When you go on vacation, one of the most important things (besides the cleanliness of the room, of course) is that the bed and the bedding are comfortable. If the mattress is uncomfortable and the bedding is not suitable, it leaves a very bad taste in the mouth of the guest, and thanks to online reviews, your reputation can deteriorate very quickly.
That's why it's important to choose the right bedding for your guest house/hotel. In addition to comfort, it's also important that it's durable and can withstand high-temperature washing, so you have to consider completely different aspects than when choosing bedding for your home.
In this article, we will explain in detail the different types of bedding available on the market, their advantages and disadvantages, so you can choose the one that is best suited for your accommodation.
The cotton sheet
The most commonly used hotel sheet material is cotton, because it is durable, breathable, and soft.
Cotton is a hypoallergenic, natural material, so guests are not exposed to dangers such as allergic reactions caused by various dust mites.
Just think how unpleasant it would be if guests complained about sneezing and a runny nose all night or reddened skin. The aforementioned cotton material could be a good solution for these.
Cotton sheets are also more breathable than most synthetic materials and help wick away moisture, making them a good choice for those who sweat a lot at night.
They are machine washable for easy care and will get softer with each wash, so you can count on them for the long haul.
It is worth knowing that the longer the length of the cotton fibers, the better the quality of the bedding. Egyptian and Supima cotton are the two highest quality cotton bedding materials, which are made from extra long fiber length materials.
It's also good to know that cotton bed linens are made with two types of weave: sateen and percale, which differ in their durability and texture.
In satin, the horizontal thread runs once above the vertical one and four times below it, while in percale every other thread crosses each other. This makes satin softer, smoother and easier to care for than percale, which, on the contrary, is more “crisper”, while percale has good breathability and is also more durable.
Sateen sheets have a silky smooth feel and a subtle sheen, and they are easy to care for, as they are machine washable and wrinkle resistant. Sateen sheets are heavier than percale, making them a good choice for the winter months.
Although satin is durable, it is more prone to pilling over time, unlike percale sheets.
Percale sheets, on the other hand, are lightweight, have a crisp feel, and a smooth, matte finish. Because they are tightly woven, percale sheets can be a more durable option than satin sheets, and washing softens the material.
Being a lighter material, they breathe much better, making them ideal for the summer season. Percale sheets can be washed in the washing machine, but they are not wrinkle-resistant, so it is worth ironing them often.
Advantages
- Durable and long-lasting
- Breathable and moisture-resistant
- Softens over time
- Natural cotton material is hypoallergenic
- Machine washable
- Available in cheaper and luxury versions
Disadvantages
- Not all types are the same
- Luxury cotton is extremely expensive
Jersey sheets
Jersey sheets are made from cotton, but they are special because the cotton is woven in a way that creates tiny loops between the fibers, which results in a very soft and comfortable texture.
Additionally, high-quality Jersey sheets are stretchy, making them easy to pull on and don't wrinkle as easily as other materials. The cotton material is breathable, allowing for proper ventilation for sleeping and not causing irritation to the skin.
Advantages
- Soft
- Easy to pull up onto the bed
- Does not crease
- Well ventilated
Disadvantages
- High quality, which may make it more expensive than other sheets
50% cotton, 50% polyester cotton linen sheets
Combining the soft, crisp feel of cotton with the durability of polyester, cotton-poly blend sheets are very durable and retain their vibrant color and shape even after washing.
The blend is pilling, shrinking and wrinkle-free, making it easy to care for and long-lasting.
The blend is very commonly used by high-traffic hotels, spas, salons, and other establishments that require affordable but quality sheets.
Due to their composition, cotton-polyester blend sheets generally feel softer and thicker than microfiber sheets.
Advantages
- It combines the softness and breathability of cotton with the durability of polyester.
- It does not shrink, does not wrinkle and is free from pilling (pills are small bumps that form on sheets).
- Easier to maintain than 100% cotton sheets.
- They are affordable.
Disadvantages
- It is partly made of synthetic materials.
- Stains more easily than 100% cotton sheets.
Microfiber bedding
Microfiber sheets are made from tightly woven, thin synthetic fibers, which makes them very durable and soft, while also being affordable.
Microfiber hotel sheets are easy to care for, machine washable, and their colors remain vibrant even with frequent washing.
Unlike cotton and polyester-cotton materials, microfiber sheets are rated in GSM (grams per square meter) instead of thread count.
GSM describes the weight or thickness of the fabric, and the higher the GSM, the more durable the sheets. Microfiber sheets start at 90 GSM and are considered good, being lightweight and durable, while materials with a GSM of 120 are very soft but heavier.
Advantages
- Lightweight yet durable
- Soft to the touch
- Affordable
- Keeps its color
- Wrinkle-free washable
Disadvantages
- Made of synthetic material
- Not absorbent
- Retains heat
- It should generally be washed at a low temperature to prevent damage, but this in turn provides a good breeding ground for dust mites.
