Have you enjoyed pressing pause on time in a hotel lobby where everything about the space felt more restful, peaceful, and clean than your own home? If that feels familiar, the good news is you can establish an atmosphere of feeling at home that feels that way every day just by doing a little work.

It’s not just luck or a lavish higher-end hotel, it is science and strategy. Luxury hotels know how to craft their signature scent branding with intention, to make sure that the experience leaves an impression (and a scent) behind, and you do not have to vacation five-star style or drop $80 on the candle to recreate the experience in your own home. 

Using natural materials, a little DIY and layering, you can achieve the same finishing touches of a spa or luxurious hotel, yes, and you can even do it all for less. So let’s get started!

Nature’s Fragrance: Low-Cost, Natural Ways to Scent Your Space

Before you run out and purchase any air freshener (little FYI: there are serious synthetic chemicals in most), let’s start with nature’s luxury scent options. These are safe, simple, and incredibly effective.

1. Different Types of Essential Oils 

Different types of essential oils are getting popular in the market these days. These are basically concentrated plant material that smells amazing. You don’t need to use a lot of essential oil to add fragrance to a room naturally. A few drops work well. Essential oils can be used for many things and can be used in diffusers, cleaning spray or even to add to laundry. Some popular hotel scents are Lavender, Eucalyptus, Citrus and Sandalwood.

2. Herb Sachets & Dried Botanicals

Instead of using artificial scented fresheners for your drawers, keep your herbal and botanical sachets to put in linen cupboards, sock drawers, and under your pillows. Try dried herbs like lavender, rosemary, mint, or bay leaves.

You could also bundle up dried eucalyptus and/or lavender too and hang them up in your showers, where the steam will activate the herbs and natural oils which will create a natural fragrance throughout your bathroom.

3. Simmer Pots and Citrus Peels. 

Another easy way to improve the scent experience in your home is by using a simmer pot on the stove! Find any size saucier pot (not non-stick), fill with water, and toss in the water, orange peels, cloves, cinnamon sticks, and a little splash of vanilla if you’re feeling fancy! Allow to simmer on low, and your whole kitchen (probably surrounding rooms too) will smell like a home baked dessert or spa relaxation. In addition, it adds moisture to the air!

Scentscaping the House (Room-by-Room)

Scentscaping is a trick used by hotels to create a smooth transition from space to space. Consider each area separately, each area has a slightly different purpose, and the scent should fit that topic. Here are tips on how to master it:

Kitchen

The truth is there are times when all kitchens have food smell. And while a small hint of garlic is one thing while you are prepping, for 12 hours afterwards it’s different. Start clean; neutralize any food smell in the sink, garbage disposal, or the fridge first and foremost, baking soda or vinegar is your best option. 

Bathroom

Toilets should be bursting with fragrant renewal. Fresh, clean scents and not these heavy chemical aromas. Go natural, eucalyptus, peppermint, tea tree oil they are all antibacterial and will give you a clean feeling.

You can use reed diffusers, toilet fizz bombs (homemade or store-bought), and hang shower bundles of eucalyptus above the shower; or hanging wherever there may be space, trays of potpourri of herbs or wildflowers. 

Bedroom

The bedroom of a house is an ultimate relaxing space after a long tiring day for everyone. Soothing aromatics can help you to unwind at night to aid in better sleep. Here are my favorite suggestions: lavender, vanilla and chamomile. 

Things to try: Simply spray your pillows with lavender linen spray. Moreover, simply place a sachet of Lavender under the mattress to remove bad odor. 

The Living Room

Because the living room is usually the epicenter of the home, you can use this beautiful space to create a depth and complexity of a signature scent. You may want to consider trying cedarwood (base note), jasmine or white floral (middle note) and a bright and fresh citrus (top note).

You should know that you can have variety in delivery; you can have a candle, oil diffuser, and fabric spray all in the same scent family (as to not contradict itself). You could also try creating a potpourri. Mix dried rose petals, dried citrus, and a few cinnamon sticks with 5-6 drops of essential oil and place in a decorative bowl.

DIY Luxe: Room Spray Recipes That Smell Luxurious

Room sprays are a secret weapon in the luxury fragrance game. They are fast, customizable and surprisingly inexpensive to make yourself at home.

Basic Room Spray Recipe

You’ll need:

• 1 cup distilled water
• 2 tbsp rubbing alcohol or witch hazel (helps the fragrance to last longer)
• 20-30 drops of any oil
• An empty bottle with a spray top (glass is best)

Just mix everything together in your bottle, shake, and spray away into the air, on curtains, or sheets! When you use the room spray, always shake first.

Signature Scent Blends to Experiment with: 

1. Spa Day (Fresh & Clean)

• 10 drops of eucalyptus 
• 10 drops of lavender 
• 5 drops of tea tree 

2. Hotel Lobby (Warm & Sophisticated)

• 10 drops of sandalwood 
• 10 drops of bergamot 
• 5 drops of vanilla 

3. Summer Staycation (Bright & Uplifting)

• 10 drops of lemon 
• 10 drops of grapefruit 
• 5 drops of mint 

Pro Tip: Always mix a little batch first to test. Scents will sometimes change a little from their initial blend after settling down.

Scents that Last: Professional Tips for a Home that Smells Amazing

Coming up with a beautiful smell is one thing, keeping one is another. Hotels have some tricks of the trade that layer scents and maintain their subtlety so that the fragrance remains present. You can do the same in your residence without spending the $100.00 on luxury fragrances.

1. Open some windows:

The simplest trick? Air! Don’t underestimate that open window! Even through winter, nothing resets a room faster than 10 minutes of fresh air. Air will remove unwanted mystery scents and get rid of stale air (even in winter).

2. Baking Soda:

It’s obvious! Open jars of baking soda in any number of discreet locations, underneath sinks and toilets, behind the toilet, inside your garbage cans. Add a couple drops of essential oil to your jars for a dual purpose deodorant, or air freshener.

3. Pro-Style Layering Your Scent

Diffuse your scent using a diffuser as an ongoing, lower-level smell. Add a candle in the evenings for the ambiance provided by the candlelight. Spray fabrics weekly with your DIY mist and let it dry on the fabric. Low usage areas can have drawer sachets or low flow plug in warmers. Use layering and it becomes more immersive not overwhelming.

Conclusion

There are so many excellent methods to have a great smelling home that do not have to do with expensive branded candles, or expensive diffuser machine, and cannot be bought for branding alone but have to do with intention. You can create scents in your home that will make it feel like you are walking into a five-star hotel lobby every time, without spending your life savings on perfumes. 

Just a few oils, some other natural elements, and a little DIY, you can create the ambience in your comfort space to feel like a retreat every time you walk into it to take your first breath. So, feel free to light your candle, and spray your room spray, and enjoy.