How to be a good Host and NOT good house guests

Proper hosting etiquette is an art form, I think.  It takes creativity, passion and determination to really pull it off.  In return, you will receive genuine satisfaction.  Or you should.  Below are some suggestions that a proper hostess should follow in order to delight their guests.

1. Clean Clean Clean!  The whole house and the company's room.  Floor to ceiling, closet to corners.  In their room, set up a guest basket with magazines, candies/gum, candles, sun tan lotion and summer accessories (if summer season), toiletries and anything else to make their stay that much more pleasant.
2. Clean smelling sheets and towels are a must and make sure there are plenty of them.
3. Find out if your guests are allergic or have aversions to any foods before they arrive and make sure they are not in the frig.  However, make sure the frig is stocked with everything from fruit to snacks to meats and veggies.  Don't forget drinks.
4. Find out what your guests would like to do and/or see for their stay and set a game plan to accommodate their itinerary.  Having directions and restaurants picked out before hand is a plus.
5. Take the guests where they want to go. They are only there for a temporary period and you want to make their stay as enjoyable as possible, even if it means biking in 100 degree weather.
6. Take the guests to dinner and drinks at least one night.  You don't have to pay for them, but it's always nice to treat them to something.  FYI, you do this in thinking that they will recipricate in return.


Below are some suggestions on what NOT to do as house guests.

1. Bring bottles of wine for your hostess and keep them in your car.
2. When your hosesst offers to pick up the tab a couple times to be nice and generous, instead of being greedy and saying ok, grow some balls, put your foot down and pay for your damn drinks/food yourself.  Very disrespectful.
3. NEVER treating your hostess to ANYTHING while you stay with them.  If you are guests in someone's home and they go out of their way to accommodate your stay, it is proper to treat the host/hostess to at least something.  Ideally, you are saving hundreds of $$$ by staying with these people, in their home, and the least you can do is show that you are grateful for all they've done.  Disrespectful with a capital D.
4. Leaving without a proper thank you and showing little gratitude for the stay.  Bad.


Some people just don't have any manners...