A Guide to Holiday Rental Bedding

The Best Sheets for Airbnb and Holiday Rentals: Why Bedding Separates Make Sense

Setting up an Airbnb or holiday rental seems simple enough until you reach the linen cupboard. Suddenly there are decisions you need to made, that never occurred to you.  How many sheet sets do you need? Should they all be white? Is 100% cotton worth it when the washing machine is going to be running constantly? What happens when one fitted sheet is stained but the matching flat sheet and pillowcases are still perfectly good? And, perhaps most importantly, what will actually feel nice when your guests climb into bed?

Whether you have one little coastal Airbnb, a family holiday house, several short-term rentals or simply a guest room that gets plenty of use, bedding has to work harder than it does in the average bedroom.

This is exactly why we think bedding separates should be put on your radar.

I nstead of being locked into complete sets, buying fitted sheets, flat sheets and pillowcases separately allows you to replace exactly what you need, keep useful spares ready for changeover day and build a linen cupboard that actually makes sense. And there are two ranges we particularly like for the job: Actil Commercial for dependable, substantial 100% cotton and Remy for hosts wanting something softer, lighter and a little more unique.

What kind of sheets are best for an Airbnb?

The best Airbnb sheets are usually the ones that balance four things: comfort, washability, durability and practicality.

Your guests still want the thing every one of us wants when we arrive somewhere after a long drive or flight: a clean bed that feels lovely to climb into. The hotel quality sheet that will leave them giving five stars.

But as a host, you have another side of the equation to think about.

Those same sheets may be stripped from the bed the following morning, washed, dried, folded and back in rotation again within days. During busy periods, the cycle can happen over and over again.

Airbnb itself recommends having spare clean sheets and towels ready for same-day turnarounds and advises hosts to keep extra bedding on hand to make changeovers easier.

However, those sheets over time depending on use will wear and tear differently. That is why we suggest a good cotton sheet that’s sold in separates, so you only replace what you need.

Cotton is breathable, comfortable and well suited to bedding. It also becomes softer through washing.

Do Airbnb sheets have to be white?

No.

There is no Airbnb rule saying your sheets need to be white.

What Airbnb does emphasise is that linen should be clean, fresh and stain free when guests arrive.

White became associated with hotels and accommodation for practical reasons. It is easy to coordinate, replacement pieces are relatively simple to match and a freshly made white bed immediately communicates cleanliness.

It can also make running several beds easier because everything belongs to the same colour family.

A beautifully styled Airbnb can absolutely use soft colour. In fact, for smaller boutique properties, colour can help the room feel more homely and inviting.

 

Why sheet separates are particularly useful for Airbnb hosts

A sheet set assumes everything will wear out at the same time. The reality is, pillowcases and fitted sheets are usually the first to go. The fitted sheet usually works harder than anything else on the bed. It sits tightly against the mattress, has constant contact with the sleeper and experiences more friction than the flat sheet. Also don’t get us started on the fake tan or makeup stains then after dozens and dozens of washes, the fitted sheet dies while the flat sheet still has plenty of life in it.

If you have only ever bought complete sets, your choices are suddenly not very good. You either start mixing unrelated pieces or buy another full set to replace one sheet.

With separates, you simply replace the piece you need.

Our Actil Commercial range or Remy range is sold as individual fitted sheets, flat sheets and pillowcases for exactly this sort of practical buying. You can replace one piece, add extra pillowcases or build up your linen cupboard over time rather than continually buying another complete set.

For a busy guest room or short-term rental, that flexibility makes an enormous amount of sense.

How many sets of sheets should you have for an Airbnb?

There is no official Airbnb rule telling hosts they must have a particular number of sheet sets per bed. Airbnb does, however, specifically recommend keeping an extra set of bedding available for quicker turnarounds. The worst is when you discover at 1.30pm that the fitted sheet you planned to put back on the bed has a mark that did not come out in the wash.

For a regularly booked property, think in terms of rotation rather than a single set. You want linen on the bed, clean linen ready to go and enough flexibility for the inevitable wash that takes longer than expected or piece that temporarily needs to come out of service. If you work with separates, your linen cupboard can be much smarter.

You might have three fitted sheets per bed because they work hardest, two flat sheets and additional pillowcases.

That is one of the biggest advantages of building your own bedding inventory rather than treating every bed as a collection of matching sets.

Actil Commercial: the practical workhorse

If your main concern is durability and ease of replacement, we would begin with Actil Commercial.

Long-time Actil customers will already know the name. The range is made from 100% cotton and has that distinctive robust Actil feel.

Commercial is firmer when new and softens with washing. It is proper cotton and a sheet that has been loved for generations by Australian families.

That makes it particularly appealing for a holiday property where bedding is washed often and you want something straightforward and dependable rather than delicate.

The real advantage for hosts, however, is the way it is sold.

Actil Commercial fitted sheets, flat sheets and pillowcases can all be bought individually. If one fitted sheet wears out first, you replace the fitted sheet. If you discover you never have enough clean pillowcases on turnover day, you buy another pile of pillowcases.

The range is available in Single, Double, Queen and King, making it particularly useful across properties with several different bed sizes.

It is worth knowing that Actil Commercial can feel quite firm when new. It needs to be washed before use and gets softer with repeated washing.

For many hosts, that is part of its charm rather than a drawback.

Discover the Actil collection and how it can work for your Airbnb 

Remy: when the guest experience is part of the look

Not every Airbnb is trying to recreate a classic white hotel room, perhaps yours is a beautifully renovated cottage. A beach house. A country property. A design-led apartment or maybe you want something a little more special in the guest room.

This is where Remy organic cotton percale steps in, again still sold in seprates but the experience is quite different to Actil commercial. It is made from 100% organic cotton in a 400 thread count percale and has a softer, smoother and lighter feel from the beginning. The fabric is breathable and soft to the touch, with a relaxed matte finish. It is also available in a range of colours:  Ivory, Blush and Mist, and the individual fitted sheets, flat sheets and pillowcases and even quilt covers that can be mixed and matched. You can even grab a bundle to start to get a discount. Remy comes in Queen, King and Super King, making it particularly useful for properties with larger beds.

For a host, the beauty of Remy is that you still have the practicality of separates without giving up the styled bedroom you have worked hard to create.

Discover how Remy Organic cotton range is perfect for the guest room

Actil Commercial or Remy: which is better for a holiday rental?

The answer depends very much on the property.

For a busy family holiday house, short-stay apartment or accommodation where linen is going through constant rotation, Actil Commercial would be our practical choice.

It is robust, straightforward and easy to replace piece by piece.

For a more premium or design-conscious property where the bedding is part of the guest experience, Remy gives you a softer, lighter finish and more styling flexibility while still being 100% cotton and available as separates.

There is nothing stopping a property using both.

You may choose Actil Commercial for the hardworking secondary bedrooms and Remy for the main bedroom.

What about thread count?

Thread count is one of the first things customers look at when choosing sheets, but it should not be the only thing you consider. A very large thread-count number does not automatically mean a more durable, comfortable or appropriate sheet.

Fibre, yarn, weave and finish all play a part.

Remy happens to be 400 thread count, but as we often say about it in store: don't count them, feel them.

The case for 100% cotton guest bedding

There is a temptation with short-term rentals to buy the cheapest bedding you can find on the assumption that it will eventually need replacing anyway.

We understand the logic, microfibre and polyester-rich bedding can absolutely have a place, particularly when budget and quick drying are the biggest priorities.

But when the guest experience matters, 100% cotton has some very useful advantages. Cotton is naturally breathable and absorbs moisture, allowing it to evaporate and helping maintain a cooler, drier feeling around the sleeper. That is particularly relevant in Australia, where a guest bedroom may need to work through hot summer nights as well as winter.

Good sheets are also one of those details guests may never explicitly mention but it might be the thing that makes the difference.

Not just for Airbnb hosts

While Airbnb hosts have a particularly good reason to buy bedding this way, the same thinking applies in an ordinary home.

Perhaps you have a guest bedroom that is constantly occupied by children, grandchildren and visiting family.

Maybe you have a beach house where everyone seems to arrive at once over summer.

Perhaps you simply discovered years ago that your fitted sheet always wears out long before your top sheet and you are tired of being forced into another complete set.

Bedding separates make sense anywhere linen gets properly used.

Making a bed people want to come back to

A good guest bed does not need to be extravagant but creating a home away from home can be down to the details. A good sheet creates that feeling without one even noticing.

Whether you are running a busy Airbnb, setting up the family beach house or simply making the spare room ready for another round of visitors, that is a linen cupboard worth having.

Shop Actil Commercial separates 

or

discover the Remy organic cotton collection

at The Bedspread Shop.