Transform Your Home Into a Bed and Breakfast

Guests are coming, and you want to make their stay truly special, so take a cue from those seasoned hospitality experts — innkeepers. Here is a quartet of ideas that will transform your home into a bed and breakfast.

The first step is to create a cozy guest room. At Casa Laguna Inn & Spa in Laguna Beach, California, guests enjoy a room with plenty of amenities, from the fluffy robes to the luxuriously made beds to the CD and DVD players. Your house might not be quite as opulent, but you can still top the bed with soft linens, fluffy comforters and plenty of good pillows. A basket of toiletries is a thoughtful touch, offering easily forgotten items such as toothpaste or hair spray. You can even include a selection of books, magazines, CDs and DVDs. A bouquet of fresh flowers will make your guests feel especially welcome.

The guest bath is another important spot to consider. Guests at Beazley House, a Napa inn with plenty of amenities, enjoy baths stocked with luxurious Turkish towels and specialty bath products, as well as practical items such as a hair dryer. While you don’t have to spend a fortune, keep your guest bath stocked with fresh shampoo, conditioner and maybe some bath salts or bubbles. Adding some interesting wall art or perhaps an antique glass for a toothbrush holder are other easy options that make a big impact.

Now that you have dealt with the “bed” portion of the equation, it’s time to create the perfect breakfast. You don’t have to be a gourmet cook to create a great breakfast. Simply setting a beautiful table will make the morning meal a special occasion. At the Fairthorne B&B, a charming Cape May, New Jersey inn, the staff sets the breakfast table with lovely tablecloths and fine china. You can even light some candles to really make the meal special. Following Fairthorne’s lead you could serve a breakfast beginning with home-baked muffins or coffee cake, followed by an entre. You could also add a fresh fruit course. If your guests are light eaters, set out a small buffet with fresh fruit, toasting breads and don’t forget gourmet coffee and selection of good teas.

After a day of exploring your local area, consider treating guests to some sort of special refreshment or perhaps afternoon tea. At the Captain’s House Inn in Chatham, Massachusetts, guests enjoy a cream tea each afternoon between 3 and 5 p.m. This tea, served with fine china, includes sweet cakes and homemade cookies. You follow in the footsteps of this charming Cape Cod inn or keep it simple and offer freshly baked cookies and lemonade or iced tea. Serving a glass of local wine along with some light appetizers, such as cheese and crackers, is another option. Don’t forget to turn on the fireplace, light some candles and play some relaxing music.

If you need more inspiration, check out iLoveInns.com. This comprehensive website includes detailed listings for more than 19,000 bed and breakfasts, country inns and boutique hotels. In addition, iLoveInns offers printable gift certificates, which can be used at thousands of the properties listed on the website, including those mentioned above.