Best Mattress for Guest Room (2024), Expert-Tested

What to Look for in a Mattress for a Guest Room

The ideal mattress for your guest bedroom will depend on your budget and the preferences and needs of your guests. We’ll walk you through the different types of beds and features to consider while searching for a new mattress for a guest room. 

Type of Mattress 

Innerspring Mattresses 

Innerspring mattresses consist of springy coils as the primary support unit with a thin comfort layer on top. There are several types of coils available, but individually-pocketed coils have some major benefits. The reason is that each coil will perform independently, allowing your body to sink into the mattress where it needs to.

A continuous coil system provides a flatter surface, which can feel overly firm when the bed is new, and then over time, it can sag in all the wrong places. Plus, beds with continuous coils have more motion transfer because they move as one.

Hybrid Mattresses 

Most people consider these beds a great solution if they can’t decide between all-foam and traditional innerspring models. A hybrid mattress will have a combination of materials, blending coils, memory foam, and latex, usually two of the three but sometimes all of them.

Hybrids can be more expensive than other models, but not always, so it is good to do your research to get the best bed at the best price.

Memory Foam Mattresses 

Memory foam has universal appeal because it contours the shape of a sleeper’s body for excellent pressure relief. However, it can run hot, so to help prevent this, some brands offer infusions like gel or copper to minimize heat retention.

Also, if you get a memory foam bed, look for a product that has either a high-density support layer or a medium-density comfort layer. Ideally, the top layer’s density should be at least 1.8 pounds per cubic foot (PCF), and the support layer should be around 3.5 PCF or higher. If you’re looking at a mattress that’s a single layer, try to stick with something that’s over 2.5 PCF. 

The product description on the company’s website should readily have these specs available for you to review or you can contact their customer support team to get this information.

Check Out Our Guide: Best Memory Foam Mattresses

Latex Mattresses 

The makeup and manufacturing process of latex usually results in a greener product than memory foam. This principle only applies if you get natural latex, which is sourced from the sap of a rubber tree. Latex is pricier but also more durable.

Although latex provides pressure relief like memory foam, it is quicker to respond to movement than memory foam, which has more of a slow-sinking feel. The responsiveness is helpful for ease of movement, so if your guests are older or need help repositioning, this is a feature they’ll appreciate.

View Our Full Guide: Best Latex Mattress

Other Considerations When Shopping for a Mattress for a Guest Room

Sleeping Position 

Given that you aren’t likely to know the preferred sleep positions of most of the people staying in your guest room, it can be beneficial to choose a mattress that has universal appeal and benefits. 

Memory foam mattresses can be a solid choice for guest rooms because they offer gentle cradling contouring that can provide pressure relief and support for back, stomach, and side sleepers. Combination sleepers may find some difficulty in repositioning on these types of mattresses, but considering that most guests will only be sleeping on this bed for a few days at a time this shouldn’t be a big issue. No matter the mattress type that you decide on, a medium or medium-firm firmness is beneficial to most sleep positions.  

Weight/Body Type of Sleepers 

The weight and body type of your guests could vary greatly, and it may be hard to find a mattress that is an ideal fit for all of them. As such, hybrid mattresses can make for a great choice for guest rooms. The combination of coils and foam layers can provide both support and comfort. 

However, hybrid mattresses may be out of your guest room budget. If this is the case, traditional innerspring mattresses or memory foam beds, particularly those that fall in the middle of the firmness scale, can provide a supportive and comfortable base for your guests, and these beds are generally more budget-friendly.  

More: Best Mattress for Heavy People

Firmness

For a guest room, a medium-firm mattress is usually a good bet. Beds that fall in the middle of the firmness scale will be more versatile for various sleep positions and body weights. Although it may not be a perfect fit for every guest, medium-firm mattresses are likely to provide a comfortable night’s sleep for many. 

Need more help? Visit our Mattress Firmness Scale

Mattress Size

If you want more bang for your buck, consider sizing down from a Queen to a Full. If you tend to host solo guests, you can even get away with a Twin bed or Twin-XL mattress. Before buying, take time to think about the types of guests you’re hosting and decide if it would matter if you got a smaller size.

Check Out Our Comparison: Full vs. Queen Bed

Learn More: Best Twin Mattress

Cooling 

If you live in a warmer climate or are hosting people who tend to feel hot, you’ll want a cooling mattress that has either temperature-neutral or cooling properties. 

Coil and latex beds naturally sleep cool, but if you’re set on memory foam, look for a product that has either gel or copper infused in the top layer. Gel has cooling properties and copper draws heat away from the body, so both of these materials can help your guests stay comfortable. 

Motion Isolation 

If you’re hosting couples, opt for a bed that has excellent motion isolation, meaning that if one person moves around or gets up, their partner won’t feel disrupted. This is an especially important feature because we don’t tend to sleep as soundly when we’re in a new or strange place. The last thing your guest needs is to be kept awake by a restless sleeping mate.

Ease of Movement

If your guests need to be able to move freely around the bed or they have health challenges that make it more difficult to get up, look for something that doesn’t cause the body to sink in. In this case, seek out something like latex or coils.

Pressure Relief 

Mattresses with pressure relief can help ease discomfort in areas where your weight accumulates when you lie down to sleep. To give your guests a comfortable night’s rest, you will want to find a bed that provides them with pressure relief. 

Considering that this can be different depending on the guest’s body weight or sleep position, it is best to find the materials that offer the most universal relief. Memory foam and latex tend to do the best job of preventing pressure from building up. Innerspring mattresses may want to be avoided in guest rooms as the coils and thin top layer may increase pressure, particularly for side sleepers. 

Edge Support

Edge support is the amount of reinforcement around the perimeter of the mattress. This is what prevents the bed from sinking at the edges so that you can use the entire surface of the bed when you’re sleeping. 

Without good edge support, it will be more difficult to get out of bed, and you may even hurt your back trying to sleep on a mattress that sinks at the edges. Edge support will be important for those who are sharing a bed with someone else or taller sleepers who need more room to spread out.

Hybrid and innerspring beds often have great edge support from the coils, though some brands go above and beyond by incorporating reinforced coils along the edges. If you’re interested in a memory or latex option, check that the mattress comes with denser foam along the perimeter to help with edge support. 

Budget 

By shopping online, you are privy to tons of online sales and deals year-round, so you can find a well-made mattress for a lower price. Plus, there are holiday sales throughout the year, mostly on federal holidays, but also on days like Black Friday and Amazon Prime Day.

Keep in mind, when you buy a mattress for the lowest possible amount of money, you will not be getting some of the perks of a slightly more expensive or luxury mattress, like an extended or even lifetime warranty. You also might not get the benefit of a free, at-home trial. Consider things like warranties and free trials as part of the overall value of the mattress

Shop our picks for the best budget mattresses or upgrade your room for our Best Luxury Mattresses.

Tips for a Better Guest Bed Experience

What If You Do Not Have Enough Space?

Portable or Foldable Beds

If your guest room also functions as a sewing room, office, or workout space, you might not have room for a bulky piece of furniture.

A portable mattress for guests can provide ample comfort but be stowed away when not in use. Typically, a bed that folds and has wheels at the base of the frame is especially handy, so you can roll it into the closet when you don’t need it.

This type of bed is reminiscent of the cots that you get at hotels, but some are much more comfortable.

Read Our Full Guide: Best Mattress for a Murphy Bed or Best Mattress for a Platform Bed

Airbed

Airbeds can serve a variety of functions other than just a guest bed. They’re ideal for camping, too, though if you get one for outdoor use, you might need to look for different features than you would for something in the bedroom. This option is ideal as a temporary sleeping solution but is not recommended for long-term, everyday use.

Since you’re probably storing it when not in use, getting something that’s easy to inflate is probably a top priority. Choose something that can auto-inflate or at least a brand that comes with a portable compressor.

Learn more: How to Make an Air Mattress More Comfortable

Japanese Futon

Futons are the most basic form of bedding, usually consisting of just a relatively thin, no-frills mattress on a foldable base. We appreciate futons for their versatility. If you only need a temporary bed for guests and plan on using the spare room for other purposes, a Japanese futon bed can serve double duty as a sofa.

Over the years, companies have made a concerted effort to make them more comfortable and better simulate the experience of sleeping on a traditional bed. The only word of caution here is that these tend to be firmer than a regular mattress. If you have houseguests with medical or pain conditions, this might not be the best choice for them.

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