An overnight stay can be arranged easily and shouldn't cause a problem, provided a spare bed, fresh sheets and towels are available, as should be the case in any decent household. Matters can change dramatically if a prolonged stay of a week or two is on the agenda.
Facilities
When inviting guests, be they family or friends, it's imperative to have at least a spare restroom. Whilst the host may be quite happy to camp out on a sofa for the duration and leave the bedroom to the guests, it's bound to cause friction if everyone has to share not only the bathroom but also the toilet. If that facility is not available, houseguests are a no-no.
People have different habits as far as early morning drinks are concerned. Some just can't open their eyes if they can't have that vital cup of tea or coffee first thing in the morning. It's a good idea to copy the hotel facility and to invest in a coffee or tea maker which can be placed on the vanity in the guests' bedroom.
Spare keys and a map (if needed) will facilitate guests' independance, as will pointers to a car hire agency if they haven't arrived in their own car.
A tricky problem is smoking. Every host should make sure in advance if their guests are smokers. If they are and the host is not, an area, best outdoors, should be made available where smokers can indulge in their habit without annoying anyone else. Smokers who are forcefully deprived, can become very cranky indeed.
Gifts
No guest, whether family or friends, should ever arrive at a host's house without a gift. It doesn't matter what it is or how much it costs, it's the thought that counts and the expression of gratitude and appreciation. It's okayto make a good bye gift as well, but the gift on arrival is more important, because it sets the right tone.
Outings
What – if any – plans a perfect host should make for their guests' entertainment depend totally on the purpose of the visit. If the guests have arrived at a location they have never been to before and want to see the sights, it's a good idea to have a loose schedule ready. If they have come mostly for R&R and to enjoy the company, it's still useful to check out a few restaurants in advance and to explore hiking routes if in the mountains or the best beaches if by the sea.
Money
Depending on the duration of the stay and regardless of whether the guests are family or friends, they should invite their host to at least one night out in a nice restaurant. They should also, at least once or twice, go off to the supermarket on their own and replenish supplies, including such items as detergent and bathroom tissues. The host pays electricity, so it should go without saying that guests don't run applicances needlessly.
As with so many situations in life, a visit which is enjoyable for both parties, depends on mutual give and take. Patience and respect are required from both sides. Neither host nor guest do critizise each other's habits, tastes or clothes. It's after all only a limited time which is spent together and if things don't work out after all, no guest is forced to return and no host is under an obligation to repeat the invitation.
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