I have partnered with Apartment Guide to serve as an Official Apartment Guide Pet Blogger. As an official blogger, I will be sharing articles and ideas for exploring your space, city and style.
If there is one thing I am really looking forward to when we move to a bigger home is having more guests over. Our tiny condo does not make it feasible to have over too many guests at one time. We have people over for parties, but barely have room for many people to spend the night or the weekend. When we have a bigger place I am looking forward to having my cousins from Pennsylvania come and stay with us for the weekend.
I am look forward to spoiling my guests. I want them to feel like they are staying at a hotel rather than my home.
Here are a few ideas I have. Some I have done already, others I hope to try in the future.
- In the guest bathroom set out a quality set of towels (bath towels, hand towels and wash clothes). Also offer guests bath and body products, just like they do at hotels. Offer your guests shampoo, conditioner, lotion and shower gel. You can sometimes find small bottles of there products or you can pick up travel size versions and arrange them in a basket along with some scented candles and quality soap.
- Make the guest room look like it’s hotel room. Make sure the room is clean from top to bottom. Consider adding a fresh bouquet of flowers to give the room a lovely scent. A gift basket filled with snacks and fresh fruits would also be a welcome treat.
- If the room has a DVD player consider leaving an assortment of movies out for your guests just in case they find that they are up late and can’t sleep. You can also leave out a few of your favorite music CDs too.
- Offer your guests a hearty breakfast or you can make it easier and offer them a continental breakfast including bagels, pastries, fresh fruit, coffee, tea and juice.
These are just a few ideas that I have and I cannot wait to implement some day soon.
If you hav guests that will be staying for a longer period of time consider creating a special City Guide to help them explore and make the most of your city or town. Your local visitors center should have plenty of pamphlets and maps that you can offer your guests. I think it would be fun to create your own visitors guide. Since this is YOUR city/town you would know best when it comes to restaurants and points of interest.
It’s easy to make up your own personal visitors guide. Simple create a Word document or spreadsheet on your computer and create different lists. For example, you can create a list of restaurants your guests might want to check out. Include things like the restaurant name, address, phone number and the type of cuisine they offer. If there is a special dish they offer that is a favorite of yours make sure to include that. You can also write your own person reviews for each entry.
Make sure to include in your guide important things like local gas stations, ATMs/banks, convenience stores, gyms, coffee houses and anything else you think your guests might need while they are staying with you.
Your guests would appreciate it if you took the time to list some fun activities they can do including addresses and phones numbers, or places of interest. An area map would be handy. If you have a GPS system you can loan your guests that would be appreciated too. Many phones have GPS on them as well.
Consider the types of things your guests like to do. Make sure to list not only things you know they would love to do but also a few things that are “off the beaten path” so to speak. If your guests are into Broadway-like shows and fancy dining you should consider adding to their personal city guide off beat things like fishing expeditions and local flea markets – things that your guest might not normally do but certainly could really enjoy doing. Mix it up a bit.
Be sure to include in your guide important phone numbers like the hospital and Police Department if 911 is not available in your area. Make sure to include your phone number so that your guests can reach you if they need you.
If your guest is bringing along a pet consider making the pet feel at home too. You can pick up a comfy pet bed, pet dishes and a few toys from any department or pet store. Let your furry house guest keep the toys but save the bedding and dishes for their next visit or for your next furry guest. Don’t forget to include pet friendly ideas in your special guide including pet friendly parks and great places to take their pet for a long walk.
If you are looking for fun things to do and great restaurants to try out you should check out Apartment Guide’s blog. There are plenty of great articles about area attractions. Here are just a few that I stumbled across.
Unique Bars and Lounges in Santa Fe
Reserve a Table at These Affordable Restaurants in Salt Lake City
Beat the Heat with Summer Activities in Lincoln
Some articles that I find especially interesting pertain to pets.
Keep Your Dog Cool This Summer
Top Five Cities to Visit With Your Pet
Whether you are moving across the country or just across town, Apartment Guide has you covered. Apartment Guide is a valuable resource for everything and anything pertaining to moving. Not only can you find great articles and useful check lists but you can also find your dream apartment too.
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Kimberly
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About Kimberly
LOVE the idea of leaving out toiletries just like the do in hotels! We recently stayed with friends who did just that and it added such a special touch. She also had an 8-pack of extra toothbrushes and a whole bunch of travel sized toothpaste tubes stashed in the cabinet in the guest bathroom…and a small bottle of saline solution (in an unopened box) that came with a contact case. I didn’t need either of those, but, I loved the special touches.
I too love to make my guest comfortable and welcomed. One thing I do, is collect menus from all of my favorite restaurants, place the menus in a folder and share them with my guests. Another personal touch I use is to call my guests ahead of time to find out what they prefer to have handy in the fridge. For example, I have a family member that loves to have a glass of milk before bedtime, loves oranges, and cookies. So I make sure I stock up on these items before she arrives—that way she feels at home.