What are some tips for being a good host or hostess when out-of-town friends come to visit?

David the two answers here have given you good insight into the practicalities that are crucial to making guests feel at home if they are coming for a short visit.But from a different angle, I would say it is not all about how well you do your 'visitors housekeeping'.  It is also how you carry yourself and show that you are willing to go that extra 'mile' to be accommodating to their every need.You need to show you are in a good mood, smiley and cheery, always makes visitors feel at home.  You need to be guided by their wishes; what they would like to do, or not to do, as the case may be.  You need to be a good listener, and be there for them and you need to gauge when they need space and step back a little.

Are they coming to stay with you? Do you want to impress? We kept a nice basket with a wash-rag at the bottom and put essentials in like small soaps, shampooed, conditioners, toothpaste, mouthwash and floss.  We checked to see if they liked coffee in the morning and what they put in it.  We put small coffee maker and cups in their room, with nice coffee, tea, cups and stirring spoons or sticks.  We also put bottled water and glasses on their room.  We left 2 drawers open in their room and space with empty hangers in the closet.  We also had a hair dryer and hand wash soap and towels in the bathroom.  We provided an empty basket for laundry, with plastic bags for packing dirty cloths for short visits.  We put nice bath towels in the basket and a small bag of treats.  We kept extra blankets and pillows on the top closet shelf.  We also had a simple alarm clock on the nightstand and a working TV.  We also kept an extra roll of toilet paper on the toilet lid, Kleenex and a small first aid kit under the sink and extra toothbrushes and disposable razors.My Mother called this 5-Star guest treatment.  It is easier to do than you think and the more independent your guests feel, the better the visit; especially if they are early risers and you are not, or they stay up later.  You want them to feel like they are on vacation and can relax.We kept bagels, cream cheese, fresh fruit and cereal accessible. When everyone was up, we sat around a nice breakfast and planned our day...Have wine, cheese, crackers in hand as well as bread, lunch meat and chips. dips and spread on hand for quick lunches and snacks.I still keep my visitor kit handy and update it when expecting guests.  My daughter has added a few nice twists, like a phone charger...wipes, nice bathrobe and a flashlight.  Funny thing, when we visit our friends, most of them do the same for us!  It is so much more relaxing and fun when you are well prepared for special guests!

Check weather forecast, check weather forecast, check weather forecast and again check weather forecast. When you check weather forecast go and check it again. Put food in a main focus, never let a guest to be hungry choose tasty food choose good, beautiful place to eat even if you just order food some meat stores offer a lamb which you order a day in front, that is the best you can do. Well prepared lamb will maybe cost you less than all food costs during day. You can order it anywhere who keeps a lamb restaurant. In case you don't have a car, spend most on food and fast transport because time is money(you can offer one taxi driver some price for a week or more to drive you all trough your country "offt the record", pay for gas and calculate how much he earns for that long period approximately). If it is a summer or no rain, half of you have a license, you can rent motorbikes, 2 of you on one bike. Do extreme things: go to shooting, paint ball, horse riding, balloon flying, exotic places to photo. Let them remember some adrenaline, don't let 5 min to pass without something interesting. Fill gaps with  cinema, zoo, nargilla. When you chose places, post on your country's forum what is the best for "that and that". When I had guests I asked about all lamb restaurants in country, how to order, who is the best and what about prices. Don't hit some restaurant with tasty food, but dirty to sit there with a smoke all around. Search some history of places in your city and around, they might ask you for it. Of course, clean place for sleeping, gym and wi-fi. I bought good perfume, I would swear it is original for just 4eurs, put it in an electric perfume dispenser and a whole house smells on.. mmm no words. You can put it on furniture just as that. A house smell means a lot. If they will stay at hotel, make sure you always smell good. CHECK in front where to go and HOW. An each town has some forum, so ASK, ASK everything you need to know or you think it might be a better way. Where is the best this, where is the best that...? I had no idea about bunch of things until I had foreigners first time. Buy snacks on kg. It is better you buy one kg of pistachio than all those unhealthy chips, sweets and other money eaters. You can order a cheap nut mixture on a scale. If they stay at your home, than buy water in big gallons and use it in small bottles in morning to pack in backpacks. Put some dry fruits also. Do scheduling and think how much time you need for anything, any driving, any dwelling at some place, what you will talk about and etc. Listen more and talk less, ask questions and smile all time. Ok I haven't done this, but if you have a car you can do some hiking, take bags for sleeping and do some barbecue on a high mountain with fresh air and view. The same is for a beach camping. A sleeping bag is around 10eur, even if you don't have it, any blanket is good with nice weather. If you are in a house and they stay there , than buy meat every day in a meat store and light a barbecue. You can buy "on big" before and keep in on freezing. You will spend less than on other cooking experiments, but nothing is more tasty. Make soups and chicken salads "on big". Sandwiches, sandwiches, sandwiches, sandwiches, sandwiches of all kinds with everything inside while driving and making a tour trough city. DON'T ASK IF THEY WANT. Just supply them even when they say " oh, don't no need.." If you have some long driving with them to some special place, than watch some film in car, with a music while driving, cook a lot of popcorn at home and visit all interesting places or restaurants by the way. Give them a quiet night for sleeping, suggest what to buy for present when want to go back home and improvise with a silence, talk and thinking what to say and answer. Always know to answer them what you will do next , tomorrow and etc... Sorry for my grammarHope this helpsGood luck

Aside from the bathrooms cleaned well, a clean kitchen is nice also, so they know their home cooked meals are coming from a sanitary place. And perhaps buy several different types of beverages; if you know what they like, try to supply them with the beverage of their choice. For more tips, i'd suggest reading: http://www.ehow.com/how_2152384_be-good-hostess.html