Hostess Gift Ideas UK: What to Bring When You Are Invited

By Natalia, founder of Terréa · Updated October 2026

What is a hostess gift?

A small thank you you bring to whoever has invited you into their home, for dinner, drinks or a stay. In Britain it is just as often called a host gift, and it is meant for the household, not only the person who cooked. It is not a payment for the meal; it is a way of saying the invitation was noticed.

How much should you spend on a hostess gift in the UK?

As a rule of thumb, £10 to £30 for a dinner or drinks, and £30 to £50 for a weekend stay. Spending more than the host might have spent on you can feel awkward. What matters more than the price is that the gift asks nothing of them on the night.

What to bring, by occasion

Dinner at a friend's

Dish Calm

£18

The washing up after a dinner party, made a little gentler.

For the friend who cooked

New neighbours

The Wardrobe Pair

£22

Small, light, nothing to open on the night.

For drinks next door

Christmas drinks

Scented Ironing Water

£18

For the tablecloth they will press before Boxing Day.

For the host who sets a proper table

A weekend stay

Linen Quiet

£42

They washed the guest sheets for you; this is for the next wash.

For a stay of a night or more

A long-awaited dinner

Both Lights

£42

Two scents, one for morning and one for evening.

For the host who notices scent

A housewarming

The Quiet House

£42

Worktops, floor and washing up for the first weeks.

For a new home

Prices as of October 2026. All sets are in Sets and Gifts.

Why bring a gift for the house rather than for the evening?

Because a host is busy when you arrive. Flowers need a vase and water at the worst moment; wine raises the question of whether to open it with the meal. A gift for the house goes on the side, is opened the next morning, and is still being used a month later. Dish Calm at the sink the day after a dinner party is a quiet sort of joke the host will appreciate.

The small etiquette of giving it

1. Hand it over at the door, with a word that it is for later. That lets the host put it aside without ceremony.
2. Do not expect wine you bring to be served. If you would like it opened, say it is for the table.
3. Bring flowers already in water, or send them the next day.
4. For a stay of a night or more, bring something on arrival and send a thank you note after.
5. If you are not sure what the host likes, choose something neutral in scent and useful in any home.

Hostess gifts under £25

• Dish Calm, £18. A 500 ml pump bottle. One pump in warm water, the kitchen smells of patchouli, sandalwood and rose.
• Scented Ironing Water, £18. A fine mist for the cloth before pressing; the heat lifts the scent off warm cotton.
• The Wardrobe Pair, £22. Two scented cards for drawers and coats, each holding its scent for eight to twelve weeks.

Hostess gifts for a weekend stay

• Linen Quiet, £42. Delicate Fabric Wash, Fabric Conditioner, Scented Ironing Water and a measuring cup. Bought separately, £66.
• Both Lights, £42. Two 250 ml room and linen mists: First Light, citrus, cedar and vetiver; Late Light, bergamot, berries and amber.

For more on looking after guests, see how to scent a guest room.

Questions people ask