'We Were Just Passing Through': Houseguest Horror Stories -- and a Few Happy Surprises

Bob and Pat Watson

Washington

We recently had a guest with two small boys visit us from Colorado. We have a young daughter and knew that between the three of them, they would run roughshod over our house. So the day after they arrived, we packed everyone up and took them to a cottage we had rented in Virginia Beach. This was the best experience I ever had with houseguests who have small kids!

Renee Harris

Fort Washington, Md.

We have two dear friends who are a joy to have as houseguests. They came to Maui and to Winchester recently (where we are now living). They always bring a little something that they know we will enjoy. If they want to tour the area, they will go off by themselves after we give them some suggestions. They never knock the town we live in, or the people who live there. They clean up after themselves, and we thoroughly enjoy our time with them.

Debbie Gathercole

Winchester, Va.

After moving to the mountains of West Virginia and adding an in-ground swimming pool, we figured we'd have guests, and we were right. It got to the point where friends would call and ask if we had a room upstairs or down for the weekend of whatever.

Our favorite guests through the years have turned out to be friends who make the three-hour trip down from Philly. After a fun-filled visit, my friend Terri will strip the beds, gather the towels and sweep and mop the floor, and by the time I get up Sunday morning, the house looks like it did when they arrived. As a result of this behavior, I try to do the same thing when I am overnighting at a friend's house.

Pat Tollifson

Shepherdstown, W.Va.