displaying the time, or your guest may not be able to read the phone display without their glasses on in the middle of the night. Or if they’re staying over Shabbat or a holiday, they might have turned off their phone. An old fashioned LED display clock placed strategically in the room will make sure that your guest always knows what time it is.

5. Power strip

Not only does your guest need a place to plug in their phone (and more than one if it’s a couple staying) but they may come with other devices that need to be plugged in which you may or may not be aware of. Some people require a CPAP machine to sleep, or a small personal fan which they will likely bring with them. Providing an electrical strip with at least three places for plugging in will ensure that your guest can plug in their devices without having to announce to you and anyone else in the house that they have this need.

Other things that are nice, but not absolutely necessary to make your guests more comfortable:

Bottles of water – Even if you don’t allow food in the bedrooms, most people need water in the middle of the night at some point, and it’s nice if the guest doesn’t have to get dressed and go down to your kitchen in the middle of the night for a drink.

Towels – Many people don’t like to use hand towels that others have used, so it’s always nice to leave a fresh set of towels in the bedroom for the guest’s use. If they don’t use them, that’s fine, but if they’d prefer to, it’s a nice thing to have.

Shabbat Lamp – If something happens in the middle of the night (you never know) it’s nice to have the ability to have some light in the room. A Shabbat lamp means your guest can adjust the amount of light without having to open the bedroom door, or violate Shabbat.

Extra pillows and blankets – Many people need more than one pillow to sleep comfortably, so having an extra pillow available can ward off an awkward conversation. In the winter, people’s comfort levels for sleeping temperatures can vary widely. There’s nothing worse than being too cold and having a hard time sleeping as a guest. An extra blanket per bed, left either at the foot of the bed or somewhere else in the room will allow the guest to keep warm on a cold winter night.

Side Table – Even a tiny one can be helpful, providing a place for water, tissues, Shabbat lamp and clock or cell phone, within easy reach.

Wig stand – While many women who wear wigs or hats pack a collapsable stand, sometimes they get forgotten.

A nice touch is to have a basket or tray with hotel-sized toiletries. You could include a still-in-its-wrapper toothbrush, a comb, disposable razor. Really anything that someone might have forgotten and may need.

Most guests don’t want to be a burden to their hosts and won’t make any special requests, but thinking of your guests’ needs ahead of time will make the hosting and being hosted experience a positively memorable experience for everyone.

Related Articles

Related