The Complete Inhaven Bed & Mattress Guide
26th Aug 2022
A dreamy night’s sleep in a bed more comfortable than your own. That’s the sign of a great vacation and a great vacation rental. One your guests will want to return to on a repeat basis.
You’ve definitely nailed it in the great night’s sleep category, if you consistently receive rave reviews about the ultra comfortable beds in your vacation rental property.
However, if your vacation rental gets a low rating based on a poor night's sleep, it’s time to check out the Inhaven complete Airbnb bed and mattress guide brought to you in collaboration with our bed partners, Down Decor.
2. Mattress & Mattress Toppers
3. Bed Linens
5. Pillows
The Stats
A recent 2022 TripAdvisor survey suggested that 51% of American travelers cited ‘Rest and Relaxation’ as the main reason for taking a vacation.
And when a previous hotel survey asked travelers how important a comfortable bed was when choosing an accommodation, 78% said it was very important.
The happiest guest is one who’s had a good night’s sleep
From this, we can conclude that the happiest guest is one who feels totally relaxed and enjoys a great night’s sleep during their stay with you, so selecting the right bed, mattress and bed linens is essential to your reviews. And higher reviews will improve your occupancy rates.
In fact, the beds you purchase for your vacation rental will be one of the most important investments you make and there's nothing a guest likes more than a deliciously comfortable hotel-quality bed.
How do you define a hotel-quality bed?
We asked Andrew from Inhaven partner and bedding specialist Down Decor to explain.
A ‘hotel-quality bed’ can mean something different to each guest. To me, it starts with the very first impression: how you present your beds and bedrooms in your Airbnb listing and book direct website photo galleries.
You can dress your bed for photos with euro pillows with shams, and king or standard shams in front of the euros. Two to three euro pillows work for queen and king size beds.
Finally, make sure your comforter or duvet is good quality. If it has a cover, make sure it’s ironed before the shoot. There’s nothing worse than wrinkled bed linens!
I sometimes see very nice ocean-front properties that go for $12,000+ per week and they have cheap looking quilts on the bed with flat pillows – this is NOT inviting and doesn’t make your guest feel cozy from the image!”
Vacation Rental Beds
We recommend primary bedrooms are always equipped with a king or california king sized bed.
Large guest bedrooms should be furnished with a full or queen bed and if you want to attract families or groups to your vacation rental make sure that you have at least one bedroom with a flexible configuration, such as bunk beds with a trundle, a sleeper sofa or a Murphy bed.
Beds should be sturdy, have divan-type sprung bases (not four bare legs and a flat base), and feature good quality, firm mattresses.
| Standard US Bed Sizes |
|
| Twin | 39” x 75” (3’3” x 6’3”) |
| Twin XL | 39” x 80” (3’3” x 6’8”) |
| Small Double – ¾ Size | 48” x 75” (4’0” x 6’3”) |
| Full | 54” x 75” (4'6” x 6'3”) |
| Queen | 60” x 80” (5'0” x 6'8”) |
| King | 76” x 80” 6'4” x 6'8”) |
| California King | 72” x 84” (6'0” x 7'0”) |
Insider Tip
The size of your bed should always match the size of the bedroom.
Best mattress and mattress toppers for a vacation rental
Photo staging is important to draw the guest in and receive bookings. Once they arrive, the reality has to match the expectation.
Many Inhaven customers ask if they should invest in an expensive mattress. This depends on your vacation rental. If you have a luxury home your ideal guest will expect the absolute best in terms of size and quality of beds, mattresses, linens and pillows.
In fact, some vacation rental owners invest in actual ‘hotel mattresses’, such as the renowned Marriott mattress.
However, it’s not necessary to spend a fortune to achieve a hotel-quality bed experience.
Andrew tells us, “You don’t have to spend a ton of money on mattresses, just add to them to make them amazingly comfortable.
On top of the encasement, I recommend using a mattress topper. On a queen-size bed, I recommend a down alternative topper, such as the Premium Down Alternative Fiberbed.
For king-size beds I recommend the Downtop Feather Bed and then on top of the downtop, you could use a mattress pad, such as temperature regulating mattress pad. This helps to keep the topper in place.
Your cleaning team should be trained on the Downtop Feather Bed. It has to be fluffed between guests, but it’s worth it as your guests will feel like they are sleeping on a cloud!"
Insider Tip
Choose a waterproof mattress topper or buy a protector which offers extra protection against any spills or accidents. This will also prolong the life of your mattress.
Which bed linens should I choose?
A good quality bed and mattress won’t be appreciated if you fit them with cheap linens.
The hotel quality bed experience is always finished off with crisp white cotton sheets.
Egyptian or organic cotton bed sheets are a win with guests, and Andrew highly recommends Tencel or a Tencel blend with cotton.
“I would suggest spending money on good quality sheets. If you have a nice comfy bed and then use scratchy sheets or hot microfiber sheets, your guest is not going to be comfortable.
The tencel fiber helps with temperature regulation. We especially love this Ultra Soft Tencel Cotton Sheet Set.”
Insider Tip
Aim to update your linens every six months to keep them fresh or after 70 washes (depending on your occupancy rate).
The best Airbnb comforters, duvet inserts & duvet covers
The comforter or duvet insert is also very important. Whether you use a duvet insert with a duvet cover or just a comforter is a personal preference.
The comforter is easier as it’s one single quilted piece, but it’s harder to wash compared to a duvet insert, which has a cover that can be slipped off and washed in between guests.
If you choose a comforter, Andrew recommends, "Choose 100% cotton comforters that are soft and comfy, and most importantly are machine washable!"
He recommends a pure down comforter for king beds and larger, such as this Luxury White Goose Down for All Seasons and a Down Alternative for other sizes, such as this All Seasons Down Alternative Cotton Comforter.
Insider Tip
Your down filled and down alternative filled duvet inserts are also machine washable. For best results, after washing, dry them on low heat for several cycles until dry.
The best pillows for your vacation rental
Ideally, pillows should be hypoallergenic and adapt to different sleeping positions. If you really want to impress your guests, you should offer both a supportive and standard pillow option.
Andrew says: Pillows are very subjective. Everyone has a preference when it comes to pillows, so the best option is to have ‘Options’!
I would recommend having four sleeping pillows on each bed and a few more in the closets; typically a mix of down filled and down alternative filled options.
Ho
Here are a few of my favorite pillows:
Hotel Chamber Premium Down Pillow
Down Alternative Hypoallergenic Pillow Twin Pack
Luxury 330TC White Goose Down Pillow
To prolong the life of the pillow, it’s important to utilize pillow protectors which should get washed several times a year.
Pillows don’t last forever and no guest wants to sleep on a stained pillow. Having pillow protectors prolong the life of the pillow – they literally save your pillows!
The final bedding touches!
Adding additional comfort, warmth and style to your vacation rental beds is easy with the final touch of accent pillows and throw blankets. Accent pillows can add a touch of color and style to a neutral bed, and should compliment the color of your bedroom. Blankets and throws can do the same but also add an additional layer of warmth during the colder winter months.
Bed skirts are another great accessory to help complete the look of the bed, while covering an unsightly bed frame, box spring and any items that may be stored underneath the bed.
And don’t forget about the bedside tables next to the beds in your vacation rentals which should include a lamp, alarm clock with usb chargers, coasters for drinkware and space for the guests to place any other items they will need throughout the night.
Your final tip please Andrew? No matter what you do – do not buy cheap pillows and bed linens from Walmart or Target for your vacation rental. They will not last and your guests will not be comfortable.
Spend money on ALL of your bedding up front, it will definitely pay off in the long run. It’s more durable and certainly more comfortable.
Action Plan
Do you need an upgrade? Take a fresh look at the beds in your vacation rental. How old are they? How comfortable are they? Put yourself in your guest’s shoes. Would you give a five star review for a great night’s sleep? If not, it’s time for an upgrade.
Review each bedroom: Think about your ideal guests. Would it be beneficial to change the types of beds or configuration in each bedroom to accommodate them? And do your beds fit the size of the room?
Bedding review: Do your linens need upgrading and do you have enough sets to cope with same-day changes? Guests paying for high season rates will expect the ability to make multiple bed linen changes during their stay. Make sure you can accommodate that, just as a hotel would.
Visit the Inhaven bedroom checklist for a complete product guide to ensuring a great night’s sleep for your guests.