As hosts we can get caught up in the human side of hosting. We’ll fuss over how our place is presented perfectly for a good first impression and fixate on how friendly and welcoming we are. Here’s AirRented’s top tips for preparing your guest’s bed in your Airbnb.
Whilst those are all integral parts of hosting, the fundamental part of a good stay that you need to get right is – by far – the guest’s bed.
Your hospitality and property can be immaculate and without fault, but a bad night’s sleep from a bad bed can trash your chances of a 5-star review.
A tired guest will be grouchy and less likely to notice or appreciate the other effort you’ve made during their stay. There are so many simple things you can do to get this part right which will make the rest of your hosting easier.
Assess the bed frame
Most of us will have an existing bed in the room or property we are hosting. Bed frames hold weight on and off and over time screws can loosen meaning beds can creak and groan which can be disruptive to sleep.
Metal frames or beds with metal elements are prone to this and most modern beds available will contain metal parts. Test out the bed and if it creaks under any movement, take off the mattress and tighten any loose parts. Wipe and clean any parts than can be cleaned – for example metal, wooden or leather.
Some velvet or fabric beds can be vacuumed and wiped clean with a damp cloth. They can then be allowed to air dry fully before adding the mattress on top.
Assess the Mattress
A mattress is a really difficult thing to get right because all guests will have different preferences. These preference stem from what they are used to. Some guests will prefer a soft and plush memory foam mattress. Other guests may complain of back pain if the mattress offers less support.
If you have a bed with a mattress already, try out the mattress for yourself. If this isn’t your normal bed, sleep in it for one night and see how you find it. This is perfect way to experience a stay as a guest would. This way you’ll be able to notice any uncomfortable springs or areas with less support.
If you have an existing mattress and can’t afford a new one but want to improve its comfort, you can purchase mattress toppers. These are essentially thin mattresses that you can lay on top of your existing one. They make the world of difference and can help hide and reduce lumpy areas or bumpy springs.
Deciding on Pillows
You should supply guests with a minimum of 2 pillows each. If you need to purchase new ones, I’d strongly recommend avoiding duck feather pillows. Instead opting for hypoallergenic ones both for cleanliness and guest comfort.
Duck down pillows are a bit more of a personal preference. I would expect the majority of guests to opt for a more standard pillow.
Plus downy pillows can cause irritation in those with sensitive allergies.
Protecting the Mattress, Duvet & Pillows
I’ve stayed in Airbnb’s that haven’t put down any sort of mattress protection. Instead just had a thin cotton sheet wrapped around an old and heavily stained mattress and yellow-tinged pillows wrapped in a single pillowcase. Needless to say, I took the sofa.
There is no excuse for a hotel room, B&B or your Airbnb rental not using bedding protectors. Even a budget hotel should protect the sleeping area in this way.
This is not only for the obvious hygiene issue as lots of different bodies will be using, perspiring, drooling and yes, even peeing on this sleeping area (which is really gross!) But more importantly than this, proper protection aids in preventing bed bugs.
This will also prolong the life of your mattress. Pillows and duvets and protect from any sweat and urine stains which can be harder to remove and will save you from repeated visits to the cleaners. Getting duvets and pillows washed and dried is a considerable task both in cost and time.
In my rental
In my rental, the mattress is covered by a waterproof protective beg bug mattress case. It’s fully sealed with a double zip to prevent beg bugs from squeezing through seams (which they can do). Being waterproof, it’s wipe clean, and I use antibacterial spray to wipe it down occasionally.
This cover has a plastic feel, even when the fitted bed sheet is wrapped over the top, so on top of the waterproof protected mattress I use a simple slightly padded mattress protector. The straps wrap around the four corners of the mattress and its machine washable.
As for the pillows, mine are covered with 2 slightly padded pillow protectors on each pillow that zip closed. These can be machine washed and dried very quickly when needed. Because I use two on each pillow, it helps to plump up the pillows to make them plusher.
For the duvet, I cover this with a thick cotton bed linen cover which is washed after every few bookings.
This second duvet cover underneath the guest bed linens protects the duvet from stains. This is then easily washed if needed.
The guest bed linen duvet slip then goes over the top of this and is washed with all the other guest linen after each booking as expected.
Deciding on Bed Linen
My first gripe is mis-matched bedlinen. It looks uninviting, unprofessional and it makes me think subliminally that it’s not clean enough.
The second biggest thing that bothers me about staying in an Airbnb is brightly coloured or highly decorated bed linen. ‘Busy looking’ or garish bedlinen is a huge gripe. I personally think that plain white or hotel standard (striped white and ivory) bed linen gives a professional and calming aesthetic.
In a hospitality setting, white bed linen gives the impression of cleanliness.
Stick to cotton too, microfibre bed linen encourages perspiration. Whereas the alternative cotton breathes a little better and doesn’t trap sweat as much.
Finishing Touches
To finish off the bed and create an inviting and relaxing display, some hosts add additional cushions or a throw at the end of the bed.
I don’t add cushions to my rental bed. Most of the time these just end up on the floor and I like the finished look to be simple and clean to the eye. In my opinion, this looks nicer.
At the bottom section of the bed, I wrap an extra wide table runner. A guest will lay a suitcase on the bed the moment they get there. Or they will lay on the bed to take the weight of their feet on arrival. By covering the bottom of the bed, this helps stop any dirt from shoes or suitcase wheels from getting on the white bed linen.
If you have a fold out luggage holder or would rather cover the bed with something more useful, you can cover the bottom of the bed with a throw or blanket. The additional benefit is that guests can use the additional layer for sleeping if they get cold.
And there you have it! Follow the above and you’ll have the freshest, comfiest, and most inviting bed, worthy of a good night’s sleep. Plus most importantly a good guest stay (plus that all important 5-star rating.)