Your guests may be using the bedroom as somewhere to sleep and store their bags or somewhere to use throughout the day as a place to relax or work. Here are some of the things you need to think about when deciding what to provide in a BnB bedroom.
Comfortable bed
One of the most important things to get right is the bed. It needs to be comfortable. Some people prefer hard mattresses and some soft so try to get something in between. Spend a night or two in the bed before giving it to your guests to see what it's like. Make sure it's sturdy and doesn't squeak and if it doesn't feel comfortable you could add a mattress topper. I have a metal headboard on the bed as it gives guests something to prop pillows against and is clean and hygienic compared to a fabric headboard (which might be more comfortable). The pillows are also important and again people like different firmness of pillows so you could provide a couple of different options. I provide four pillows on the bed, with two different thicknesses, and extras in the wardrobe.
The size of the bed will probably be determined by the size of the room. If you are thinking of putting two single beds in, it might be worth getting those that can be joined together to make one bed (as long as it's comfortable as one).
If you are offering a family room you will need to decide what type of bed you are offering children and babies. You may wish to offer a sofa bed to give more flexibility in the room or bunk beds to give more floor space. If you are offering a cot for babies make sure it follows the safety standards.
Bedding
Many hosts prefer to use white bedding as it gives the clean, crisp, hotel look. I use a white fitted sheet with two white pillow cases, but for the other two pillowcases and duvet cover I use colour and pattern, opting for a more 'home from home' feel. If you haven't got a tumble dryer or don't live in a hot climate, you may want to choose sheets which dry quickly. The quality of the bedding is up to you and you may want to weigh it up against the cost of how often you need to replace it. I would advise against bedding which goes bobbly quickly, fades easily or looks and feels thin and cheap.I provide a duvet with two different togs, which can be used separately (one for summer and one for spring/autumn) or together (for winter). When one is being used, the other is stored in the wardrobe (with a cover on) in case guests want to swap it for the warmer/cooler duvet, or they can add it to the bed if they want the warmth of both. The size of the bed is double but I use a king size duvet as it looks better and is nicer for guests. I also provide a blanket throughout the year and a flat sheet for those guests who like to use them. I ask guests to leave out any extra bedding they have used so I know what to wash and I also place them in the wardrobe in a way so I would know if they have been taken out, just in case they forget to tell me.
If you provide scatter cushions for decorative purposes, these may also be used by guests as pillows so make sure they have removable washable covers.
To protect your mattress, use a mattress cover on the bed. I have two, one with sides that covers the whole of the mattress and another one on top with elastic corners for more frequent washing. Don't use these as an alternative to a base sheet, you still need to dress the bed with either a fitted or flat sheet for guests to sleep on. I also use pillow protectors on the pillows. I have silk ones which makes it easy to get the pillow cases on.
Make sure you have plenty of spare bedding as you may have several back to back one night stays and struggle to get linen dried in time, you may find stains which didn't come out in the wash, or you accidently mark the linen when ironing.
Storage
Your guests may wish to unpack their bags. I provide a wardrobe with hanging space, a chest of drawers, bedside tables and a hook on the door. I also provide a coat hook in the hallway so they have somewhere separate to put a bulky or wet coat. There is also a luggage stand for guests who want to keep their items in their bag and space under the bed should they wish to tuck things away.You need to make it clear which cupboards and drawers they can use. If you have some cupboards in the room which you do not wish to be opened by guests put a lock on them, or you could use cable ties. You could hang something decorative over the lock if you want to soften the look.
I provide guests with a large dresser to put any make up, toiletries, etc on. and a couple of places to put items in a pot or on a shelf.
Some guests may turn up with just a small bag and others with several suitcases. Have you got enough room in the bedroom for a lot of luggage? If not, is there somewhere else they can put their bags?
Lighting
Give your guests different options of lighting. In addition to a main light, I provide table lamps on each side of the bed (which could either be on a bedside table or shelf) so guests can turn a light on and off easily from bed. You could alternatively have wall lights next to the bed. I also provide a make up mirror with lights and decorative LED tea lights to give a soft glow (I don't allow guests to use real candles). You may also need to have a desk lamp if providing a desk.
Some guests like total darkness at night so if you're buying new curtains or blinds, it would be a good idea to get a black out option.
I provide spare light bulbs in the room, just in case a bulb goes when I am not there or it's in the middle of the night and a guest wants it changed straight away. You never know how much your guests will have the light on, some of my guests leave them on all night or whilst they are out during the day, so it's advisable use energy saving light bulbs.
Room temperature
Different guests require different room temperatures. You may have guests who don't like the heating on, some who are used to hot temperatures, and some who fluctuate throughout the day. You may get enquiries from potential guests asking if you provide air conditioning or if the room gets hot in the summer.
Some hosts will stick to a routine of only putting the heating on between certain hours, some will be flexible and some will keep it on all the time. It's good to communicate with your guests to check the temperature is comfortable for them, and to come to a compromise if needed.
The easiest, but not necessarily the greenest or cost effective, way of ensuring your guest is comfortable is by giving them control over the temperature of the room. This could be by providing air conditioning and fans in the warmer months and heaters, or perhaps you have a log burner in the room, during the cooler months.
At the very least, if you have radiators make sure they have a temperature control on them so guests can turn them up or down as required and the windows can be opened. It is also advisable to check there aren't any draughts in the room and make sure the heat from the radiator isn't just going behind the curtains.
To give guests an extra cosy feel, I provide items such as blankets, dressing gowns, and fluffy socks. You might want to weigh up the pros and cons of offering items such as hot water bottles and electric blankets.
Wi-Fi connection
Unless you're promoting yourself as an off-grid destination, you will probably want to provide Wi-Fi (let guests know if this is or isn't provided). Guests use Wi-Fi to contact friends and family back home, look up tourist attractions, book tickets, make plans, order food, check transport updates, make online check-ins, order an uber, stream TV, films, etc, work from 'home', check their messages, go on social media, and so on. You will need to provide guests with the Wi-Fi code, which you can send them before they arrive or give on arrival. It is one of the first things they will want so put it somewhere obvious for them to find.
Plug sockets
Guests like to have lots of plug sockets and for them to be located in different places. Make sure there are at least some by the bed for lamps, by the desk (if provided) for a laptop and by a mirror for a hairdryer, and provide some points to plug in a mobile phone, TV and kettle (if applicable). It's also useful to have USB ports (I have a power cube which adds a few more plug sockets and 3 USB ports) and provide a travel adapter (make sure you have a spare as guests sometimes take them home with them) and an electric toothbrush adapter.
Flooring
The floor has many uses. Guests will use it for their luggage but some may also use it for exercise, for example yoga and if it's a family room children may sit and play on the floor. If the room is available to pets then this also needs to be a consideration for pet beds and food and drink bowls.
If you have carpeted flooring make sure the carpet is hard wearing and doesn't mark, or can be cleaned. To try to preserve the carpet the best you can encourage guests to remove their shoes before going in the bedroom and provide a luggage stand to keep dirty cases off the floor.
Non-carpeted flooring might be easier to keep clean but it may not feel warm or cosy enough so you might want to add a hard wearing rug. I tried providing a nice fluffy rug but guests used it to put their bags on and it soon lost its fluffiness. I have now opted for a large short pile mottled rug which doesn't show up any marks and can be hoovered. Non-carpeted flooring could also potentially cause issues with neighbours, particularly in flats, if they can hear your guests walking around or dropping things.
You might also want to provide your guests with some kind of indoor footwear, whether it's slippers that can be taken by guests or put in the wash, wipeable footwear such as flip flops, or you could even gift them a pair of socks. I provide a pair of fluffy socks during the winter months for stays of over four nights, which have been well received.
Mirrors
Mirrors are important to guests. I provide a wall mirror, a full length mirror, a make up mirror which has different magnifications and a small portable make up mirror, all of which are used by my guests. Some of your guests will want to be able to sit at a mirror so you will need to make provision for this. Mirrors need to be placed in positions which can accommodate guests of differing heights, adjustable mirrors are useful and perhaps a small portable one if guests are trying to find a better light.
Refreshments and eating in
The provisions you provide for refreshments are dependent on your set up and how much you want to provide. If guests have access to the kitchen, you may not want to put anything in the bedroom. If they haven't got access to a kitchen, it would be advisable to put a kettle, mugs, glasses and spoons on a tray in the room with some water, tea, coffee, sugar and milk. You may also want to add some extras, such as biscuits or chocolates (perhaps there's something locally made?) and maybe even a fridge if you have room. Some hosts might even be able to provide a kitchenette in the room. If you are providing things that need tools to open them, make sure they are provided, for example a cork screw to open a bottle of local wine.
Unless you specifically tell guests they can't eat in the room, they probably will. I haven't got a dining area for guests and so provide a small table and chairs in the bedroom. Some guests will probably still want to eat on the bed so I also provide a lap tray (although one guest thought it was a picture, so I'm not sure how obvious it is). Despite this I have still found various bits of food and food stains in the bed and one guest even put a punnet of strawberries on the bed which leaked onto the sheets. Make sure there is a bin in the room for their rubbish and you might want to offer an additional solution for food waste. It's an idea to provide coasters and covers to protect surfaces you don't want ruined.
Entertainment
I provide a TV which has all the usual live TV channels, the free TV apps, such as BBC iPlayer and I subscribe to Netflix. I opted for the basic two device plan with adverts, which is adequate for me and there are very few (if any) adverts when watching something. I think it's useful to provide a Smart TV if you can. It gives guests the freedom to start watching programmes and films whenever they want and be able to pause them. I also provide a list of a few programmes guests may be interested in watching, as sometimes overseas guests have asked me what's good to watch. You don't want an overcomplicated TV with lots of different remote controls. I provide a few quick tips, for example how to get onto BBC iPlayer and how to put the TV on sleep timer. I also provide an HDMI cable, just in case anyone wants to connect their laptop to the TV.
I've put a mobile phone stand in the room so guests can prop up their phone, to watch films etc, or you could provide a projector to be used with a mobile phone.
I also provide a selection of books, magazines, games and puzzle books. These items may of course be provided in a living area if guests have access to one.
Work space
Guests who wish to 'work from home' may require a desk and chair, with perhaps a desk lamp. Some guests might be planning to make conference/video calls so will need it to be quiet.
If you know there is going to be any building work, or anything noisy taking place, it's best to warn them in advance.
Decoration
Decorating the room is a personal choice and you may like to have it all matching, or use unique vintage items, etc. If you 'over' personalise it you may lose some guests but attract those that particularly like your style. Keep in mind the furniture may get damaged. I have built in furniture so have little choice but to use it and it has had some knocks to it and wardrobe hinges weakened.
I try to balance giving the room some useful items, such as a TV, mirrors, etc, and some decorative items such as LED tea lights and plants, whilst trying not to make it look overly cluttered and giving guests plenty of space to put their things. Fresh flowers in a room give a nice welcoming touch but make sure your guests aren't allergic. I used to have real plants but now opt for fairly realistic looking artificial ones as they don't need watering (which is tricky with a long stay) and won't make a mess if knocked over.
You may wish to theme the room, for example, adding pictures on the walls of your local area or decorate it to reflect the seasons, which could be achieved by simply changing the cushion cover on a cushion.
Useful items
Think of the things you use on a daily basis or something that has been useful when you've been away and, if possible, provide them. They won't always be used, but guests appreciate that you have thought of them. I provide a hairdryer for guests and a heat proof wrap if they bring hair straighteners etc. There is an alarm clock, tissues, a room spray (which gives them the choice to use it or not, as they could be allergic to any sprays or diffusers you use or plug in) and weighing scales for luggage. I also provide some stationery, such as notepads and pens, scissors and items such as safety pins (which have come in useful for clothing mishaps).
In case guests wish to do their laundry whilst staying with me, I provide a laundry basket and clothes airer in the bedroom and an iron, clothes steamer and ironing board are available upon request.
I provide a drawer with a few extra toiletries, which have either been left behind by previous guests or I've bought, for example hair spray, moisturiser, dental floss, toothpaste (which surprisingly to me people use), sanitary products and ear plugs. I also provide a drawer with a few items to buy, for example a new tube of toothpaste, toothbrushes and combs.
If there's room, a chair is useful for guests who would prefer not to sit on the bed. It will probably also be used for guests to lay their clothes on. My guests have put their damp towels on the chair I provide, which has caused some damage, and so I try to discourage this as much as possible by giving them a designated space in the shared bathroom for their towels.
Welcome Sheet
Safety and security
It is your decision whether to put a lock on the bedroom door. I think it is advisable to if you offer more than one room, in case one of your guests goes into the other's bedroom.
You might want to offer somewhere for guests to leave valuable items, for example a safe or a secret drawer.
If children are going to be staying in the room, check the windows are safe and if you have a blind, that the cord is out of their reach.
Make sure all electrical items are safe, check the leads for any damage or exposed wires and adhere to extension lead guidelines.
Test and check
Before letting out the room test it yourself or ask someone to try it for a night. Make sure it's comfortable, you're providing everything that is needed and things are easy to locate and reach. It's a good idea to test it each season, to check it's comfortable in all temperatures and provides what people need on a sunny day or a snowy day.
Between each check in, test the light bulbs and if you provide an alarm clock, check this hasn't been set by the previous guest. Fix anything that has been damaged or come loose and replace anything that has been stolen or stained, to give each guest the same high standard.
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