When it comes to being a house guest, everyone wants to get it right. How do you ensure that you are invited back with open arms? When it comes to being a good host, how do you show your hospitality without overdoing it?
Etiquette expert and founder of The Good Manners Company, Anna Musson, shares her expertise.
What are your top tips for being a great house guest?
1. Make yourself at home. Your hosts want you to be relaxed, so have a shower, have a sleep, have a cup of tea and help yourself to things you need like extra blankets.
2. Get dressed and make your bed each morning and don’t blob about in your pyjamas or robe.
3. Keep your room and bathroom tidy.
4. Take your hosts out for dinner or announce you would like to cook dinner on Saturday night (and buy all ingredients).
5. Bring a gift for your hosts – flowers, wine, chocolates, something thoughtful. If they have children, a gift for the children will go down well.
Create a welcoming space for your guest. Picture: Getty
How do you avoid overstaying your welcome?
Be sensitive to the vibe in the house. In busy times it may be better to make yourself scarce, or offer to make breakfast. Plan day trips so you can have a buffer of space where your hosts have the house to themselves.
What are your top tips for being a great host?
1. Spend a night in the guest room so you can identify anything that needs improvement. If you’re uncomfortable, your guests will be too.
2. Every guest room needs bedside lamps, tissues, a rubbish bin, fresh towels, clean sheets, a bottle of water and the wifi password. If you can manage some hotel slippers and flowers from your garden, you are well ahead.
3. Clear space in the room for them to put their things away, like a few drawers, tops of dressers and shelving, and don’t mention if they are putting someone out of their room.
Make yourself comfortable as a house guest, but don’t lounge around all day. Picture: Kate Griffin
4. Ask about their priorities while in town and let them know what you have planned – such as a night out or some day trips.
5. Customise their room with magazines they might like, a computer for them to use or a bottle of wine or spirits that is only available locally. This is the time to show thoughtfulness and generosity.
Are Australians good hosts and house guests, generally?
Australians are wonderful house guests and hosts. Our laid back nature ensures we are welcoming, flexible and happy to give people and things a go.
We are mostly not fastidious cleaners (like the Swiss), we are friendly and welcoming to travellers and we assume the world is often the same.
This attitude is well regarded in other nations where they consider Aussies to be friendly, relaxed and honest, and our guests feel this atmosphere when looking after and sharing their homes.
