Anyone who lives in a city knows summer is the time to leave it. During this three-month period, I try to spend as much time as possible in other people’s homes—I’m always eager for a respite from the smelly, stinky, hot concrete jungle, be it by pool, sea, woods, or mountain. Because of this, I feel I’ve mastered the art of the houseguest over the years. The key to being invited back is simple: good behavior, good conversation, and a good host gift.
Hosting is an exhausting, laborious, and sometimes thankless job, so even the smallest gesture can go a long way. The perfect gift says thank you without adding to the chaos and clutter of a house, and centers the host (not the individual gifting it). These foolproof—but not cliché—host gifts will help you express gratitude to every type of host when that standard bottle of wine won’t cut it.