Is a spring mattress necessary?

[Laura2592]

We stay at our own AirBNB ourselves as much as we can-- its our vacation house. This year before we opened it up, we furnished it with brand new stuff to include all bedding and mattresses. We chose to go with memory foam because a) we have platform beds and b) we have a steep staircase that won't accommodate a queen or king mattress and boxspring without removing the railing for the upstairs bedroom. We both love the mattresses and have generally gotten great feedback on them from guests. 

There are a few guests who have complained that they want us to replace them with traditional spring mattresses. Its a little frustrating because we spent a good deal of time and energy finding what we thought were really nice mattresses. I understand that the way people sleep is very personal, and you can't please everyone. But curious to hear what others think. Is a spring mattress necessary? We do advertise that the mattresses are memory foam. We also offer a feather topper for those who like a very pillow top type of feel. Is it even worth trying to adjust this? Is it reasonable for a guest to expect that they have their preferred type of mattress?

[ONERüF0 · Accepted solution]

The great mattress debate.  You hit the nail on the head...you cannot please everyone.  We've put memory foam in many of our homes and frankly dynasty mattresses have been the best received...more complaints about spring than any others so recommend sticking with memory foam.  Have found that dynasty is a perfect balance between hard and soft mattress sleepers.  Good luck!

[Laura2592]

Personally, I love the memory foam. But as I say, others have their preferences. When you go to a hotel, you don't get to specify a room with a certain kind of mattress...so its puzzling that sometimes guests need you to know what they like best and want you to purchase. Presumably if they can't sleep well at your home they are unlikely to return....

[Emilia42]

Do they even still make mattresses with springs? I feel like I haven't laid on one of those in years ... 

[Laura2592]

They sure do! We looked at a few when we were purchasing the memory foam. Some of our guests are die hard spring mattress people I guess. 

[Kevin1056]

Yes!!

[Kevin1056]

After hosting for 7 yrs I learned one thing... You can't please everyone...

[Michael3362]

I agree with others in a sense that it's hard to please everyone. However, I guess my one questions would be is this complaint outweighing the positive remarks? Meaning, if you make this change for guest that may or may not return, is it worth going through the work of making a change.

[Kath9]

@Laura2592, seriously? I've never heard of anything so ridiculous. Guests asking you to REPLACE YOUR MATTRESSES? Who are they, the Queen? By the way, your cottage is so cute! I want to stay there. I wouldn't complain about your memory foam mattresses!

[Laura2592]

@Kath9 thanks! We love our little cottage and stay there quite a bit ourselves so everything was chosen carefully. But yes, someone told uec that we need to change the mattresses to what they prefer as well as buy a TV stand because they didn't like the living room TV above the fireplace and prefer TV's on a stand (there are two additional TV's to watch in the house...) We would have dismissed this as nonsense fr someone who didn't understand that the house is not designed to his preferences specifically but started to wonder about the beds. So I thought I'd ask!

[Suzanne302]

@Laura2592 OMG! I'm so glad I haven't run into such an entitled guest yet. If they want such a customized experience they should build their own vacation rental.

[Laura2592]

@Suzanne302  yes it's puzzling.  I think there are a small percentage of people who don't understand the Airbnb model and expect a really customized experience. I always think it's like those couples on HGTV  who find something wrong with every single kitchen....our cottage is our vacation home and maybe one day we will live there permanently so there's a lot of love  for this place. The vast majority of our guests get that. Some people just aren't clued in.

[Branka-and-Silvia0]

@Laura2592 

been there done that... we had the same mattress for guests as my daughter has in her own bedroom (and she likes it). A small percentage (maybe 2%) of guests complained about it so I decided to buy a better one. So I spent a lot of time and money, we struggled to deliver it and to carry it up the stairs, unpack it, put it on the bed and we took the old mattress home (and have no clue what to do with it now). A new mattress is also heavier and more difficult to lift while changing the sheets (I have arthritis) but everything for our guest's happiness.

Since we bought a new mattress nobody complained any more but nobody praises it either.

Was it worth it? Would I repeat it? No.

[Laura2592]

@Branka-and-Silvia0  your places make me want to travel to Croatia! So colorful and inviting. I can see you have a great eye.

[Branka-and-Silvia0]

Thank you @Laura2592  you are welcome any time 🙂

I just looked at your cottage/old schoolhouse and I love it ! the bathtub is adorable 😄 And a gramophone...!

(I am just not fan of the red star, it reminds of my youth in communist Yugoslavia 😄 )