December 24, 2020, 2:04 pm | Read time: 3 minutes
Visit from the in-laws, friends passing through, or a social evening that lasted longer than the bus and train schedules? There are plenty of occasions for overnight stays. There are also many ways to accommodate guests appropriately. The trickiest question: Do I need to give up my bed for my guests?
Uninterrupted nights, enough privacy, and a door you can close behind you even when away from home: A guest room is perhaps the most elegant and comfortable solution for accommodating guests overnight. But where do guests sleep if you don’t have one? On the sofa, a sleeping mat, or even in your own bed–the most intimate place in the home for many? In an interview, etiquette expert Moritz Freiherr Knigge explains how to handle such a situation gracefully. With his “50 Questions for Knigge,” he humorously and currently addresses controversially discussed topics.
myHOMEBOOK: Should I give up my bed for guests?
Moritz Freiherr Knigge: “No one has to give up their own bed, but a mattress should always be ready for invited, or even uninvited, guests so that both guests and hosts can have a good night. If you can’t offer your guest a suitable bed, you should have the decency to sleep on the floor, a bean bag, or couch cushions yourself–to ensure that after an uncomfortable night, you can at least offer a guest bed, sofa bed, or a guest mattress.”
How do you adequately accommodate guests overnight?
“Sleeping mat, couch, mattress, sofa bed, guest bed: In that order, I would say, if space and budget allow.”
Are there guests to whom you should already offer your own bed?
“The older or more physically challenged the guests, the more I would offer my own or, better yet, the best bed in the house.”
Tips for Handling Guests Who Won’t Leave
12 Phrases to Politely Ask Guests to Leave
How do I prepare the bed for my guests?
“Freshly made is half the battle, and place the towels for the bathroom on the bed. If possible, provide a nightstand and a bedside lamp, along with a book you enjoyed reading, a bottle of water, and a sweet treat as a small gesture. A good friend always leaves a handwritten card on her guests’ pillows: How wonderful that you’re here! That makes everyone feel truly at home. At least.”
Related: Things to consider when setting up a guest room
I’m a guest but don’t want to sleep in the host’s bed. Do I have to accept the offer, or how do I gracefully decline?
“That’s really kind, but it’s truly not necessary. Besides, you’d have to make two beds fresh. Let’s save that time and open my bottle of bubbly instead.”