Etiquette tips to make sure you are a house guest superstar

Being a guest in someone else’s home is a pretty intimate experience. Someone is inviting you into their house so you want to be the best guest possible.

There are some obvious thing that you can do to not be a burden on your host, clean up after yourself, and leave the room that you are using as tidy as possible. However, there are few things that you can do to make sure that you are the greatest guest of all time and one that will be invited back again and again.

Be clear about your dates
It must annoy you when someone is coming to stay and gives you approximate times of arrival and departure. One even worse when they leave the departure a mystery. While the host will always say it’s “no problem” or that they are “always home” they still have their own lives to live and preparation to make. Be clear about the day and time that you arrive and depart so that everyone is in the know.

Check the pet
No one likes a surprise when they have a guest, so don’t surprise your host by springing a pet on them. If they don’t have a pet there might be a reason that they don’t that bringing yours into their home could create a problem. If they have a pet there is no way of knowing how their pet will react to your and vice versa so it’s best to clear it with your host that your pet is okay to come along.

Bring a gift and leave a thank you note
Nothing says “thank you for letting us stay” like a wonderful gift, except maybe an actual “thank you” card. It can be as simple as a bottle of wine or a gift basket but a token of your appreciation for them opening up their home.

What are some of your tips for being the best house guest? What are some things that you do to ensure that your guests have the best stay?