Hotel-Inspired Hacks for a Guest Room No One Will Want to Leave

Hosting guests over the holidays? Take a page from fine hoteliers on how to style and furnish a guest room. With a few simple design and décor tricks, you can create a warm, welcoming guest room that rivals a posh hotel stay.  

Here is how to set up a guest room that your guests won’t want to leave. 

Hotel Design Secrets  

Hotels use a subtle, but effective, multi-sensory strategy to welcome guests, and create a memorable impression, from the lobby and common spaces to inside the guest room itself. 

Special attention is paid to color and texture choices, layered lighting, wow-factor artwork, signature scents and of course— the selection of in-room amenities.   

You can accomplish the same vibe by thinking about who your “target audience” is (i.e. your guests) and considering what they would require to make their stay most comfortable, in much the same way a hotel tailors offerings to its most frequent guests.  

Do you tend to have a single guest, or a few at a time? Do your guests visit for long stays, or just overnight? Will they need to do work during their stay, or have quiet time away from the rest of the household while visiting? Do they have any physical challenges around mobility, or sensitivities to things such as scents, light or materials? 

“Start by considering your most frequent visitors. Think about how the space needs to function, how they’ll move around the room, and what furniture pieces they’ll need to make your home feel like their own,” according to the design team at Dkor Interiors.  

Making the Bed 

The first task when furnishing a sublime guest room is choosing a bed, of course. 

Make sure the mattress is comfortable and in good shape. It’s good practice to rotate and flip it once a season. 

For a bed frame, think about how a frame creates or reduces height. Will guests have to climb up onto the bed, thanks to a high-profile frame, or pull themselves up out of bed, thanks to a low-profile frame? 

Avoid bed frames that are too high or too low, such as platform beds. Big bulky bed frames will eat up space unnecessarily in a smaller room as well, which is wasted space (unless the bed frame also offers storage). 

A good option is a luxe, textured headboard, with a simple bedframe. 

If you frequently host children, choosing bunk beds or a trundle bed is a good choice so families can sleep together in the same room. 

White linens or simple colors are recommended, and designer Kathy Kuo of Kathy Kuo Home  suggests a high-quality cotton material, such as a classic percale.  

“You may find that you don’t need to swap out your guest sheets as often as you do in the primary bedroom, so a versatile color and all-season material is going to be a smarter choice than leaning strongly into summer or winter bedding,” says Kuo. 

Don’t use hand-me-down linens from other rooms for the guest room. If they are no longer desirable for you to sleep at night, your guests' comfort will be diminished too. 

For pillows, err on the side of caution, and choose synthetic-fill pillows instead of down, because of possible guest allergies. Synthetic-fill pillows offer a lot of different profiles, from fluffy to firm.  

Duvets with washable covers are preferable to quilts or bedspreads, because they are easier to clean, which is why this bedding is what you’ll usually find in a higher-end hotel.   

Pro Tip for A Hotel Hack? 

The secret to an extra fluffy hotel-style bed? Fit two duvet inserts inside the duvet cover. It’s like sleeping on a cloud. 

Create Activity-Oriented Space Beyond the Bed 

Guests won’t just be sleeping in the guest room. They need space to read, work and relax, preferably not on the bed. 

Ideally, have a work area tucked off the side, with a stylish secretary desk or small table, with a comfortable chair and dedicated task lighting. 

A tub chair or small recliner is a good spot to curl up with a book. Alternatively, if you have a big window in the guest room, consider a built-in window seat, with storage underneath.  

If you’re short on space, choose a chair with a slim, narrow profile and skip extras like ottomans. 

If you’ve got room, include space for exercise or meditation, with yoga mats, and a selection of small hand weights.  

Must-Have Items in Your Guest Room 

How you furnish and decorate your guest room will ultimately depend on the available space, but beyond a bed, these are the suggestions:  

• A nightstand, ideally one on either side of the bed. Drawers in the nightstand will help with storage needs.  

• A dresser, with at least a few drawers emptied out for your guest to unpack.   

• A TV/entertainment center. If space is an issue, the TV can be wall-mounted or even placed on the dresser.  

• A make-up vanity with lots of drawers will look lovely and offer more storage.  

• Hooks on the walls and on the back of the door will increase the room’s functionality.  

• Guest rooms sometimes are a household catch-all for storage. Having a guest room piled high with “stuff” is going to make your guests like they are carving out their space as an afterthought. Avoid clutter with under-bed storage.  

• A laundry hamper for longer-term guests, who may need to do a wash during their stay. 

Use a Layered Lighting Approach 

The key to creating a welcoming space is layering lighting. This approach is even more important in a bedroom where rest is the goal. Include ambient, task and decorative  lighting. 

Having an overhead fixture as the only source of light is not desirable. It’s too bright for relaxation, and your guest will have to get out of bed to turn it on or off, not ideal when reading in bed, for example.  

A  pretty light fixture on the ceiling will add style and adding a dimmer switch lets your guest control the amount of light they need, while a table or floor lamp casts a softer glow, perfect for nighttime reading 

Choose Calming Colors that Invite Rest  

From whisper-soft neutrals, to dramatic, moody shades, color plays a key role in creating a restful environment for your guests to get their much-needed sleep, particularly if they are staying with you over the busy holiday season. 

Whites, greys, soft pastels, and spa-inspired blues and greens are a good backdrop, with pops of color delivered through accents.  

Fresh flowers lend bright color, and are a thoughtful touch for your guests, a popular item in a guest suite.  

“You can never go wrong with a vase of seasonal florals on the dresser or the bedside table,” says Kuo. 

Creating a Guest room in a Flex Space 

What if you don’t have a spare room to dedicate to a guest room? Look at the space you do have, and creatively look at ways to alter the room’s purpose on demand. The secret to a smooth transition is to have multi-functional furniture that can change the room’s purpose on demand 

“If you’re short on space, consider a comfortable pull-out sofa in the media or family room,” according to the Dekor design team.   

Another option is a Murphy bed, a stylish way to conceal a bed and preserve space in a room intended for another use.   

Nesting coffee or side tables are space savers too, easy to tuck away when it is time to get ready for bed.   

If your home office is also your guest room, “Bring in a smaller bed with a simple frame that you can style as a daybed or alternative to a sofa when not in use as a guest bed. When you have guests staying, simply add sheets, a duvet and bed pillows,” says Kuo.  

Nurseries are also rooms that commonly double for guests. Include transitional furniture in the nursery, such as a neutrally colored trundle bed, which can serve as seating during the day, but offer sleep quarters for guests at night.  

Replicate the Hotel with a Spa-Like Bath  

It’s not just the guest room that should mimic a hotel experience, but the guest bathroom as well. Think spa-like experience, with lightly fragrant, indulgent toiletries and fluffy towels. 

If the guest bath is shared, fill a bath caddy with toiletries, and leave guest towels folded on the guest bed. Make sure there is a hook or bar in the guest room for guests to hang towels on after use. 

The Luggage Rack 

What is a staple in a hotel room? A luggage rack. 

Every guest needs a place to put their luggage or weekend bag. This can be a sturdy luggage rack, a bench, even a side table, ottoman or pouf will do if they’re wide enough. Try to keep it to about knee or thigh height so it’s easy for guests to lift their heaviest items without straining their backs. 

Make the Guest Experience Fun 

Part of making a stay memorable for your guest is making it fun.  

Although neutral colors emit a calming vibe, the guest room is a space where you can experiment with patterns and textures for a touch of whimsy that your guests will appreciate. 

Consider an accent wall,  pretty patterned wallpaper, or statement-making art. It’s even more meaningful (and hotel-like) if the artwork features local scenery or landmarks, or if you feature a local artist or photographer. Write a small description of the piece, with the artist’s name, on a placard hung next to the piece. 

Go the Extra Mile for the Full Hotel Experience 

While the décor is essential to setting the style tone, it is the small touches that will ultimately make your guests feel most welcome.  

Be sure to offer:  

• Water glasses along with bottles of water  

• A local guide, with suggestions for dining, shopping and attractions 

• A clock 

• Bathrobe and slippers  

• A full-length mirror  

• Chargers and charger station  

• Tray for keys and other smaller items  

• Wi-Fi password   

• Reading material  

• Blackout drapery  

Follow these tips and before you know it you’ll want to move into the guest room whenever it’s vacant!