Where to Buy Towels for Airbnb and Booking? A Practical Host’s Guide
One of the most common questions asked by both new and experienced Airbnb and Booking.com hosts sounds surprisingly simple: where can you buy really good towels for a short-term rental apartment?
This topic is more important than it may seem at first glance. Towels are among the first items guests physically interact with upon arrival. Their quality strongly influences the perception of cleanliness, is often mentioned in reviews, and helps build a hotel-like standard for your property.
Below you’ll find practical insights based on host experience and hospitality industry standards.
Trusted places to buy quality towels
If you’re looking for a reasonable balance between price and quality, the best results usually come from retailers with a consistent range and proven reliability.
IKEA offers a wide selection, consistent specifications, and the ability to easily repurchase identical sets in the future.
JYSK provides competitive pricing and frequent promotions, and its availability in many cities makes logistics much easier.
GSM (weight) is the most important parameter
If you had to choose one decisive factor when selecting towels, it should be GSM (grams per square meter). This value determines the fabric’s weight and has a direct impact on durability, absorbency, and overall performance.
What GSM works best?
For short-term rentals, the optimal choice is towels with a GSM of 450–500 g/m².
This range is the so-called “sweet spot” in short-term rental management. Towels with these parameters feel soft and absorbent enough to satisfy guests, while drying much faster than heavier, luxury hotel towels. Faster drying means lower electricity costs and quicker laundry turnover between stays.
Lower-GSM towels tend to look worn out very quickly and lose their shape. On the other hand, towels above 600 g/m² can be difficult to dry and take up too much storage space. The 450–500 g/m² range offers the ideal balance between guest comfort and operational efficiency.
Material matters
The material determines both absorbency and longevity. The safest and most reliable choice is always 100% cotton.
Look for classic cotton or reinforced cotton varieties designed for durability. Natural fibers tolerate higher washing temperatures well, which is crucial for maintaining hygiene in short-term rentals. Avoid polyester blends in bathroom towels—they reduce absorbency and are often less pleasant to the touch.
Colors and visual consistency
Many hosts overlook this aspect, which can turn out to be a costly mistake. Towel colors affect both the aesthetics of the interior and the practical side of property management.
Stick to white, light gray, or beige
Neutral colors are an investment in flexibility and convenience. It’s much easier to replace a single towel when one gets damaged, and these shades look more professional while instantly conveying cleanliness to guests.
Dark colors are risky
Dark greens, navy blues, or black towels fade quickly. After a few months of intensive use and washing, they can look dull and worn—something guests notice immediately.
What to avoid when choosing towels
Experience shows that decorative elements significantly shorten a towel’s lifespan in short-term rentals.
Avoid decorative borders, ribbons, embroidery, and ornamental stripes. While they may look appealing on a store shelf, in real use they often warp during washing, shrink unevenly, and lose their aesthetic appeal much faster.
In the short-term rental business, simplicity wins over decoration. Guests primarily expect cleanliness and freshness.
How and when to wash towels
Even the best towels will lose their qualities without proper care. Their longevity depends on following a few simple rules.
Temperature and hygiene
Wash towels at 60°C whenever the care label and your property standards allow. This temperature helps maintain a high level of hygiene.
Proper spin speed
Using maximum spin speed can damage fibers. A safe and practical setting for towels is 800 RPM, which keeps the fabric less compacted and allows it to dry faster.
Be careful with detergents
Too much detergent makes towels stiff and reduces absorbency. In practice, using a slightly smaller dose than recommended by the manufacturer often works better, along with occasional rinse cycles to remove residue buildup.
How many towels do you need?
The standard is one bath towel and one hand towel per guest. However, you should always keep a reserve.
A safe buffer is around 30% more towels than your maximum guest capacity requires. This gives you peace of mind if laundry doesn’t dry in time or a towel gets damaged.
Washing machine instructions in a digital welcome book
Having a washing machine in the property is a big advantage—but also a risk if guests misuse it. This is where a digital welcome book like CheckInLink becomes especially useful.
Including clear washing machine instructions is a simple way to prevent problems. Explain how to turn the machine on, where to add detergent, and which program to use for a quick refresh.
Clear communication in a digital guide educates guests and reduces the number of questions directed to you. Guests feel taken care of, and you gain confidence that your equipment is being used correctly.
Summary
- Buy towels from reliable retailers with consistent product lines (easy replacements).
- Aim for 450–500 g/m² GSM as the best balance between comfort and laundry efficiency.
- Choose 100% cotton and simple designs without decorative borders.
- Wash at 60°C and use 800 RPM spin cycles to maintain towel quality longer.
Sources and references
- https://hostex.io/blog/best-towels-for-airbnb/
- https://www.nathosp.com/blog/hotel-towel-gsm-guide-choosing-the-right-density/
- https://www.gencertextile.com/post/hotel-towel-gsm-guide-2025-balancing-luxury-with-laundry-costs
- https://truvi.com/blog/towels-for-airbnb-guests/
- https://www.consumerreports.org/appliances/laundry/how-often-should-you-wash-your-towels-a3817240463/
- https://www.gans.at/en/pages/pflegeanleitung-frottier
- https://www.theloomia.com/blogs/learn/how-to-wash-towels-keep-your-towels-clean-and-fluffy
- https://www.uplisting.io/blog/airbnb-welcome-book-guide
- https://www.sunver.app/blog/the-ultimate-digital-welcome-guidebook-template-for-airbnb-hosts-and-property-managers
