Designing a guest bedroom goes beyond just a bed, storage, and lighting. To truly welcome your guests, think about creating an atmosphere that feels like home.

It's essential to provide more than just a top-notch mattress and quality pillows. Here are five must-have elements that will ensure your guests enjoy a comfortable stay.

As the holiday season approaches, we've sifted through countless reviews and the latest offerings from popular home retailers to curate a list of plush pillows, silky sheets, and thoughtful extras to enhance your guest bedroom.

5 Simple Upgrades to Make Guests Feel at Home

These essentials not only boost comfort but also create a warm, inviting space where your friends and family can unwind.

1. Choose a Quality Mattress

Leesa x West Elm Mattress on a bed.

(Image credit: West Elm)

Lauri Leadley, Founder of Valley Sleep Center, suggests treating your guest room with the same care as your own bedroom. Start with a quality mattress—it's worth the investment. While it may be pricier, a good mattress provides lasting support and comfort.

When selecting a mattress for guests, versatility is key. You never know who will be staying, so aim for a mattress that accommodates various sleep styles. Look for a medium to medium-firm option that offers comfort for side sleepers and support for back or stomach sleepers.

Don't forget about your budget. A decent mattress typically starts at around $500 for a Queen size, which is reasonable given its limited use.

Nectar Memory Foam Mattress

This memory foam option molds to each sleeper's shape and temperature, providing a personalized sleeping experience.

Siena Memory Foam Mattress

Our team found this to be the most budget-friendly memory foam choice, priced under $400. It offers good support and comfort, although edge support could be better.

DreamCloud Luxury Hybrid Mattress on a bed.

DreamCloud Luxury Hybrid Mattress

This hybrid mattress combines the plush feel of memory foam with innerspring support, making it suitable for various sleepers, all while remaining affordable.

2. Invest in Quality Pillows

Marlow Pillow on a bed against a cream wall.

(Image credit: Marlow)

Offering a selection of pillows can help your guests find their ideal comfort. Consider including both firmer and softer options to suit different preferences.

Adjustable pillows are fantastic because they let your guests customize their experience, ensuring a great night's sleep.

Lauri emphasizes the importance of cleanliness, advising you to learn proper pillow care. Pillows can accumulate dirt, oils, and allergens over time, so regular washing is essential.

The Marlow Pillow

This adjustable pillow is a favorite. Simply adjust the zippers to customize firmness and feel, plus it's made with thermoregulating fibers, perfect for warm nights.

Woolroom Organic Washable Pillow

This adjustable style allows easy access to fluff, making it simple to customize height and comfort.

Sleep Number PlushComfort Pillow

With three styles, Sleep Number caters to different sleeping positions, providing options for stomach, back, and side sleepers.

3. Select Superior Bedding

Close up on Piglet in Bed Sage Green Pillowcases.

(Image credit: Future / Emilia Hitching)

Don't reserve your finest sheets solely for your own bed. High-quality bedding with breathable materials and a thread count between 300 and 500 offers both luxury and comfort, ensuring a restful night for guests.

Every guest room requires a cozy comforter. Keep one for warm weather and another for colder nights, switching them out as needed.

A good mattress protector is also crucial, especially when hosting multiple guests, as it keeps the sleeping environment clean.

Brooklinen Classic Percale Core Sheet Set on a bed against a beige wall.

Brooklinen Classic Percale Core Sheet Set

This cotton percale is crisp and cool, making it a popular choice in high-end hotels. It's also wrinkle-resistant for easy maintenance.

Buffy Cloud Comforter

Opt for a down alternative comforter to avoid allergies. The Buffy Cloud is breathable and perfect for hot sleepers.

SafeRest 100% Waterproof Mattress Protector

This protector has an impressive 200,000 five-star reviews. It's been praised for keeping mattresses dry during unexpected spills.

4. Enhance Air Quality

Two Molekule Air Purifiers on a table in front of a gray sofa.

(Image credit: Molekule)

A humidifier can significantly improve sleep quality by adding moisture to the air, helping to soothe dry airways. Lauri highly recommends having one in both your personal and guest rooms.

If humidity is an issue in your home, consider using the best air purifier instead. You might also like to add calming essential oils to the room.

Levoit Humidifier

This humidifier features a 'turn off the lights' mode, ideal for those sensitive to light while sleeping.

Levoit Core 300 Air Purifier

This reliable air purifier has many standard features, including a quiet sleep mode.

Eym Rest Candle

Infused with calming scents like chamomile and lavender, this natural candle is a wonderful addition to your nightstand.

5. Add a Sound Machine

A woman in bed switching on the Hatch Restore 2 Sunrise Alarm Clock on a nightstand against a blue wall.

(Image credit: Hatch)

Even if you don't typically use a sound machine, offering one can help guests sleep better, especially in noisy environments. A sound machine can provide soothing background noise or music to enhance relaxation.

Consider adding a versatile device like the Hatch Restore Sunrise Alarm Clock and Sound Machine, which offers both functionality and ambiance for winding down at night.


This holiday season, go the extra mile by preparing a guest welcome box. Fill it with essentials like towels and toiletries, plus personal touches like a scented candle to enhance the atmosphere.