The 10 Best guest essentials

1. Poilâne bread

Around £10, from selected Waitrose branches

Chewy inside, crisp crust, this is the best bread for communal breakfast. A Poilâne loaf lasts for days and toasts brilliantly.

2. Muji toothbrush

£2.50, from branches of Muji, muji.eu

In case of impromptu sleepovers after Christmas parties, it's worth having a handful of these brushes from utilitarian specialists Muji in the bathroom.

3. The Banned List; A Twitter Year

£8.99, Elliott & Thompson/£10, Bloomsbury, from good bookshops

The Banned List, a takedown of jargon by John Rentoul, and A Twitter Year, by Kate Bussmann are good bedside books.

4. Cath Kidston eiderdown

£120, cathkidston.co.uk

Having cosy, stylish bed linen to rustle up a comfy nest for guests makes everyone feel at home. This warm eiderdown sits atop a double bed, or hangs over a single.

5. Universal mains charger

£13.25, mobilefun.co.uk

For guests who forget their phone charger, you can offer them this gadget, which has nine attachments for everything from Nokias to iPhones.

6. Ren mini body gift set

£15, renskincare.com

Yes, it's an expensive way to pamper your friends, but canny homeowners could split this set (there are rose, and grapefruit, washes and creams).

7. John Lewis towels

From £3 for face-cloth, johnlewis.com

Choose a different shade of towel set for each guest/family. Good old John Lewis has a brilliant selection of funky bright colours in Egyptian cotton.

8. Aerobed SleepEasy Raised bed

£119.99, aerobed.co.uk

I've never looked back since investing in one of these sturdy, comfortable and (most importantly) supereasy-to-inflate air-beds, which come with their own pump.

9. The White Company robe

£40 (till tomorrow, then £50), 0844 736 4222, whitecompany.com

We're not suggesting you try offering a boutique hotel experience, but a fresh bathrobe makes everyone feel special.

10. Rockett St George water carafe with four glasses

£19.99, rockettstgeorge.co.uk

Guests will welcome a bedside carafe of water (just add ice and a slice of lemon to keep it cool and fresh all night).