When we rounded up Affordable Sleeper Chairs & Ottomans as options for hosting overnight guests in small spaces last week, we heard from a lot of commenters that they rely on air mattresses. Indeed, air mattresses have come a long way. While they were once considered torture, they're now just as (and maybe more) comfortable than a lot of convertible sofas and chairs. Check out our top 5 picks for inflatable mattresses and weigh in with your own opinions in the comments. • EasyRest Inflatable Guest Bed from Frontgate $279.00 Although this bed would require a lot of space, with its built-in headboard it's sure to make your guest feel like they're in an actual bed. • Wenzel Insta-Bed Queen from Amazon $99.99 This bed has gotten great reviews on Amazon and also scored the top slot in Consumer Reports' list of best air mattresses. • Coleman Grand Canyon Raised Quickbed from Cabela's $99.99 Since it's intended for outdoor use, this bed will stand up to the toughest conditions.
• Serta Raised Pillow Top Airbed $156.15 With its pillow top, this option from Serta is the closest you're going to get to a real mattress while still having the ease of an inflatable. • Superior Inflatable Bed from Hammacher Schlemmer $159.95 Hammacher Schlemmer's bed has gotten great reviews, most citing its comfort and ease of use. Bonus points for looking like a proper mattress and box springs. MORE SMALL SPACE GUEST OPTIONS ON APARTMENT THERAPY • Hosting Help: Tips for Sleeping Comfortably on an Air Mattress • Small Space Overnight Guest Solution: Affordable Sleeper Chairs & Ottomans • Small Space Solution: Paq, Super Simple Armchair + Spare Bed • Bedroom in a Minute: All About Sleeper Sofas1. Do some recon work. If you’ve never experienced your guest accommodations as visitors do, try them out. Is your living room quiet? Is a night-light needed? Is the floor or rug as clean as it can be? Is the air mattress comfortable? If the answer to the latter is no…
2. Upgrade to an elevated air bed, if possible. Yes, a raised air bed costs more, but if you have the budget (and space), it will go far in ensuring your guests’ contentment. 3. Give your guests a choice of pillow (even if it means pulling one from your own bed). For some people, a good night’s sleep starts with what’s under their heads. A back sleeper will need firm support under the neck; a stomach sleeper might want something softer. The right pillow can make all the difference. 4. Reserve a super-cozy blanket for them. A cuddly cover—something that feels rich and plush (even if it’s inexpensive)—can make company feel luxuriously welcomed.5. Supply a lighter blanket too. Sometimes finding just the right ratio of blanket to room heat can be tricky. Let a guest experiment.6. Spritz sheets with linen spray. Not only will a fragrance freshen sheets that may have been sitting on a closet shelf for a while, but a soothing scent—such as lavender—can also help lull visitors to sleep.7.
Keep disposable earplugs on hand. This is especially helpful if you live in a noisy urban setting—or with a rooster.8. And an eye mask is nice. Adjusting to a new environment can be difficult for a guest. An eye mask will eliminate distracting light sources, making falling asleep easier.9. Set up a folding screen. An inexpensive divider—which you can stash away after your visitor departs—will help make the space feel as if it’s his or her own.10. Unfold a luggage rack. Having a place to rest a bag during a stay will be more comfortable for a guest—and keep your living room neater. Create a makeshift nightstand. Even just a pile of books or magazines will serve as a place to rest reading glasses, a phone, and a small glass of water.12. Put out something to read. Before you pile up those magazines, offer one or two to peruse.13. Let your couch be a headboard. Arrange the air mattress so that it is perpendicular to the front of your couch and your guest will be able to prop up a pillow against it for easy reading.14.
Put together a little basket of mini toiletries. Visitors will feel pampered.15. Give your guest a set of towels. Keep them color-coordinated and distinct from others. And then designate space in the bathroom—on the towel rack or a hook—where he or she can hang them.16. Earmark some plastic bags for laundry. A visitor might forget to pack something to hold wash—and you don’t want it balled up on your living-room floor. (You know it could happen!)17. Have an OTC allergy medication available. Are you a pet owner? A guest may not be aware of sensitivity to pet dander—until the sneezing starts.18. Jot down your Wi-Fi password and instructions for working your TV. Which remote does what?19. Let guests know what your routine is. You may need to get in the shower and off to work; be clear on a schedule so you’re not jockeying for bathroom time. And then straighten the bathroom to ready it for their use.20. Make them comfortable with the neighborhood. Be sure they know where public transportation is, along with the nearest coffee shop, if you’re not brewing it yourself.
Company is coming, and the mattress in the guest room is old and lumpy. You want to replace it fast without spending a lot on a bed that will be slept in only occasionally. And while you're persnickety about your own mattress, you might be less choosy when buying one for a guest room as long as it's comfortable for most sleeping styles and doesn't bounce your guests awake when one of them turns over. Here are the best mattresses for guest rooms from Consumer Reports' tests. All prices are for queen-size mattresses and don’t include the box spring or foundation. Innerspring from Denver Mattress Be forewarned that if you buy this mattress your guests may never leave. Take a look at the Denver Mattress Doctor's Choice, just $500. Many innersprings in our tests offer equal support for the side and back, but that support is often mediocre. This mattress is the exception. We judged its support for both side and back sleepers to be impressive, and it aced our durability test as well.
The company has 90 locations in 30 states. Memory Foam from Costco Costco’s Novaform 14-inch Serafina Pearl Gel mattress is infused with gel beads and was impressive for both back and side support. And at $800, it’s worth considering. The mattress comes folded in a box, but if you need to return it, getting it back into the box isn’t required because Costco has a generous return policy. At Sam’s Club, Memory Foam for Less Sam’s Club’s Night Therapy 12-inch Euro Box Top Spring mattress was very good for side sleepers but only so-so for back support, but its $248 price is attractive. The mattress was also very good at muting vibrations when someone shifts in bed, and it showed little wear after eight years of simulated use. See our mattress ratings and our survey-based ratings of mattress stores and brands. Our mattress buying guide is full of shopping tips, including how to get the best deal. A Sensation from Walmart Decent back support from a $360 mattress?
After the price for the Spa Sensations 10-inch Memory Foam SPA-1000Q, that’s more good news. Side support was only so-so, but at this price you could do worse. Where this one disappoints is in how hard visitors might find it to change positions due to that sinking feeling common with some foam beds, including this one, which you can find at Walmart. Sleep Number Has Your Number You don’t have to pay thousands for an adjustable-air mattress to get impressive side support and even better back support. The pricier Sleep Number i8 bed, $3,000, edged out the $800 Sleep Number c2 bed in overall performance, but you’ll pay $2,200 less without a noticeable difference in support. Trying the bed before buying will tell you if the thinner foam layer of this mattress might be less comfortable for guests. Simple Solutions from Ikea Ikea has two affordable foam mattresses that are worth a look. The Ikea Myrbacka, $550, rated very good for petite people whether they sleep on their side or back but only so-so for larger people.