Start with the bed

The bed is the piece your guests will remember. Begin by stripping it completely — pillows, duvet, valance, all of it — and giving the mattress a proper airing with the window open for an hour or so. If you have the time, vacuum it and sprinkle over a little bicarbonate of soda before you put the bedding back; it lifts stale smells beautifully. Then make the bed properly, with a mattress protector underneath and crisp, freshly laundered linen on top.

There is something quietly generous about ironed pillowcases. If the weather allows, hang the sheets outside to dry — that outdoor scent is impossible to replicate with anything from a bottle. Two pillows per person is a lovely standard, ideally one firm and one soft, so guests can choose what suits them. Layer a lightweight duvet with a cotton throw or blanket folded at the foot of the bed. It looks inviting, and it gives your guest something to pull over their shoulders if the night turns chilly.

Clear a space that belongs to them

Guests rarely say it out loud, but the thing they most appreciate is somewhere to put their things. Empty the chest of drawers, or at least one or two of them, and leave a few hangers in the wardrobe with a little breathing room to spare.

• A suitcase needs a home too — a low stool or a luggage rack if you have one, otherwise a clear patch of floor beside the bed.
• Wipe down surfaces and remove anything that belongs to your everyday life: the ironing pile, the box of paperwork, the things you meant to sort out last spring.
• A shallow tray or small basket on top of the drawers is perfect for keys, glasses, a watch and a phone.
• Leave a spare phone charger on the bedside table. It is the single item guests forget most often, and having one waiting saves an awkward late-night search.

Small, deliberate touches like these are the difference between a spare room and a room that feels genuinely prepared.

Warm light and a comfortable temperature

Overhead lighting is the enemy of a restful room. If you have a ceiling light, keep it for finding things rather than for atmosphere, and put your effort into lamps instead. A bedside lamp with a warm bulb — around 2700K if you are buying new — casts the sort of honeyed glow that makes people want to climb into bed with a book.

Think about the practicalities of the night, too. A small torch or a plug-in night light in the corner is thoughtful for anyone who wakes in the dark in an unfamiliar house. Leave a folded blanket or a hot water bottle within reach, and show your guest how the radiator or heating controls work when they arrive, rather than leaving them to guess. If the room gets a lot of early morning sun, a heavier curtain or a blackout blind is a kindness for anyone hoping for a lie-in.

The folded towel and other quiet gestures

A neatly folded stack of towels on the end of the bed is the classic hotel gesture, and it works just as well at home. Roll or fold a bath towel, a hand towel and a flannel, and place them together — perhaps tied with a simple ribbon or resting in a shallow basket.

Go one step further with a small bathroom tray or a washbag you keep ready for visitors. Fill it with travel-sized shampoo and conditioner, a spare toothbrush, cotton pads, a bar of nice soap and a small hand cream. Add a fresh bar of soap in the bathroom itself and check there is a clean hand towel on the rail. These are the details that mean your guest never has to ask for anything, which is exactly how being looked after should feel.

Flowers, scent and small comforts

A small vase of flowers on the bedside table or the windowsill is the finishing touch that lifts the whole room. It need not be grand — a few stems of supermarket tulips, some garden rosemary, or a single hydrangea head from the hedge will do. Keep the arrangement low so it does not block the view or get knocked over in the night.

Be gentle with scent. Heavy plug-ins and strong diffusers can overwhelm a small room and set off headaches. A lightly scented candle that you burn for an hour before guests arrive, or a small bowl of dried lavender, is far more subtle.

• Leave a carafe of fresh water and a glass on the bedside table.
• Place two or three books or magazines within easy reach — nothing too demanding.
• Pop a handwritten note on the pillow with the wifi password, a rough idea of breakfast plans and the time you would like to see them in the morning.

Finally, stand in the doorway and look at the room as your guest will. Is there anything you would reach for that is not there? Adjust, breathe, and leave the door slightly ajar with the lamp switched on. A room prepared slowly, with a little thought and a folded towel, tells someone they were expected — and that is the whole art of it.