If you have a guest room, I recommend offering it up to friends and family members in college or a graduate program for a short holiday. Students often don't have a lot of extra money to spend on vacations, so this is a lovely thing to do for the students in your life. Those that take you up on it will be grateful and it is always more fun when your guest room is in use!
My boyfriend's younger sister is currently attending Harvard. For spring break she decided to come back to Texas but still wanted to go somewhere for a couple days. She asked to stay with me and I was, of course, delighted! After spending a few days at home, she and one of her friends drove down to spend a few days in San Antonio and stayed at my house.
My goal was to make them feel like they were staying at a cute boutique hotel – a college girl's spring break dream. Before the girls arrived, I made a trip to Trader Joe's to get some snacks and dinner supplies. I set the table with cloth napkins, pretty plates and glassware, and fresh flowers for our meals. I also put together a snack and coffee station. Last but not least, I stocked the guest room with goodies, water bottles, and some Swiss chocolate I brought back from my recent trip to Switzerland.
The first day, they arrived at the house early to drop off their belongings. We chatted over coffee and biscotti and then they were off to Six Flags Fiesta Texas for the day. That evening we snacked on Boursin cheese and crackers while I made the girls a ham and cheese quiche with asparagus for dinner. We sat down at the table and enjoyed the meal and good conversation. After dinner the girls enjoyed a movie night. Towards the end the evening, I brought them so freshly baked cookies (the ready made dough from Trader Joe's, of course).
The next morning, I put out a simple breakfast, an assortment of scones from Trader Joe's. I also set out tea and coffee for them to help themselves. They spent the daytime enjoying exploring the downtown San Antonio and the Pearl. In the evening, we went to Paloma Blanca for Mexican food because after spending three moths in another state, Texas girls are in dire need of good Mexican food. After dinner, we drove by the Alamo because that was something we could not forget.
The next day, I made a brunch spread of breakfast sausage, eggs, and croissants before they headed back home. The girls got me some gorgeous flowers that morning which we were able to enjoy as our brunch centerpiece. Then we said our goodbyes and the girls traveled back home. They told me they enjoyed their holiday and thanked me for my hospitality.
Overall, I truly enjoyed hosting these girls for their short holiday. If you have a guest room, let other's know you are happy to host. The beauty with hosting college students is that they will probably be happy planning their day on their own. All you really have to do is set up their room and provide a few snacks but they will be appreciative nonetheless. Maybe one day they too will do it for someone else.
Photos: Photography by Melanie Charron.
Have you had any fun hosting experiences? Share them in the comments below!
As always,
Alli
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