How to set up the perfect Airbnb bed, layer by layer

The bed is where guests spend most of their stay, and it’s what they remember when they write a review. It’s also a system: if one layer is wrong, the others can’t fully make up for it.

1. Bed frame: keep it simple

I prefer a simple metal frame.

• A metal frame is easy for your cleaner to wipe down, and they can see every part of it.
• Bed bugs prefer wood and fabric to metal, and a simple frame has fewer cracks and joints to hide in.
• I’d skip upholstered frames and headboards, since fabric is hard to clean and gives bugs places to hide.

2. Mattress: medium-firm

Medium-firm suits the most guests. When a mattress is too soft, guests with back problems complain, and some say it feels like an air mattress. A hybrid with pocketed coils and cooling gel foam is my choice. Here’s how to choose the right mattress for your Airbnb.

3. Mattress topper: the plush layer

A topper is what turns a good bed into a hotel bed. I skip memory foam and use a washable pillow-top with springy fiber fill and a bamboo cover. Here’s how to choose the right mattress topper.

4. Mattress protector: the shield

This is the last layer before the sheets. It should be waterproof but breathable, so it doesn’t feel like plastic. I recommend a six-sided zippered encasement, because it also seals the mattress against bed bugs. I put mine over the topper, so it protects both.

It has to fit. Pick one deep enough for the mattress and topper together, so it doesn’t shift as guests move or bunch up with every linen change. Do you need a mattress protector, and which one?

5. Sheets: white, 100% cotton

White cotton gives you the hotel look and can be washed hot and bleached. Aim for about 400 to 600 thread count. With a topper, buy fitted sheets with pockets deep enough for the mattress and topper together. I use a fitted sheet and a duvet cover rather than triple sheeting. Here’s how to choose the right sheets.

6. Pillows: give guests a choice

• Plan on two pillows per guest, so four on a queen or king.
• I put one feather pillow and one down alternative pillow on each side, so guests can choose.
• Keep extra pillowcases, so any with makeup or stains can be swapped right away.

7. Finishing touches

A throw and a couple of decorative pillows add character. Throws need washing more often, and my cleaners wash them after every stay. Decorative pillows don’t need it after every stay, but they do need it on a regular schedule.

How much to stock per bed

• Keep three sets of linen per bed: one on the bed, one in the wash, and one spare.
• Keep a spare topper and protector too, so a soaked one never holds up a check-in.

To keep it all fresh through quick turnovers, see how to wash your bedding during quick turnovers and how to pick the right washer and dryer.

When to replace each layer

• A rental mattress may only last about 5 years, so check it regularly and replace it once it starts to bow or sag.
• A topper lasts about 3 to 5 years, or until it goes flat or lumpy.
• Replace a protector when it tears, the zipper fails, or it stops being waterproof.
• Sheets last about 5 years, or less if they get stained, thin or pilled.
• Replace pillows whenever they go flat or get stained.