As with most things - it depends. Who is your clientele? What do your guests expect? Obviously the more premium the room, the more that’s expected.

Nevertheless, there are some basic furnishings every room should feature.

So what do you need?

First, of course, is a sturdy, comfortable bed. By far the most important piece of furniture in the room. Sometimes it’s the only piece of furniture the guest actually uses. Keep the mattress in good repair and be sure to replace mattresses when they start showing signs of wear.

Guests also notice how the bed looks. Beds with headboards always make a better impression than beds without them.

A dresser that can hold at least the clothes that can fit in two suitcases. Not that guests always, or even usually, empty their suitcases into the room’s dresser. But they will usually want to stow some of their gear.

Next to sleeping, guests will spend the most time in your room sitting. The humblest hotel room needs to have at least one, preferably two sturdy, comfortable padded chairs. Think of the guests spending a couple hours watching television, and put in the rooms the kind of chairs that would be most comfortable for that.

A table and chair. Hotels that cater to the business traveller will want to ensure their guests can work comfortably from the room and will be careful about the quality of desks, desk chairs, lights and other professional needs, but even casual travellers will want to use their laptops and eat on a table.

There should also be bedside lighting that is easily accessible from the bed. Put it this way, somebody shouldn’t have to get out of the covers to turn off their reading light. You don’t like doing that, nobody does.