A comfortable sleeping environment plays a crucial role in the guest experience at your short-term rental. Items like a quality mattress, white noise machine or blackout curtains all play a factor in a great night’s sleep, but one of the most important things to get right in this category are your linens.
It may seem like there are endless linen options out there, so if you’re not sure where to start, look no further. We’re here to explain some bedding buzzwords so you can make the best selections for your property.
Know Your Linen Lingo
Hospitality Grade Linens vs. Retail Grade Linens
Hospitality grade linens are designed to be both durable and affordable, the perfect combination for short-term rental hosts. They are manufactured with fabric that can withstand being washed in large batches, more often, and with heavy cleaners like bleach. Since the bedding at your STR will go through constant guest stays and wash cycles, opting for hospitality grade linens helps avoid more frequent replacements. Replacements are inevitable though, so the affordability of hospitality grade linens is a major draw for STR hosts.
Hospitality grade linens are a step up from standard retail grade linens that everyday homeowners purchase because they are longer-lasting. They are typically purchased in larger quantities though, so there is less flexibility on volume. Retail grade linens offer an advantage that hospitality grade linens typically don’t - a larger color selection. If you’re looking for particular linen colors to match your property’s design, you may not find that with hospitality grade, as they often only have a few color choices.
100% Cotton linens
There are many advantages to using 100% cotton linens, which is why it’s such a popular choice for short-term rentals. This fabric is extremely breathable and helps regulate your body temperature while sleeping, which sets guests up for a successful night’s sleep whether they run hot or cold.
Speaking of hot or cold - cotton is fit to provide comfort during any season, so you won’t have to worry about switching your bedding out depending on the time of year.
Bonus points go to 100% cotton linens for being the most sustainable linen option on the market! The only drawback is that they tend to run higher in price than other linen types.
Percale linens
The crisp and lightweight feel of percale linen helps hot sleepers stay cool and comfortable. Percale has many of the same benefits of 100% cotton, but it is composed in a tighter weave pattern, and the texture is similar to a crisply pressed button-down shirt.
Percale is a wise choice if your short-term rental is located in a warmer climate. It's important to note that percale is prone to a bit of wrinkling, but many hosts love the lived-in look for their linens.
Sateen linens
Sateen is made with 100% cotton, so you may be wondering how it varies from other linen options. The differentiator of sateen is actually not the material itself, but the weave pattern. The cotton is woven in a way that makes it feel heavier, and the calming weight of this type of linen provides a luxurious feel for sleepers.
Additionally, if your STR is in a cooler climate you should definitely consider sateen linens as their weight provides warmth.
Polyester / Poly-cotton blend linens
The low maintenance and affordable price of polyester and poly-blend linens make them another great option for short-term rentals. In contrast to cotton and percale, polyester and poly-blend linens are not prone to wrinkles, which helps save time during the cleaning and refreshing process.
While polyester and poly-blend linens could save you time and money, some people don’t love the synthetic material of polyester. This fabric is not as breathable as other options, especially if you’re a hot sleeper.
How many sets of linens should hosts buy?
Now that you know all the different qualities of linen options, it’s time to talk about the quantities! One of the most common questions we’re asked is how many sets of linens you should have on hand.
A general rule of thumb is to have 3 sets of linens per bed in your rental (AKA, the 3 PAR rule) – one set on the bed, one set in the closet, and one set being washed.
While the 3 PAR rule is a helpful baseline, the number of linens you need for your short-term rental can vary depending on situational factors:
- How are your linens being washed? If you are washing in-house, you may be able to get away with only two sets of linens per bed. If you’re sending your linens out to get washed, you may want to have more than three sets in case of an emergency.
- What is your turnover rate? If you have several rounds of guests staying at your property every week, it’s probably wise to have more than three sets on hand.
Your Takeaway
Now that you’re essentially a linen expert, you can see there are many things to consider when purchasing for your property.
It may help to put yourself in your guests’ shoes to try and determine what bedding factors will be important to them, as well as factoring in your property’s climate and aesthetic. While linens might seem like a small detail, making the right selection will help ensure a positive and memorable guest experience.
Special shoutout to our amazing bedding partners - Parachute, Kassatex and Bellino - for their contributions to this article. As leaders in the linen market, we’re proud to partner with brands that provide incredible products to our members.
Ready to shop linens for your STR? Minoan members can use one checkout process to order exclusive discounted products from all of our bedding partners! Join today and get one step closer to offering your guests an unforgettable night's sleep.
