Updated November 2024
Homeowners frequently ask us, “Should I provide linens?” Although there’s no right answer, about 50% of the homes on our site provide linens and towels. Vacationers who are traveling long distances particularly appreciate this amenity and those people who rent the larger and more expensive homes expect that linens and towels will be provided. Today’s vacationers like to arrive at their vacation home and… well, start vacationing.
The benefits to vacationers of your providing linens must be weighed against the added time and expense it can create for you, the homeowner.
The challenges of providing linens
One of the biggest problems is finding someone to do the laundering after guests depart. If you use a cleaning company, their time is limited, and linen laundering is sometimes not included in their services.
Linens and towels also get stained easily, and it’s very important to provide clean, fresh-looking linens for your next guests all summer long.
Some options to consider
One popular option is to provide all bed linens but ask tenants to bring their own towels. This drastically reduces the volume of laundry for you or your turnover cleaners.
Another option is to hire a linen service to deliver linens and towels to your vacation home and pick them up after the guests check out. Some will even make the beds! See our Home Services Directory for linen services near you.
Some owners ask their guests to launder the beach towels, since in all likelihood they would be finished using the beach towels the day before the checkout morning.
Covering the cost
You can either absorb the cost of using your own linens or hiring a service, or you can charge an additional fee for linens. Larger homes and those charging more than $3,000/week usually include linens at no extra charge. Keep in mind that a linen fee, like any other added fee, is subject to the lodging tax. And if you do charge extra, it's imperative that you note this fee on your listing.
A few suggestions
We strongly suggest you follow these recommendations:
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Put plastic mattress protectors on your mattresses. (The regular mattress pad goes on top of this so that the plastic protector is not even noticed.)
Put pillows into cotton protectors to keep your pillows stain-free.
Be sure that all bedding is clean and stain-free. This includes mattresses, mattress pads, pillows, and blankets. Stained and dirty bed linens are a serious turn-off to tenants.
Consider providing only bed linens and not towels, which add considerably to the volume needed to get cleaned during the turnover. Vacationers tend to use an inordinate number of towels.
Be sure to provide at least two sets of bed linens for each bed.
Be very explicit with your tenants about your expectations regarding the linens prior to their arrival. If you do not provide them, be sure to inform them well in advance, and remind them of the bed sizes.
Take advantage of these tips for making your beds attractive and comfortable for your guests. They will thank you for it!