When I have guests visiting, I strive to make them as comfortable as possible. I equip my guest room with everything I can think of that they might need while away from home. I want them to feel like they're on vacation, even if they're just at my house.

Jo and I recently renovated my guest room with new built in shelving, complete with outlets, a charging shelf, and portable sconce lighting. (If you didn't notice, I took a lot of inspiration from my spa-like guest bathroom makeover.)

Having a warm and inviting environment is the biggest guest room essential you can strive for, and this refreshed decor hit the nail on the head.

But to really make guests feel welcome, I like to provide an array of amenities for them. This could be displayed on a simple desk or table, but... you know us better than that, right?

Creating a custom amenities cabinet

I decided to create a custom amenities cabinet for the corner of the room, that I could stock full of guest room essentials.

I wanted to upcycle a piece of furniture for this, and I hit the jackpot when I found this old wardrobe at a thrift store for just $10. It needed some work, but it had great bones and was just the right size.

After I gave it a good cleaning, I repaired a few boards and added more shelves to hold everything I wanted to include. A fresh coat of paint in the perfectly named color Laid-Back Blue by Sherwin-Williams and it was ready for the guest room.

I also removed the old mirror, and replaced it with something super fun. Keep reading to see what I added!

Stocking the guest room amenities

There are lots of little things you can provide for your guests, and I'll share a very detailed list below. But first, I want to cover the general categories of items I included in my cabinet.

A coffee and tea station

While I'm sure you'd be happy to make your guests coffee in the kitchen each morning, it's quite possible that they might like a little quiet time to themselves when they first wake up.

A single-serve coffee maker that can also provide hot water will cover your coffee and tea needs. I had an extra Hamilton Beach FlexBrew on hand but if you're tight on space, the Keurig K-Mini is a great option.

Along with coffee packets and tea bags, be sure to provide mugs, spoons, and sweeteners. I also added a towel so they'd have somewhere to prepare their coffee on, in case any splashes might occur.

You'll likely need creamer or milk, too, but I've got a solution for that. Put it in the...

Mini fridge with drinks and snacks

If your guests wake up thirsty or hungry in the middle of the night, they might not feel comfortable roaming your house in their PJs, so give them plenty of drink and snack options.

I put a 15 liter mini fridge on one of the shelves to hold cold drinks and snacks.

A mini fridge is also an incredible help to guests who might have medications that need to be refrigerated. It's a simple addition to the room that can mean so much to your guests.

WiFi information

Be sure to provide your WiFi information for your guests, including your network name and password. This can be on a small card or even framed to look like art.

Remember that mirror I removed from my cabinet? I replaced it with a piece of glass that I cut to fit, and backed it with white posterboard. The result is a dry-erase board that I can use to share the wifi info, as well as any other information I want, such as a welcome message or what time breakfast will be served.

Plenty of linens

Providing extra linens to your guests is a no-brainer. Always have an extra blanket handy in case they get cold, and extra pillows as well. And of course, lots of fresh, fluffy towels!

A selection of toiletries

I know you saved those sample toiletries from your last hotel stay, didn't you? Put them to good use in a small basket, along with extras that they might forget, such as toothpaste and makeup wipes.

Somewhere to hang clothes

Your guests will surely need somewhere to put their clothes. If at all possible, empty at least half of the closet in the guest room and provide plenty of empty hangers.

I was thrilled to discover that my original cabinet had a pull-out bar for hanging clothes, making it the perfect sneaky little resource.

The complete hotel amenities cabinet for my guest room

With the addition of some glasses and small plants, my amenities cabinet was complete. It's the perfect addition to my guest room and so far has been a huge hit with guests.

56 Guest Room Essentials to put in your guest room

Now that I've inspired you to outfit your cozy guest bedroom with items to make them feel at home, you're ready to start gathering what you need.

Here's my list of 56 must-haves amenities for your guest room:

1. Extra blankets
2. Variety of extra pillows
3. Fresh bed linens
4. Towels (bath, hand, and washcloth)
5. Fan or space heater (depending on season)
6. Sleep mask and earplugs
7. Nightlight or bedside lamp
8. Empty drawers
9. Luggage rack
10. Table or desk and chair
11. Closet space with extra hangers
12. Room darkening curtains
13. Clock
14. Bottled water or a carafe and glass
15. Trash can with lid
16. Tea bags and hot cocoa packets
17. Instant coffee or coffee maker pods
18. Sugar, creamer, honey, sweeteners
19. Granola bars or packaged snacks
20. Mints or chocolates
21. Wi-Fi password card
22. Universal charger or phone charging station
23. Power strip or extra outlets
24. Local guidebook or house manual
25. Spare house key in case they need to leave
26. A few books or magazines
27. Pen and notepad
28. Fresh flowers
29. Smart TV
30. TV/Remote instructions
31. Slippers
32. Robe
33. Umbrella
34. Flashlight
35. White noise machine
36. Full-length mirror
37. Hand sanitizer
38. Shampoo, conditioner, body wash
39. Toothbrush and toothpaste
40. Floss and mouthwash
41. Razor and shaving cream
42. Lotion
43. Makeup remover wipes
44. Basic medicines
45. Cotton swabs
46. Extra toilet paper
47. Plunger
48. Hairdryer
49. Comb or brush
50. Sanitary products (pads/tampons)
51. Tissues
52. Lint roller
53. Iron and ironing board or steamer
54. Sewing kit
55. Laundry bag or basket
56. Stain remover stick or wipes

Have you ever been a guest and needed something that I forgot on my list? Let me know in the comments below, so I can update the list AND my guest room!