what's the best mattress to provide as a host?

[Polly8]

We need to buy a new mattress for our airbnb and are wondering if there's a universally liked mattress out there.

[Branka-and-Silvia0]

@Polly8  good question.

I was recently changing mattresses for our renters and guests and was looking for something not too expensive but long-lasting. In every shop I've heard the same - foam mattresses will lose the shape quickly while those with springs will last longer. If springs are in individual pockets with a few layers of wool/cocos/foam on top of them and around the mattress then it will last even longer. 

High mattresses are heavy and difficult to lift/move so do yourself a favor and forget about them, guests will survive those few nights on 10 inches / 25cm and you will save your hands and back  :)))

Although IKEA has great affordable stuff for rentals I wasn't happy with their mattresses and bought elsewhere.

Go shopping with someone who is much lighter or much heavier than you. If you both feel comfortable laying on it then it is good .. but it seems people, in general, prefer harder mattrasses.

[Emiel1]

@Branka-and-Silvia0 

Good advice, 

I like mattresses which have a removable cover to wash, as some guests easily make stains

[Sarah977]

@Polly8 @Branka-and-Silvia0   I use foam mattresses- actually not sold as mattresses, just foam slabs which can be cut to the correct size, the same as I use in my upholstery work. I use a high quality firm foam, 4" thick, with a softer high quality 2" foam on top. Cushy mattress pad over all. For my own bed and the guest bed. Have had many guests comment how comfy the bed is.

I love the foam, because it's light and easy to move by myself. I can even flip them off once in a while to turn the bed frame on its side and vaccum the underneath of it.

I only know this because I use foam all the time in my work- the determining factor in whether foam will hold its shape over time is the "density" of the foam, which is, in fact, the quality. It has to do with how close together the molecules of foam are. My own foam mattress is 11 years old and is not at all out of shape. Foam is essentially a synthetic sponge (as opposed to a natural sea sponge). You know how you can buy a cheap kitchen sponge, use it for a week and it starts to fall apart? Low quality foam. Other sponges, that you'd pay more for, like a big sponge you wash the car with- higher quality foam, lasts a long time.

So what you need to look for with foam is "high density". This has nothing to do with the thickness of the foam or the softness or firmness. You can get a piece of high density foam that is 2" thick, but soft, and it will maintain its "bounce back" factor far longer than a piece of low density foam that is 6" thick and firm. "Memory foam" is simply super high-density, but soft, foam. 

A selection of various quality foams in whatever thickness or firmness you want may be difficult or impossible to find, depending on one's location. But the place to look for this isn't a mattress store, but a place that sells supplies to upholsterers, or somewhere that just specializes in foam sales.

One way to check good foam density- press into the foam with your thumbnail, hard. Should immediately bounce back, leaving no imprint.  If it leaves a dent, or takes any time to pop back up, poor quality.