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10 Ways To Create A Hotel-Worthy Guest Room At Home

The Artist Studio at The Twenty Two in London

Who better to ask for expertise in creating an exquisite guest bedroom than the tastemakers responsible for some of the most magnificent hotel suites? Here, KATIE BERRINGTON asks five leading designers to share the ways they would style a welcoming sanctuary for guests

Lifestyle

The Twenty Two, London

“A guest bedroom should be one of the most considered rooms in the house. Guests should feel at home and comfortable, with uplifting patterns and colors. One very important thing is to sleep in the guest room before you have anyone to stay – you’ll realize what works and what doesn’t,” says designer Natalia Miyar. The Twenty Two

Enticing colorways

“I particularly like using color in a guest bedroom – I don’t believe a guest room should be bland, so experiment with interesting color combinations. One guest room I love is in various shades of green, ranging from moss to the palest grass green.”

All the rooms at The Twenty Two in London have been conceived to reflect the individuality of the hotel’s guests, with a nod to 18th-century French décor and plenty of luxuriously indulgent – and colorful – design details

Essentials and luxuries

“The guest should have all the necessary essentials: a very comfortable bed with top-quality linen; a desk that can be used for work or makeup; and the guest bathroom should also be equally well stocked.

“There is an element of luxury that comes with staying in a hotel that I like to translate to a guest room at a home. For me, that means lots and lots of pillows, great linens, fluffy towels, and attention to all the details that make someone feel comfortable. I always forget phone chargers when I travel, so I make sure to have plenty for my guests.”

Storytelling style

“I like a guest to walk into their bedroom and feel they’ve arrived in a unique and characterful space that feels cozy. The pieces of furniture should be tactile, so play with different materials and textures. The last thing I would want is for a guest room to be an afterthought, filled with leftover pieces from other rooms.

“I believe that each room should tell a story. For a guest room, I use special wallpapers and furniture that connect to the location of the home. I believe in contextual design, and nowhere is this more important than in a guest room. I hang works of art that I particularly love, so it feels like an extension of the house. The accessories you place in the room can be adapted for your guest, too – selected books on interesting topics for a bibliophile, a yoga mat for a friend who is into fitness and wellness, and so on.”

Comfort, function and relaxation are key at La Fantaisie in Paris

La Fantaisie, Paris

“A guest room should be a sanctuary of wonder, comfort, relaxation – a haven,” says designer Martin Brudnizki. La Fantaisie

Relaxing ambience

“Lighting – ambience and atmosphere are created by lighting. It must be intuitive, easy to control and alter to your exact requirements.”

Center the guest

“Place the guest at the center of the design and think about how this room needs to work to be used and enjoyed, not just admired. A great scheme is nothing without being functional and operational.”

Think about the practicalities

“A great guest room is not only luxurious to stay in but highly functional, too, and we could all do with spaces that are easy to maintain. Make sure to add hooks and space for vanity items – there are never enough places for these kinds of things that make short stays, with possessions in tow, so much easier and more ergonomic.”

The guest rooms at La Fantaisie are “sanctuaries of wonder, comfort and relaxation”
From roll-top baths to opulent divans and sumptuous bedding, The Grove is all about providing escapism at its best

The Grove, Hertfordshire

“Who doesn’t love the escapism of a beautiful hotel bedroom? You can be just as creative and imaginative for the guest bedroom at home, and possibly even more so than for your own bedroom, because you might not need as much in terms of storage – after all, you don’t want to encourage guests to stay too long,” say designers Martin Hulbert, Emma Webster and Jay Grierson. The Grove

Meticulous layout

“The layout very much depends on whether you have good windows, with good natural light and a view – this is really what makes you think about how to arrange the space. When you wake up in the morning, the first thing you want to see is the sky and views, so making the window the focal point gives you a real sense of where you are. Also, think about the door into the room so, if possible, you don’t immediately see the bed, as this creates privacy.”

Chilled and unchallenging

“It needs to feel like a sanctuary; a place to escape to. Life is hectic and we all work hard, so when you go to your room – whether at a hotel or when staying with someone – it needs to feel like your own private space and somewhere that is deeply calm and relaxing. This is achieved by not over-designing – opt for a subtle, soft palette and calm, understated fabrics that add texture. Don’t muddle the eye or challenge the mind too much, as this needs to be a space where your guests can chill out.”

Get personal

“If you’ve created a calm, fairly neutral space, guests will be able to feel themselves in that space. Give consideration to what’s in the room and allow the guest to properly settle in with a place to put their things, too – for example, a stand for their book or laptop, and a place to sit and do their hair rather than standing at the mirror.”

Thoughtful touches

“Practical things that you find in a hotel room will make guests feel at home, such as a hairdryer. But then there are also thoughtful extras like fresh flowers, which provide a lovely, seasonal welcome. A robe is particularly necessary in houses where there isn’t an ensuite, while slippers add a nice touch when guests come down to breakfast. These little extras will make your guests feel really comfortable and at home.”

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