I'm a self-appointed expert host with some tips of my own.

1) Wash bedding and thoroughly clean all common rooms and private areas that guests will use. I once slept on a pillow that smelled of the owner's fondness for garlic, was put in a room that had crushed cockroaches hiding among the dust bunnies, and showered in a bathroom that had a giant poop stain on the shower curtain (no lie) and mildew thick enough to hold forest creatures on the wall. I'm not anal, but c'mon!

2) Have food. Good food. Gauge what the person likes to eat and drink BEFORE they visit by asking questions and make certain that you have really yummy snacks and food at hand for late-night munching. Don't chintz on these things and don't attempt to force folks to eat in the same manner that you do. When folks are vacationing, they don't always want to eat "what's good for them" and you ALWAYS want to be known as "the friend with the good stuff."

True story: I once stayed with a close friend out in the middle of nowhere who thought I drank too much coffee and wanted to teach me a lesson. I barely held my tongue, being a caffeine junkie, when I noticed that there was a coffee maker, but no coffee. Instead of beating them senseless with the coffee maker, I made sure that we stopped at a grocery store later that day for coffee and loaded up a beer stein of it the next morning, which I slurped with loud oohs and ahhs, much to their chagrin. Keep your lessons to yourself when someone's staying at your home. Unless it's an issue that will affect your health or your house, it's not an argument worth having while someone's on vacation.

3) Make an extra set of keys, show folks how to lock up things and how appliances or special-delicate items that they might use work. And keep your cell phone charged and on at all times during their visit in case there's an emergency when you separate.

This all seems like common sense to me, but you'd be surprised.

4) Have extra toiletries available in non-offensive forms (It also helps if you let folks know that you'll have good toiletries ahead of time so that they don't have to lug this stuff on the plane.) I keep an extra toothbrush and all my airplane-sized hypoallergenic soaps for this very reason, but I also have "nice" toiletries available if they want to indulge. I make it clear where everything is, too, so that they don't have to ask. Bottom line: No one wants to use that one bar of soap with hair on it in your shower, so keep out the good stuff.

5) About the bed: I'm a "hot sleeper," which means that I need something like 50 blankets in order to fall asleep. Please provide enough blankets. It ain't prison. Also, I've tested many couches, airbeds, and friends beds. If you're going to get an airbed, which I highly suggest because they're cleaner than permanent furniture, pack away, and can be resold easier, splurge on one that's high enough to be a good two feet or more off the floor and one that has a fleece or fabric area on top so that sheets don't slide around. Your guests will be in heaven after a long day of traipsing. You'll also want one that specifically mentions "fast inflation and deflation." Prices are around $70 for these, but they're worth it. Ikeea also makes chair beds if you're still set on permanent furniture for small spaces, but they're extremely uncomfortable past a day's visit and twice as much money and only attractive for about a week in your home.

6) And last, and my personal motto on being a host: Barring financial reasons, go where your guests want to go, without complaints, and within reason. It's not your vacation/trip to a new(ish) city, it's theirs.

I think having a place for the guest's suitcase or things makes a huge difference. I clear out a shelf in my linen closet for my guest's foldables and make a space for their hanging things. I also provide some shelf space in the bath. That way we aren't falling all over each other's junk. I live in 534 sq ft, and you have to go through the master to reach the bathroom. Making out a sleep/bath schedule is crucial as is providing a small nightlight in both hall and bath so a middle of the night bathroom trip by guests doesn't intrude on my sleep. I found a loveseat sofa bed that opens as a double. It's been a lifesaver. I also put aside a book I've been dying to read so if I find I have to retire early for an earlybird elderly parent to get to sleep, I am not tossing and turning and fuming in my own bed. It also helps to do dishes immediatelyafter eatng and spend a few minutes tidying up daily, or the mess can overwhelm.

Two musts for our visitors:
1) I always wash our spare sheets between guest visits, but sometimes the sheets sit in the closet for a while before they're used again. I like to put a dryer sheet or two in with the clean guest sheets when I store them so the next time we make the bed for guests they still smell as if they were just washed.
2) I also like to clear a small space in the closet for our guests and provide them with 3-4 empty hangers. It's nice to give guests a spot for hanging items and it keeps the apartment clutter free as they're not draping clothing and jackets over chairs in the living room/guest room.

I would also add to tell your guests about the finicky aspects of your home. Guests should know if it takes a while for the water to get hot, or that a door sticks.

I been on both sides of the fence and I don't care to detail the places that I've stayed where people's lack of cleanliness definitely raised concerns. I prefer to stay in a hotel and would not impose. Also I used to host people in my home (in-laws and so-called friends) at my time and expense. I would offer them a clean place to stay, cook fresh meals (very nice ones), visit the farmer's market in preparation, etc., and even going so far as to bake home baked goods and pies and basically accomodating their likes, dislikes, etc. I would chauffeur them around accomodating what they would like to see acting in short like their B&B host and tour guide. Never again! The door is closed. I no longer host guests and the reason for that is because of how thoughtless and selfish I thought they were. In short they were very poor guests. It's very disruptive to accomodate people in your home, especially if they act and behave like miserable ingrates. I'm sorry to say that the people that wound up being the absolute worst were the one's with kids, with the attitude that all revolves around them. Never again.

I agree with PI wholeheartedly! I used to live in a great 1940's apartment and the toilet required about 7 minutes between flushes! It would not be good for guests to not realize this and it allowed us to plan our bathroom time so everyone had some bathroom privacy.
In my current house, the door on our spare room didn't close well and my brother-in-law stayed with us for about a month between houses. I warned him before he moved his things in and we made sure that it closed well enough to STAY closed even though it didn't latch.

I try to not stay with family unless it's parents or very familiar family members. I would feel like I was imposing if I stayed with extended family members. We host family once in a while and we definitely don't mind hosting, but our family members aren't nightmares :)

Wow, there are some bitter people out there. I don't know if I would be friends with someone who I couldn't theoretically put up with in my house for a couple days. Perhaps attempt to make some more considerate friends?

I absolutely love having friends and family stay, and I love staying with them when I'm visiting their town. To try and make their stay at my apartment a good one, I take mental notes every time I stay at someone else's house about what I wish I had available without needing to ask (a light next to the bed, a comforter, towels) and make a point to put these things out in an obvious fashion. I would never want anyone to feel like they could either dig through my closets or freeze all night. So even though right now my guest bed is an aero bed on the floor in the "office", I make sure everything I would want at someone else's house is readily available. I set up a little bed side table with a milk crate and an oversized book, with a little lamp. A pile of extra blankets sit on the chair, and i put the towels out on my cleared off desk.

Clean is just an obvious thing, but you certainly don't mention the less than cleanly place if you're the guest!

As an asthma sufferer, I would actually prefer sheets & towels that haven't been freshly laundered if you use strongly scented detergent and *especially* dryer sheets or fabric softener, which are the bane of my existence.

Having a few good books out, especially if you know your guests' taste, can be very welcoming.

I would never DREAM of putting sheets on a guest bed that were not freshly washed. I'm in shock to find out that other have a different philosophy. I recently thought I was helping out a host by balling up my sheets and placing them in the laundry room at the end of my visit. She promptly folded them and said that since they had only been slept on once she could use them again. Seriously??...is it just ME???

We don't have a guest room. Only rarely has a friend slept on the couch. I suppose we could get an air mattress and let the in-laws stay with us rather than getting a hotel, but (a) if you can easily afford a hotel, why would you want to sleep on an air mattress in someone's den?? (b) I'm afraid having indoor pets [that can't be shut out like you could do with a real guest room] would be imposing.
Personally, I would always rather stay in a hotel than anyone's house, guest room or not. It's a privacy thing for me.

Sheesh. I'm a bit surprised by some of the comments here - the original post/article led me to expect a cogent discussion of how to entertain overnight guests in a small space. The more snarky comments are useful nonetheless, inasmuch as they remind me that hospitality should be a profound gesture of the heart and a thoughtful gift of time to someone I care about, rather than a spasm of anxious pandering to overweening visitors.

I'm quite lackadaisical with guests - they offer to shop, do housework, cook, and I accept. As a guest my only requirements are good coffee in the morning, and shower with good water pressure.

@ Jacquielin, I think some folks are very sensitive to "invading" and some aren't; some folks are fastidious in their cleanliness, some aren't. I generally accept acquaintances for who they are, not how they clean. That being said, when hosted one learns all sorts of things about folks that one never knew, including their sometimes lack of sensitivity. I've noticed that those who were raised with strict parents tend to be hyper aware of manners, habits, etiquette, etc. Personally, I was told to respect others' spaces and to always think from the perspective of "what can I do," as you appear to also do, so it comes easy for me. But I can't assume that it does for everyone--thus, the suggestions on what to and what not to do above. There should be a corresponding article on how to be a perfect guest in a small space. I completely understand gardenmuse's response. I've been privy to ungrateful guests, too. The emphasis always seems to be on the host, but guests have a responsibility to be gracious and considerate, as well, and there are a whole set of "rules" they should be aware of when being hosted, like paying attention to how the host hosts. I don't think anyone mentioned the cleanliness factor to their hosts on here, but no, I wouldn't mention it unless it was a friend in which those sorts of things were OK to mention. As gardenmuse did, one just decides to stay somewhere else the next time.

I really feel that if you're close enough to some one that they'll stay on the sofa in your small space then you're close enough to trust that they'll respond truthfully if you say 'do you have enough blankets' or 'would you like a book'. What's the point to all this scurrying about trying to guess what they may or may not need when they arrive? I don't see what's wrong with having to ask, unless of course you put people in a situation where they have to ask for the proper basics like towels or something but if that's the case then you really shouldn't be having people to stay at all. I personally would find it a bit weird if I was going to stay on a friend's sofa or floor and they'd laid it out like a hotel. There's being thoughtful and then there's being over the top and I think some of these suggestions (hand selecting books to lay out??) stray a little into the manic.

If I invite someone to stay with me, I will clean, stock food, entertain etc. as that's what a host should do. What annoys me are people who are coming to my city for another event or on THEIR vacation, want a place to stay (for free) and then expect me to have food, entertain them and even take days off from work while they are here. I hardly make an effort for those folks anymore.

We love to have guests and specifically sought out a home where they could be comfortably accommodated. We reserve our 2nd floor of our two story 1500 square foot home for guests. They get the master suite: large bedroom, bed, futon for kids, empty nightstands, reading lights, empty dresser, empty cedar chest, a place to hang clothing, a full bath with 2 sinks, and a Juilet balcony. They are free to come and go and use the kitchen and laundry as they need. Before we had this home, we would sleep in our daughter's room and give our nicer bedroom to our guests. In that home, we all had to share the one bathroom, but we would clear shelves for our guests belongings. Of course they get clean sheets, towels and rugs. We also have local guide books, maps and information about local activities in their room. Besides these items we prefer to not clutter the guest area for the sake of our visitors. When we stay with friends and family, we are always most comfortable if we have a designated space for our things, access to a full bath, and a space to just be when we need down time. I wish more of our hosts would offer their master bedrooms and baths to us instead of us sleeping in the living room downstairs and sharing the kids' bathroom upstairs or making do with a half bath, but we also want to model gracious behavior for our child so that she will be a gracious guest and host someday.

I think it's obvious by the posts that there are people who (happily) are hosts and people who are not.

If you have a small space, and you expect company that would be difficult to host, put them up in a cheap hotel and let them come over to visit as if they lived in town. They have their privacy, you keep your sanity, and you are not responsible for their comfort. (There are considerate guests and creeps!)

When we built our house, we managed to create a guest room (the smallest bedroom) which has a full bath next to it. Because of the layout, we added a door so that these two rooms can be closed off to become a suite. I use the room most of the time for storing my craft materials and sewing, but apart from limited space in the closet and dresser, someone could stay there for a fairly long time with comfort and privacy. We had one friend who was getting divorced use the room for a few weeks until his apartment became ready, no problems. But anybody who stays more than one or two nights is treated like family -- they are expected to fend for themselves some of the time, do their own laundry, buy their own meals out (we don't cook at home much), and so on. If they want to play tourist, they can -- we only go along if we feel like it.(We have jobs and lives of our own, after all, and they don't go on hold when someone visits.) No resentments on either side, no expectations -- everyone knows where they stand. It works for us.

(We keep the spare tooth brushes and past our dentist gives us each checkup, towels, soap, shampoo, disposable razors, a blow dryer, antacids, headache meds, and whatever else we can think of somebody might want on hand in the bathroom, and let guests know that most other things are in a hall closet which they are free to raid at will. Also set out breakfast things, including K-cups and instructions for using the Keurig on the counter in case they get up earlier than us.)

The only time we entertained house guests in our one bedroom apartment was when the beau's parents came into town. They stayed in the bedroom and we moved ourselves into the living room. Surprisingly the trip went very smoothly, except waking up to find the dog sleeping on the couch...not sure how long he had been doing that before he got caught.

@rexrayfan I also always wash sheets before the guest arrive and again when they leave, especially those who take morning showers, meaning they went to went to bed unwashed with a day's worth of fun stuff. I love hosting friends, though it helps to have super-considerate friends who insist to treat you to dinners.

Anyone have any suggestions for a comfortable air mattress? We're looking at purchasing one for guests, and are having trouble figuring out if the expensive ones are actually worth it. If anyone has one they love, please share!

@Sherrybinnh, Agreed. I think there's some confusion in the thread, though, as the original question posted by the article's author was "What are some of your tips for hosting overnight guests in a small space?" All of these tips (and opinions) seem valid to me, whether it's the guest who mentioned "why bother; it's too much trouble to scurry about guessing..." or the guest who suggested "adding special touches to make others feel at home" or the guest who added "I think folks need to remember what hospitality is." They are all just ideas/tips/opinions that speak to the original questions and observations posted by the author. I'm actually somewhat confused by the "why are people being so opinionated" observations, because the answers don't sound unduly snarky or mean to my ears, just thoughts on the subject of hosting in a small space and hosting, period, from various experiences--and all highlighting the points brought up by the author. I actually thought many of them fine ideas. I love hosting and take great pride in doing it in a loving, thoughtful manner. (I wouldn't not be able to, having "were you raised in a barn?" as a backnote thanks to my parents). I host often and have come to be known as someone to stay with because I take great pride in it. It's not everyone's cup of tea to be so anal about it, no, but those points on why it's not are just as welcome to me. I just take it as learning how to be a better guest. Speaking of spare toothbrushes from the dentist--I do the same! I also pick up product samples when I can that I tell my guests to use freely. And airplane-sized products are obscenely cheap and take up very little space. There's not much one can do in a small space, so little things like that make it welcoming without going completely out of one's way. Like you, I also set things out so that folks don't have to go digging. One good tip that I just did on the last friends' visit two months ago was to pack little Ziploc baggies of snacks and keep them ready to go on the counter. People can grab them at any time and you're not crowding any limited space with boxes and such. It especially came in handy on day trips walking around the city and saved money on unnecessary in-between stops for food.

@ Rosie, I have the queen-sized Intex raised downy bed that's available online at Target. It's a great air bed for the price, inflates in two minutes, tops, deflates in about five. It comes out of the box ready to go and is super easy to operate. So far I've had several couples and singles sleep on it and give it the A+ rating. It's super comfortable, high off the floor, and roomy enough to feel like a real bed. Two drawbacks: It takes up quite a bit of floor-space once inflated, but you may not need a queen size; and it's impossible to get back in the box once used. Luckily they provide a fleece storage bag, but even deflated it's a good three or four feet width across and heavy. You'll want to make certain it'll be stored in a dry and pest-free place because it'll be in cloth bag.

Personally, depending on who it is, we give up our bedroom and treat that as the guest room and camp out in our living room. That way we know they are on nice sheets, a comfy bed, have privacy and have a place to stash their luggage. For a short visit, we get to enjoy feeling like it is a slumber party in the living room, but I probably wouldn't recommend it for a longer visit.

I would never expect someone to give up their master bedroom for me as a guest, and I'm pretty sure I would be too uncomfortable to consider taking a host up on it if offered.

My husband and I have a one-bedroom apartment, so whoever stays with us is on the futon in the living room. One problem I've run into is if we have guests stay during the work week. Since I wake up pretty early, I make sure everything I need is prepared the night before. That way, I only have to grab my stuff before heading out the door.

I hosted my sister, her husband, and 3 children in my studio apartment for 3 days in Manhattan. The trick was spending a lot of time OUTSIDE the apartment. And adults committing to going to bed early!

We now have a small (8x10 foot) dedicated guest room in our house, but when we lived in a tiny apt (2 bedroom, but only 450 sq ft) we would wedge a full sized aerobed into the small bedroom (normally an office) for guests so they could have a private room. Only problem was, when the bed was inflated the door could only open about a foot! Still, it was nice being able to host friends in town and even give them some privacy. Parents opted for hotels, though - don't blame them!

Here's a cool tip for someone with limited space.

I have small space. The bedroom is big enough to accomodate a queen bed. I bought a twin size mattress at Ikea (about 4 to 5 inches thick). I bought it on sale in the clearance area for less than $100. Whenever it's not in use, I store it horizontally and use it as a headboard. You can get different twin fitted sheets and change the look as you often as you like. Works great for reading and watching tv.

It's not the fanciest of things...but it works.

When guests come over, just plop it on the floor.

Wish there were more comments with tips! We have a guest room for the first time and i LOVE having people over... The essentials for guests in my book are --

checking for allergies/intense dislikes before you stock the fridge (a simple "do you eat everything" e-mail works),
fresh towels and sheets,
laundry bag or basket,
fresh soap or soap dispenser,
extra house key with "locking up" instructions
and a piece of paper taped to the fridge listing what's in the fridge (so they can help themselves without feeling shy, esp if you cooked for them).

And of course my idol Martha says to leave instructions for all appliances and TV, and a basket of house slippers. Next time, Martha.

Lovely post; you must be a great host and a great friend.

I think the most important thing is to clarify expectations. You prepare differently for a guest you are merely housing while they see the city than you do for a guest you will actually be hosting, entertaining, etc. (Recently had someone I thought was the former turn out to be the latter -- I cherish her as a friend, but I have a work deadline breathing down my neck, and if I'd known she expected us to go out every day and every evening, I'd have told her to postpone the trip.) Simply knowing what expectations are on both sides prevents a lot of hurt feelings. Don't hesitate to ask people what they need/want/expect, or to speak up for yourself!

Definitely explain oddities of the living space, security systems, etc. Err on the side of overkill. If there's something complicated about the security code or the internet password, write them down!

Get some mutual understanding of bedtimes and waking times. IMHO it's bad manners to act like your guests' jailer, but it's perfectly okay to ask for a sense of whether they'll be back at 8 p.m. or 3 a.m. -- and, if the latter, to explain just how quiet they're going to have to be when they come in.

I totally second the comment about having hangers/a drawer/some space available to guests for their clothes. Nobody likes living out of a suitcase. It drives me nuts when I visit people who have a full guest room, complete with walk-in closet and chests of drawers -- all of which is totally filled with their overflow junk. Just a drawer and space for a few hangers works fine!

Be flexible. Have fun. And it goes without saying -- remember everything that annoyed you about being a host when you are next a guest.

These are great tips. We've been hosting for 5 years without an official guest room and you're absolutely right about all of these tips. Thanks for sharing!

I like to put local maps, guidebooks, visitors' bureau propaganda and magazines/papers nearby so our guests can get the "lay of the land" and perhaps pick out some restaurants, stores, or activities they'd like to experience. If it's appropriate, sending links beforehand helps people get in the mood and think about what they want to do. I'm a planner, but realize not everyone wants to schedule every single minute, so I try to schedule in 10 minutes of rest time now and then. ; )

Because we live in a hot climate, we make sure to have water bottles for our guests, labeled with their name. And extra hats and sunscreen.

We're not big snackers ourselves, but putting in a supply of things like pre-prepped fruit, cheese cubes, crackers, etc. that are grab'n'go can help tide people over if eating schedules get out of whack.

I also have a folding clothes rack for guests to use that can also be used to help screen off the makeshift bedroom we set up for them. We also got a folding room divider that can be used for privacy.

Hmm, well, this post went a little differently. My take is that it really goes both ways. Hosts aren't always in the situation to provide three meals a day, a guest bedroom, closet space, a drawer, etc. And guests aren't always in the situation to afford a hotel room. I think hosts and guests need to have a very clearly defined set of expectations before they become hosts and guests.

I've found that when I've had guests stay in my one-bathroom apartment, they appreciate having a clean towel that doesn't match my regular ones. That way, they always know which one is theirs!

I also have to make sure they have a place to hang it. Sounds obvious, but I've stayed places where I've been given a clean towel, but then find that all the towel racks are currently occupied by other towels! I then have to find a place to hang it--usually off a doorknob. As a result, when I host guests, I try to remember to remove a towel from one of the towel bars so it's obvious where the guest should hang hers.

With a foreign husband who missed his family and friends a lot, we have entertained a lot of people in our small, one bedroom apartment. Other then the things mentioned above, we had done one very simple, but superuseful thing that made their stays better for everyone: we put a few small hooks in the (beams of the) ceiling of our living room (in the same colour as the the beams so you wouldn't normally notice them), and then when guests came to stay, at bedtime we'd hang pre-made IKEA curtains on those hooks. In the morning we'd simply fold up the curtains and put them back in the drawer. That way, although they were staying in our living room, at least for the night and especially in the morning, they felt like they had a bit more privacy. Most of our guests could easily afford hotels, but often chose to stay with us instead, even when they were on work trips! I guess my excellent cappuccinos - I am a coffee snob - in the morning also helped :-)

@polyrevenge, the people who were unclean I didn't mention it too as I think it would be very rude, but I also avoided staying with them again too. I'm one of those people who is sensitive to "invading" another person's space. I was taught as you were to respect others' spaces, but I don't assume that other people feel the same. The fact is you can be good to others and they will not reciprocate in kind. And I can't agree more with your response that there should be a corresponding article on how to be a good guest, not only in a small space, but just in general. When I wrote that response I was thinking of a couple in particular--the wife who spent a lot of time complaining about everyone, and about her husband when he was out of ear shot. She never thanked me for anything and worse yet, when I became very sick they didn't offer to get a hotel. I contrast their behavior with that of another cherished friend who knows of these situations and doesn't judge me. In fact, when he comes for a visit, despite my offer to stay at our place he makes arrangements to stay at a hotel, because like me he is sensitive to others and their need for privacy. He also doesn't want to impose. He also, in stark contrast to the one's that I immediately thought of, demonstrates appreciation for what I do, always acknowledging how considerate I am and in fact always tells me how easy I am to be with. So yes, I do agree guests have a responsibility. One isn't going to enjoy being a host if one is confronted by guests behaving badly. Sometimes people really are not in a situation to host others either and people should not expect it or try to bully them into accomodating them either. Thanks for your comment. You sound like a lovely host.

A sofa doesn't have to be a day bed to sleep a guest - our ikea kivik three seater is easily bigger than a twin bed and just as comfy.

The nice thing about only hosting former college roommates is that the only thing you need is wine.

I had my family (8 people) stay in my tiny 560sqft apt. I agree the key is stay outside, spend the day out & about by the time we got home everyone was sleepy and happily crawled into their aerobed, couch, bed, cushions on thr floor,etc. It was messy, but it was family & I loved it.

I was thinking of buying some slippers & a robe for my guests, I also have hotel size toiletries. My one problem is there is nowhere to place their luggage that isnt in the living room.

I recently moved & decorated so before they drag all their stuff in, I say "wait leave it here (hallway) and see how the place looks before we live it up for the next few days"

I must say, I am usually filling the role of the guest rather than the host (as I still live at home with a parent).

In my travels though I find that my hosts genuinely try do whatever they can to make sure I am comfortable, but do tend to "forget" certain things. The snacks and coffee things is a big one for me. However, if they don't snack regularly like I do or drink coffee, I shouldn't really expect them to provide these things for me. For this reason, I usually pack my own snacks and bring them with me and one of the first things I ask is how far is the closest gas station/coffee shop so I can get some for myself in the morning (if they happen not to be drinkers). Being a well-prepared guest is just as important as being a well-prepared host :)

Am I honestly the only one who figures a guest can just use normal towels and normal bed linens I'd use on any bed? Why do you need a special set? The kitchen is full of snacks and a variety of drinks - if I know the person loves tea every morning, I'd likely just set out the tea or explain where it is. Are all the guests on this site absolutely helpless?

If anyone is looking for an alternative to an airbed, for about the same price you can get a nice cot - I got one at LLBean that has wooden slats. It keeps your guest up off the floor, which is really great if you have older folks visiting. It folds in half and can be stored under a bed or a sofa. I added an foam topper for extra coziness. Initial feedback is that it was far more confortable (and warmer) than an air mattress.

@SherryBinH - Exactly. At some point some of the people on here are just being ridiculous. The linen closet is next to the only bathroom, so I figure any guest who stays knows how to get out a towel when needed. The den is the guest room and I will make it up as such - clean sheets, a blanket on the bed (with a spare in the chair), create at least one nighstand (via a footstool - the futon sits close to the ground), sit out a small radio on the trunk (which serves as a coffee table most of the time - but more of a console table when there are guests), etc. I figure these days everyone has a cell phone and therefore their own alarm clock. My kitchen is open to be raided (as long as you don't take the last soda or something). Anything I have in the bathroom is up to use (and I try to keep a few spares of things like toothbrushes under the sink). If you need special stuff, I expect that you brought it or are willing to buy it (or at least ask for it if it's not overly expensive).

At the person who mentioned they wish the host gave up their master to them when they stayed, I would really love to know where you grew up. There's hospitality and making sure the guest is comfortable and just being freaking ridiculous. You are getting to stay in someone's house - for free. They could have had you stay in a hotel and not dealt with you as much. I could go through my entire family line (and those of my friends and colleagues) and not find anyone ever went to this extreme. So what if you are willing to empty your master of all your stuff for a guest - this doesn't make a person a bad host for not wanting to do the same.

Some very good tips and ideas in the comments. My wife and I love being hosts to visitors, and happily, I see we offer our guests virtually everything that people asked for above.

Though I find hosts offering to let us "sleep in the master bedroom" downright creepy, even though I understand it's intended to be generous. Basically, I was brought up with the idea that the master bedroom is one of the most private places in the house. So the idea that someone would willingly clear out and let me sleep there, or that I'd want to, strikes me as weird.

We love playing host, but I'll be sleeping in my own bed while folks visit, thanks. And as a guest, if the choice is the MBR or sleeping on the fold-out sleeper sofa, I'll take the sleeper sofa, no complaints. (If you're the kind of host that offers your MBR to visitors, better to offer it in advance and allow them to decline...)

I believe I'm one of those territorial people or people who really like their personal space. Whenever I am a guest, I make sure that all of my needs are taken care of without burdening the host. I always bring my own towels and toiletries and pillow. I always strip the bed when we leave and try to fold it up to be put in the wash or just wash it myself if they let me. I don't really know why I am like this. I blame my mom I think, she was always of the don't expect people to cater to you but you have to cater to them when they come to your house.

We had company in our small house thrice so far. One was an unexpected significant other kicked them out for the night can I sleep on your couch kinda of thing and all he would partake in is the beer and no food. We set up either a bed or a mattress on the floor of the living room (at the time it was the only room with air conditioning) with a blanket in the doorway to give not only privacy but also retain the cool air in the room.

With only one bathroom, there really wasn't much space to give up. But there was always towel space as we usually hang our towels in the bedroom on a chair to air out anyway. I will usually wake up and make breakfast to order and depending on the situation we will entertain the guest unless they want to do otherwise. Only once did we have a guest that complained the whole time about everything. Thankfully, that person wasn't a friend of mine and I don't have to interact with them again as it burned bridges with my boyfriend acting in such a way.

Moral to the story: give the hostess a break. Not all of us has the money or really the space to fully cater to a guest but we do try! Fresh sheets and towels for the using and food to eat and drink to boot!

I always offer my own bedroom to guests and sleep on the couch myself, unless I have an incredibly early/ important morning meeting (and they don't). If my guest is a close girlfriend, we'll share the bed - what better way to gab long into the night? - and no worries about either of our stuff cluttering up the living room when we want to enjoy it the next day.

I would add for guests: a metro card with a few bucks on it and a bus map if you live in a metropolitan area. It's always nice to be able to hop on the train without having to figure out a new city's transit payment system.

I was very interested to read your comment on hosts giving up their master bedroom to guests, because I am one of those (apparently) creepy people, but will keep on doing it in the future. Here's why.
We don't have a guest room in our small house, and you have to get through the living room to get to the kitchen. We also have one, soon two children who will keep on waking early in the morning for some time, even on week-ends, and ask for their breakfast right away.
Because of that, I hate putting guests in the living room: it's inconvenient for everybody, as we have to disturb them and they don't have a shred of privacy. We ask them if it's ok to have our bedroom, and we plan on giving them the only access to the bathroom on that floor. We sleep on the second floor, in my daughter's room, and will use the second floor bathroom as soon as it is finished (hopefully soon). Guests have freshly laundered sheets, although it's the same ones we use for ourselves. I ask beforehand if they'll need towels, and explain where the spare toiletries are in case they forgot something.
That way, our guests have privacy, we have privacy, our kids can be themselves without disturbing our childless guests, which I hate to do. I will add that our bedroom isn't personal, in that there are no photo or intimate items, and I wouldn't mind guests looking in our bedside tables or closet, as they'll only find clothes, paper tissues and books. I also purge it of clutter beforehand, so it's looking even more like a hotel. The aesthetics are my own, but it's not overwhelming (I hope). Of course, I take everything I need out of the closet and don't go in the bedroom while it's occupied, because it's not my space anymore.

I'll add a support of some kind for my guest's suitcase. I never thought about that, but it's a great idea. We still have to renovate the unpractical closet, but I'll try to designate a "guest" space in it once it's done. Also a great idea !

As for the meals and visits, I'm a stay-at-home-mom, so beside getting the children at school, I don't have any firm schedule and happily devote myself to my guest's wishes. I have a great pleasure doing it, but never expect anyone to do the same. Because it is a pleasure for me doesn't mean it has to be one for everybody, even another stay-at-home mom.

The only thing I'll never do are the snack things, but I guess it's a cultural thing. Here in France, we eat three meals a day, plus a snack at 4PM, but if my guests are hungry in-between, they'll have to raid the fridge, ask or wait. I expect them to make their own tea or coffee, and respect the family meal hours, but that's about it !

Since someone mentioned towels, here's what my extended family does, since we host each other a lot, and the visits sometimes involve a lot of people.

Get some cheap plastic hangers (the ones that are usually white or pastel and are shaped like a triangle), tape a name tag on each, and hang a towel on each hanger. The guest can hang the towel in their designated closet and take it with them to and from the bathroom. If they forget to remove it from the bathroom, it's super easy to see whose towel it is, since there's a name tag on the hanger.

Thanks Bibliovore for mentioning how cold an air bed can be: please please please put a wooly mattress cover or blanket a top - I slept on an air bed in winter in a cold part of Australia, and despite the luxurious sheets and high end quilt and cover I FROZE all night. I tried to get that quilt under me as well, but it was a bloody freezing restless night.

TIP: Stay on the bed you offer guests. In a small space, it's not usually a permanent bed, and you might be surprised how shitty it is.

TIP: Use a lanyard for the house key. Very hard for your guest to lose track of it! A hook somewhere near the front door or a landing pad space is just as important for guests as it is you. Even a bowl on the coffee table helps keep your small space a bit more under control.

TIP: It's a real challenge to have spare bedding for your guest in a small place. We have whittled bedding and towels right down to 2 sets only. Made a big difference in the linen press and we have the best of the best, not the crappy old stuff.

TIP: In a small space, you need to be a bit more stringent with putting things away. Make sure your guest has somewhere to put their things - as it's a temporary situation, I normally clear some prime real estate for their bags, clothes, shoes (don't forget shoes!) and landing pad items.

I do love hosting friends, and wouldn't normally offer the master bedroom, but we did once for a senior family member who had a complete emotional meltdown in our bedroom. It's like the Kardashians. You can't unsee that stuff.

The only people I'd give up the master bedroom is for much older relatives. It's my private space and the space for me to go off to myself at the end of the night (well husband sleeps there too). I'll make the guest areas as comfortable as humanly possible, but it's like Kamikaze puts above - I'm not going to break the bank and be broke for a month over it. Guests get clean sheets, clean towels, and meals......at some point the guest can fend for themselves. If someone doesn't know me well enough to know where I stash the snacks, where the linen closet is, etc then they likely aren't a person I would have staying with me.

We always give our master bedroom to guests. The second bedroom is really tiny, so there is no place they could put their suitcases. The living room couches are ok for the casual overnight guest, but again there's nowhere to set up shop with a suitcase or two. The living room is also inconvenient because you have to climb a flight of steep stairs to get to the full bath. I'd rather let people be close to the shower and have room to spread out their stuff. Especially since non-city dwellers might not be accustomed to a teeny tiny bedroom.

We live in just under 1500 square feet, and my best friend and her family came to stay for Halloween one year. We had 4 adults and 5 kids squeezed into our little house -- the girls in my daughter's room, the boys in my son's room, the other adults in the basement on a futon. Not perfect, but we had a lot of fun anyway. The only thing I had to stock up on before their arrival were CHAIRS - I didn't have enough chairs for the kitchen area for everyone to sit down together. Plus our table only seats 6 normally... so we ended up putting the older kids at the kitchen island, and parents and younger kids at the table. A few new chairs and we were set. :)

I recently had friends with kids stay for a few. Now I live one block from a library, so day one, I took them to the library and the kids picked out several videos (great for when you want to have a beer with the parents in the evening and chat). And I also baked some chocolate chip cookies right before they came. Kids appreciated that too. Both really helped the kids settle in.

Also, guest beds are nice, but with infrequent guests, say 5 times a year? One would spend the other 360 days always walking around that guest bed, thus rendering that room unusable. A good air mattress is the way to go.

My cousin is one of my favorite people to visit--she has great hospitality. My favorite part of staying at her house is that she has a little basket next to the guest bed area that's full of travel-sized shampoo, soap, toothbrushes, conditioner, and razorblades. I always forget something, and this way I don't have to ask.

She also has a pool. :)

In our small space we have used a folding screen to give an overnight (sofa) guest some extra privacy. It stores flat when not in use, so it doesn't take up much space in our closet.

I have only once been hosted by someone who gave me & my partner their bed and they slept on a futon in the living room. The only reason I felt okay about it was that they were going to be out late and leaving early, and had multiple roommates with varied schedules, so we would have been *more* in peoples' way if we hadn't. But I wouldn't feel comfortable in most situations with taking over my host's bedroom.

My two bedroom apartment is probably about 1,000 sq ft, so not tiny, but we don't have a formal guest room because we have a roommate. We turned what could be either a dining room or living room into a 2nd living room/office space, which is what we use for guests because it has french doors we've added curtains to in order to give it some privacy.

We host people fairly often, and I generally really enjoy it. Clean sheets and towels are a must, and I always let people know where extra blankets, towels, toothbrushes, etc. can be found. We are generally pretty straightforward with guests that unless they are visiting on a vacation specifically to visit us, we'll do our best to make time for them, but to make themselves at home and we'll catch up when our schedules allow it. I hate to feel like I put someone out when I'm visiting, so I try to be clear that what "totally welcome!" means in our home is that they will be comfortable and aren't a burden.

We also have multiple spare sets of keys on hand, a couple of extra subway cards (we live in a city with reduced fares on the reusable cards, so it saves them some money, and there tends to be a balance left over from the last guest), plus a Not-For-Tourists guide so that people are equipped to be self-sufficient. (If you haven't used NFT guides, I'd highly recommend them - even if you've lived in your city for years you might find it useful, certainly your guests will. They are compact enough to fit in a small bag, include neighborhood-specific info about everything from sightseeing to banks & post offices, and have great street & transit maps.)

People always say that they really enjoy staying in our little guest suite, and it's not at all inconvenient for us.

I made a list that I print out when guests visit:
wifi password, info about the locks, hot water concerns, a local map so they can find their way around the neighborhood. Our guests stay in my studio on a sofa bed with an extra IKEA mattress on top. Fresh sheets, towels, extra blankets and a spotless bathroom. Bottled water. I try to provide their breakfast preference (coffee, tea, juice, yogurt or cereal) but other than that, I don't go too much out of my way to provide food beyond our standard stocked fridge, which guests are welcome to enjoy.

Haha, wandering star, you have a point. The only people who would want to stay with their friends in tiny spaces (nevermind their friends with small children) are either cheap (students), desperate (kicked out), or they love you and want to spend their entire visit near you. The ones in the first 2 categories should take what they can get and be grateful. The ones in the last category will pretty much be happy no matter what because the point is to be with you. The real trouble comes when there's a fourth category, those guests who you don't know and who don't really want to be there. They will be miserable or they will make you miserable. Suggest that those people get a hotel.

When we moved to a different city from most of our family friends, we hoped to find an apartment with an office spare room that we could use as a guest room. We quickly realized that we couldn't spend that much money on an apartment and instead opted for a flip out couch for our 500 square foot apartment. Our parents can afford to stay in a nearby hotel which they do and friends and siblings have no problem sleeping on the sofa bed.

Large arm chairs in the livingroom provide optimal suitcase storage, there is an understanding that the cat can and will provide all house-guests with a night-time friend (meaning that allergic friends and my mom choose not to stay with us, which is fine). We stock the fridge and feed our guests breakfast, they are expected to fold up the sofa/sheets when they get up in the morning and we do the same when we stay with other people with similar sleeping situations.

We have a set of "guest keys" for them and a map of the city. As we both work irregular schedules and can't usually take time off to play tour guide. But friends are always welcome (although some are better guests than others) and we have been told by most that they prefer to stay with us over other friends, because our apartment is cleaner.

Late to the party but have been thinking about this topic a lot recently.

I'm coming to the realization that I should stop trying to host. I've always lived in small, urban places and will continue to live in them for the foreseeable future; one of the reasons I like them is that I know they limit my carbon footprint. Another bedroom increases my impact and, as Heartdepauvera noted, can be expensive. I don't really need the space--I have a nice, private office at work. The other thing is that my life falls apart pretty fast if I'm not getting sleep, exercising, and going about my core routine. This routine is always severely disrupted if I have someone sleeping in the living room with different hours or, like now, sharing my ~360 sq ft studio. It always takes me a while to recover from these visits. No matter how much I love visitors, they take a toll.

For practical and environmental reasons, hotels thus make way more sense. If my sleep needs were flexible and I didn't use my space to restore myself, I might feel differently. And I do see the charm in hosting if you have some big sprawling place with a separate guest wing or bath... where I grew up, our guests always stayed in the pool house... but that's not the sort of world many of us live in any more, and I wouldn't want to. That's a lot of resources to devote to a few friends and family members.