Make Guests Feel at Home

There's more to being a great hostess than food, of course. During the holidays, everyone feels a little spent, so it's important to make sure the guest room can be a restful getaway. Here are a few tips for making your home the best hotel in town.

• Place nightstands with reading lamps on both sides of the bed.
• Have an extra chair, side table, and other storage space available so your guests can really settle in and feel at home.
• If you can, clean out a space in the closet, too.
• Have a nice variety of pillows (soft, firm, down, hypo-allergenic) and blankets (light cotton to heavy wool) on hand.
• Flowers, a portable CD player, or even a small television are nice touches.
• Don't overschedule your guests -- give them the option of resting or touring about town on their own for a bit.
• Purchase any special foods, like cream for coffee, that you know your guests prefer.
• Show guest how to find their way around your kitchen in case they are up late at night or early in the morning.