Menu

What Is The Best Mattress For Your Guest Room?

Jessica Jones
RankProductHighlightsWarranty
#1Helix mattress that has a purple bottom with it's logo in the middle of the bed

Helix Mattress

Review

Buy Now

  • Helps with back pain
  • Great customer service
  • Great for sleep partners with dual and blended options
10 Year Limited
#2

Bear Mattress

Review

Buy Now

  • Celliant cover seemed to work for me in the reduction of aches and pains
  • Great price for quality materials
  • No off gassing
10 Year Limited
#3

 

SoundAsleep

Review

Buy Now

  • One-click pump design for convenience
  • Simple to inflate and deflate
  • Maintains shape well
  • Great customer service
  • Holds up to 500 pounds
  • “Sure Grip” bottom prevents slipping
  • Waterproof top
  • Flocked design keeps bedding in place
  • Material is puncture-resistant
  • Convenient storage bag
  • Power cord storage space on the front of the product
1 Year Limited

In our day and age, it’s become easier than ever to roam the earth with ease. You can fly 3,470 miles from New York to London in less than eight hours. This also means we’re more dispersed than ever, so it’s likely you have friends and family you don’t get to see as often as you’d like.

When those times arrive that you do get to enjoy their company, make sure they can make the most of their stay at your home with a quality mattress at an affordable cost. The online mattress business model has slashed costs by eliminating the middleman. By ordering direct from the manufacturer, you can offer your guests the best without breaking the bank. Keep reading to learn how to spot the best mattress for guest rooms.

How to Spot The Top Mattresses for Guest Rooms

Before you get too deep into your guest room mattress shopping, you first must weigh your priorities. Things like your budget and expected usage of your guest mattress need to be considered. In most cases, your guest mattress will be used sporadically, so you can usually get by with a less-expensive product. However, you can use bed-in-a-box savings to pass on added comfort and support to your guests.

Firm or Plush Guest Mattress? How to Accommodate Ranging Preferences

Firm Mattress

Plush Mattress

We all have our own unique preferences when it comes to the right mattress. When it comes to a sleep product for guests to enjoy, it’s impossible to please everyone. Fortunately, most mattress companies offer average settings based on research designed to accommodate the majority of people. For example, if firmness is an option, you’re typically safe to select medium. Other features most sleepers enjoy include:

  • Low motion transfer
  • High breathability
  • Ease in movement
  • Good combination of comfort and support

With so many material types on the market, there are numerous ways in which each of these primary sleeping concerns can be met. We’ll look at a few of our hand-tested recommended mattresses for guest beds in a moment and see how they work to offer viable solutions.

Sizing Your Guest Bed

Another selection you’ll need to make when you order your mattress is the size. When it comes to guest beds, bigger is usually better. Every situation is different. Think about who will be using the guest room. Will it primarily be couples or families, or do your guests usually consist of individuals? If so, a twin or full size mattress will do the trick. The lower cost can free up funds for higher quality.

If your guest size ranges or you just want to be prepared in the event more than one person shows up, a queen-sized product will typically do the trick. Individuals will enjoy the added space, and couples will be comfortable. Queen-sized mattresses are the most common. They subsequently feature some of the most cost-effective sleep solutions.

Take Basic Needs Into Consideration

Not all mattresses are created equally. Since versatility is key in finding the best guest mattress, it’s important to know how to spot features that appeal to the masses. Below you’ll find a few helpful tips to take basic needs into consideration as you shop:

Breathability
  • Look for gel infusion and the use of elements like copper. These are often included in memory foam to help overcome hot sleeping.
  • Innerspring units typically allow products to breathe well.
  • Look for featured claims of heat transfer capabilities and explore reviews of how it worked for actual sleepers.
Motion Isolation
  • Look for foams like memory foam that are known to absorb energy.
  • Avoid the use of products featuring continuous coil innerspring units. Rather, opt for pocketed coils that are better at isolating motion.
Ease in Movement
  • Be on the lookout for products featuring latex or innerspring as they help the product bounce. Just make sure there’s adequate supplement from other foams to reduce motion transfer. Again, opt for pocketed coils in innerspring.
  • If memory foam is included, examine surrounding layers to ensure a material with more bounce is located nearby.
Comfort and Support
  • Look at the indentation load deflection at each layer of the mattress. The lower the number, the plusher the material. You want to find a combination that averages out to around 25-31 for a true medium firmness.
  • Take some time to read reviews to see how real users experienced the product in terms of comfort and support.

Do I Even Worry About Durability?

Durability is a critical feature to pay attention to when you’re mattress shopping. However, when seeking a guest mattress, you’re allowed much more room to compromise in this department. Of course, if you have very frequent house guests, you’ll still want to understand how to translate densities into durability expectations.

A 2016 poll by Houzz reveals that most people only have guests over a couple times a year. This means, out of 365 days, your guest mattress will only get used two or three nights. Considering many mattress companies allow for sleep trials as long as 100 nights, you can quickly see how the years add up.

What This Means for You

Allowing for compromise in terms of durability means you can save money while still offering your guests a comfortable bed to enjoy at the end of the day. Remember that the comfort layers get the most wear and tear. The lower you allow yourself to go in terms of density in the upper layers, the quicker the mattress will degrade over time. If you have guests over frequently, you should pay close attention to this area in particular. You can read much more about determining durability expectations in our complete guide.

Keep The Guest Room Well-Maintained

Especially if it isn’t used very often, it’s important to regularly check your guest room for potential problems. Things like moisture buildup or humidity can damage your mattress, so proper maintenance is crucial for mattress longevity. You should also invest in an inexpensive mattress frame. This prevents the development of a plethora of problems that can arrive when your mattress is constantly in contact with organic components on the floor. I found the Zinus bedframe to be a product that offers sufficient support, and its color makes it easy to fit in with just about any room design.

Popular Mattress Materials to Consider

Since versatility is key, it’s not a bad idea to look at a couple of materials that are particularly popular in the industry. Memory foam has maintained appeal since it hit the industry in the 1990’s. This is largely due to its ability to contour to the curves of the individual, thus reducing painful pressure points. Latex is another popular choice that’s eco-friendly and adds bounce. When used together, these materials complement one another very well and appeal to a large portion of sleepers.

Memory Foam Touch

Latex Touch

Added Protection and Customization

We all know how much more we tend to appreciate belongings we worked hard to buy. While your guests will likely make efforts to respect your guest room, accidents do happen. This possibility only increases if your guests are known to include children and/or pets. I always recommend the supplemental purchase of a quality mattress protector. They can be washed after each guest leaves, leaving the mattress clean for your next visitors and removing any remnants left behind from previous visits.

You can also allow your guests the ability to customize when you offer them a mattress topper. These products can be used to add to the comfort level and even help with problems like back pain and reduce pressure points for side sleepers. If they’re happy with the mattress as it is, toppers can be easily removed.

Keep Your Preferences in Mind

If you have company over as often as most people, what purpose does your guest mattress serve the other 362 days per year? When you consider your own preferences during your mattress search, you’ll find numerous ways in which an extra mattress in the house can be convenient. If you fall ill, this can be a great place to quarantine and recover with minimal exposure to others in the home. It can also be a great place to crash when you come home late from work and don’t want to disturb your sleep partner. The possibilities are vast.

I Don’t Have Space for a Guest Bed

Not all homes have space available to accommodate a permanent guest bed. Especially if yours isn’t used often, there are likely other things you could use your guest room for throughout the year. If this is the case for you, a quality air mattress can provide the perfect solution. They can be inflated in just minutes, and they’re great to be used as a comfortable yet temporary sleep solution. It beats sleeping on the couch and can accommodate more than one sleeper.

Best Rated Mattresses for Guest Rooms

Now that you have a more well-rounded idea of what to look for in a guest mattress, let’s take a look at a few products we’ve hand-tested. We’ll discuss the features of each that could make them a great fit for your guests.

1. Tuck- Best Innerspring Mattress for Guest Room

SPECS

  • Warranty: 11 years, one month, and one day
  • Trial Period: 145 days, 12 hours, and 53 seconds
  • Layers:
    REPREVE cover, Copper-infused gel memory foam, Continuous-pour natural Dunlop latex, Microcoils, Transition polyfoam,
    6 inch pocketed coil support system,
    1 inch Poly Foam Base

Layers and placement vary depending on the results of your customization process

Looking for a guest mattress at the right price that also does its part in helping you reduce your carbon footprint? Tuck is a product that still relatively new to the industry, and they use a material called REPREVE in the cover. This material is produced using used water bottles. The queen size model uses around 24 of them.

This innerspring product offers consumers the bounce of innerspring without the typical motion transfer. This is because of the individually-wrapped coil system along with the top layer of memory foam. When you order, you answer several questions to allow you to customize your product’s overall construction method and firmness.

As you answer these questions, keep your guests in mind. It’s never a bad idea to answer with average responses. For instance, for firmness preference, go for medium. You should be able to construct a mattress that will prove most versatile once it arrives at your doorstep. For the quality of the materials found in this product, your guests should sleep like babies.

Pros

  • Eco-friendly
  • Low motion transfer
  • Great bounce
  • Sleeps cool

Cons

  • Some complaints of off gassing
  • Some complaints of firmness being too high

Read our full review here.

2. Helix- Best Hybrid Guest Mattress

SPECS

  • Warranty: 10 Year Limited
  • Trial Period: 100 Nights
  • Layers:
    Proprietary Helix Dynamic Foam
    Microcoils
    Poly Foam Base

Layers and placement vary depending on the results of your Sleep Quiz

Like Tuck, Helix is a custom product designed to help sleepers reduce aches and pains through the night. Using a combination of microcoils, poly foam, and proprietary materials, Helix works to deliver a combination of comfort and support geared toward the individual sleeper. Since you get to customize this product, you have some say in the final construction.

This product offers a dual option which allows you to make one side of the mattress different than the other. This can allow your guests a little more flexibility when they get to bed.

Pros

  • Helps with back pain
  • Great customer service
  • Great for sleep partners with dual and blended options

Cons

  • Cover is thin and tends to bunch up

Read our full review here.

3. Zenhaven- Best Latex Mattress for Guest Rooms

SPECS

  • Warranty: 20 years
  • Trial Period: 120 Nights
  • Layers:
    Organic cotton cover- 1 inch
    100 % Talalay Latex- 1 ½ inches
    100 % Talalay Latex- 3 inches
    100 % Talalay Latex- 3 inches
    100 % Talalay Latex- 1 ½ inches

If you know you’ll be using your guest bed from time to time and want to add a luxury mattress at a very reasonable price, Zenhaven is definitely worth a look. A product from the popular Saatva line, Zenhaven features two firmness settings. Your guests can simply flip the mattress over to enjoy a firmer or softer sleep surface.

Zenhaven uses all natural materials in its construction. Not only does this help you reduce your carbon footprint, but it also allows you to take advantage of great durability expectations. The four layers of Talalay latex provides great responsiveness that helps you get in and out of bed with ease. This product is only an option if you have about $1,000 to work with and want to offer your guests great quality.

Pros

  • Uses all-natural materials
  • Great value for quality of materials
  • Great durability expectations
  • Firmness options add versatility
  • Great motion transfer reduction
  • Product sleeps cool

Cons

  • Difficult to move
  • Can be expensive on a budget

Read our full review here.

4. Bear- Best Memory Foam Mattress for Guest Rooms

SPECS

  • Warranty: 10 Year Limited
  • Trial Period: 100 Nights
  • Layers:
    Cool Graphite-Gel Memory Foam- 1 inch,
    Quick Response Foam Layer One- 1 1/2 inches,
    Quick Response Foam Layer Two- 1 inch,
    Foam Base- 6 ½ inches

If you appreciate memory foam but want your guests to enjoy a mattress that also factors in the “sinking in” feeling this material is notorious for, Bear mattress could be what you’re looking for. This product uses memory foam in the top comfort layer to provide that contouring support with two layers of quick response foam beneath it to help your guests move around and get in and out of bed with ease.

If you and your guests typically engage in physical activities when they stay with you, they will appreciate the fact that Bear utilizes Celliant technology in the cover. It’s designed to help athletes reduce aches and pains that are common after a rigorous workout. I engage in HIIT training three nights per week, and I noticed a decrease in my typical aches and pains upon waking.

Pros

  • Celliant cover seemed to work for me in the reduction of aches and pains
  • Great price for quality materials
  • No off gassing

Cons

  • Can be a little plush for those who carry a lot of weight
  • Lacks edge support

Read our full review here.

5. SoundAsleep Dream Series- Best Air Mattress for Guests

SPECS

  • Warranty: 1 Year Limited
  • Trial Period: N/A
  • Material : Eco-friendly PVC

Looking for an inexpensive yet viable guest mattress solution? Air mattresses can be a great fix. Just some of the advantages you may enjoy include:

  • Low cost
  • Easy to store
  • Quick and easy to set up

The SoundAsleep Dream Series air mattress is a quality product that eliminates the need for an air pump. Its pump is built right into the product. Just plug it in, and the inflation will be complete in about three minutes. You can enjoy this product for more than just guest sleeping. It can be excellent for camping if you have access to electricity.

This product is 19 inches thick, and it helps it mimic a real mattress as it stands higher off the ground. I found it very easy to get in and out of the bed, and it did a pretty good job at holding air through the night. When it does start to deflate, however, all you have to do is turn a knob to refill. Convenient, inexpensive, and logical for a temporary sleeping solution.

Pros

  • One-click pump design for convenience
  • Simple to inflate and deflate
  • Maintains shape well
  • Great customer service
  • Holds up to 500 pounds
  • “Sure Grip” bottom prevents slipping
  • Waterproof top
  • Flocked design keeps bedding in place
  • Material is puncture-resistant
  • Convenient storage bag
  • Power cord storage space on the front of the product

Cons

  • Can’t use a hand pump in the event of power outage or inability to access electricity

Read our full review here.

Verdict

I have no doubts that you do what you can to be the best possible host for your guests. After all, here you are working to ensure they have a great night’s rest when they come over. However, when it’s all said and done, this will be a product in your home that you can use if you want. That’s why I think you should incorporate some of your own preferences as you shop for the best mattress to put in your guest room. Some of the top considering factors to evaluate as you weigh your many options include:

  • Cost
  • Motion transfer
  • Breathability
  • Response

On a final note, have fun with your shopping experience. With so many unique products on the market, it’s possible to find a versatile mattress capable of meeting the varying needs of the guests you host throughout the year. If you need extra guidance or would like to leave a comment, we encourage you to do so in the space provided below. We’ll provide a quick response to help you make the best possible choice for your guests.