Tempurpedic? Sleep number? Memory foam? What mattress to use in a vacation rental

Bedrooms should look good, but most of all you need a comfortable bed!

When we bought our first vacation rental, we were very lucky to buy it fully furnished. No, the furniture wasn't exactly what we'd choose, but it was so easy to literally bring a toothbrush to our new beach house! 

Over the past three years, we've replaced much of the furniture and fittings with new items that suit our taste better. But this year, we're in the fun position of outfitting a brand new vacation rental! It is very exciting, but a little overwhelming, and expensive!


One of my pet peeves with vacation rentals is an uncomfortable bed. But there is an overwhelming variety of mattresses to choose from. How to decide what to put in your vacation rental? Here are my five tips:


1. Go for medium price. We made the mistake of putting a very expensive all natural latex and wool mattress in our vacation rental because we liked it. Within a couple of months, we discovered a guest had experienced an accident and we ended up having to haul the mattress to the trash. Accidents happen and it is much more palatable to trash a $500 mattress than a $2000 one. Despite what mattress salespeople tell you, you don't need to spend the price of a car to get a decent nights sleep!


2. Tempurpedic. People either love them or hate them. They're really expensive (see number 1 above!) so unless you can score a closeout deal, I'd pass. 


3. Memory foam. There are some gorgeous memory foam beds available now. My picks use CertiPUR foam (no off gassing) and are made in the USA - I ALWAYS buy things made in the USA where possible and memory foam is a great example - the price point is not much more for made in the USA versus imported from China. My favorite memory foam mattress is the Brentwood Home 11-Inch Gel HD Memory Foam Mattress, Made in USA, CertiPUR-US, 25 Year Warranty, Natural Wool Sleep Surface and Bamboo Cover (affiliate link) - I love that it has no formaldehyde, features a cooling gel to avoid that overly hot feeling that some memory foam has, and includes an all natural wool sleep surface and bamboo (renewable and eco-friendly). Best of all it is amazingly comfortable. When you're buying memory foam, buy CertiPUR. CertiPUR-US approved foams are:

• Made without ozone depleters
• Made without PBDE flame retardants
• Made without mercury, lead and other heavy metals
• Made without formaldehyde
• Made without phthalates regulated by the Consumer Product Safety Commission
• Low VOC (Volatile Organic Compound) emissions for indoor air quality (less than 0.5 parts per million)

If you have guests with chemical sensitivities, asthma, or kids, they'll thank you for spending a few extra dollars! We have a King size Brentwood in one of our Master suites and guests love it! We also use these on the bunk beds as we don't want kids sleeping on anything that off gasses. 

4. Innerspring. A quality innerspring is expensive but some guests just love their Beautyrest! Keep an eye out for closeouts, model changes and clearance events! You can sometimes find good ones on groupon goods of all places (affiliate link). We scored a gorgeous high end model for our new house as the models changed over at our local furniture store. It is soft and squishy but still supportive. 

5. Sleep Number. I love my Sleep Number bed. If they were a bit less expensive, I'd put them in a rental since everyone can adjust to their own preference. However, see #1 above! 

6. Mattress Pads
The biggest tip I can give anyone who has kids, or humans, sleeping in their beds, is to get a quality mattress pad. Actually it is not just humans - my sisters incontinent dog ruined a mattress at our place!  I don't think anyone pees in the bed on purpose, but accidents happen and a good quality cover can save a mattress.  In fact, the general consensus is that a good mattress pad can double the life of your mattress. Yes, the good ones may cost $100 or more, but they are worth every penny. I love the selection at wayfair supply.  Don't ruin your guest's sleep with one of those nasty plastic waterproof liners. They end up taking them off! 

7. Replacements: Finally, budget to replace your beds at least every five years! 

What is your favorite type of bed when you're in a vacation rental? Take our poll!

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