The Best Guest Mattress UK – 2023 Expert Buyers Guide

Getting the right guest mattress can be tricky.

You want something comfortable but you don’t want to be spending thousands on a new mattress that’s only going to occasionally get used.

So what do you need?

A decent quality comfortable mattress that will have your guests sleeping soundly and asking to stay again. Or some sort of mattress you can store away, an air bed, a camping bed, or a futon something like that.

Regardless, you want the best one right? Well, no matter what type you want I’ve got the best choices right here. Check out the table below for the rundown and click the links to go to the websites where you can order yours.

Top 5 Best Guest Mattresses

• Top Choice For Guest Room – Silentnight Sofia 1200 Mirapocket Mattress
• Comfiest Mattress For Guest Bed – Nectar Sleep Memory Foam Mattress
• Best Air Bed – Sable Double Air Mattress
• Best Foldable Camping Bed – Jay-Be Folding Trundle Bed
• Best Floor Mattress – Milliard 11.5cm Tri-Fold Foam Folding Mattress and Sofa Bed

1. Top Choice For Guest Room – Silentnight Sofia 1200 Mirapocket Mattress

This is an ideal choice of guest mattress because it sits in the wonderful position of being good for pretty much everyone!

The medium-firm feel is the perfect middle ground to keep most sleepers happy. I’ve found people who like a soft mattress get on better on a medium-firm mattress than the other way around.

And it’s good for back, front and side sleepers which is what you want for a guest bed.

Apart from that I like this mattress generally, Silentnight always do great work and this is no exception. Made with 1200 pocket springs that work individually to keep your back supported and it’s got breathable fibres that are 100% recycled and recyclable so you’re doing some good for the environment to boot.

It’s 26 cm deep so standard sheets will fit and you can use bedding you’ve already got.

Easy top choice of guest mattress, the perfect balance of comfort and price.

2. Comfiest Mattress For Guest Bed – Nectar Sleep Memory Foam Mattress

Price & Reviews

Firmness: Medium-Firm

• Premium Memory Foam
• Cooling and Breathable
• 365-night trial
• Works on any bed frame

Sizes: Twin, Twin XL, Full, Queen, King Size, Cal King

Huge Discount up to £450

NECTAR’S READER OFFER: 5 Gifts Included with Every Mattress Purchase

• £125 off Mattresses
• Two Free Pillows.
• Up to £450 off Bundles and
• Up to 30% off Bedding

This is the comfiest choice of guest mattress you can get, it’s slightly more expensive than the Silentnight above but it’s currently £250 off so the price is a lot closer.

It’s a memory foam mattress but has been designed with cooling comfort in mind, having full airflow through the 3 layers of memory foam to ensure a good night’s sleep.

I love this as a guest mattress because it works in any bed frame, suits every sleeping type, and is just all-round comfortable!

You also have a whole year to try it out, so you can have your usual guests over to test it out and if they don’t like it you can send it back for free. Pretty cool right?

If you want to impress then this is the mattress to do it with. It might be overkill if it’s your young uni friends coming over but if you’re parents or in-laws are coming over then this is a superb choice.

Level up your guest bedroom with this mattress.

3. Best Air Bed – Sable Double Air Mattress

This is an ideal choice of guest bed if you’re low on space or you need an extra one outside of your guest room.

It’s a double size and nice and thick so your guests get comfortably held up off the ground.

But my favourite thing has to be the built-in pump, no standing endlessly on a foot pump, just turn the switch and 5-minutes later your bed is ready to go.

It’s double size for added comfort for a single person but sturdy enough to easily sleep two.

The folded size is nice and compact for putting away in a cupboard but you’ll need to get a piece of string to hold it together so it doesn’t just start unfolding. It could do with a case of some kind but making do with string isn’t too much hassle.

A perfect air mattress for guests. I’ve got more air beds reviewed here for those interested.

4. Best Foldable Camping Bed – Jay-Be Folding Trundle Bed

This is your classic adult cot bed, it folds up nicely to allow you to roll it away to the side or into a garage.

What I like about this camping bed (you’d have a hard time taking it camping mind you) is that it’s got a headboard. Not only does a headboard make it look a little fancier it stops your pillows falling off through the night.

I’ve never slept on a camp bed or an air bed where this doesn’t happen so to me this makes the night of sleep that much better.

the mattress is thick enough to keep you off the slats and the slats are sprung for added comfort and support to stop any pesky camping bed backache from happening.

A great choice of folding bed for guests, set it up in a spare room or even the living room with ease. I’ve reviewed other camping beds here if you need something smaller.

5. Best Floor Mattress – Milliard 11.5cm Tri-Fold Foam Folding Mattress and Sofa Bed

This is a great guest mattress for kids, or to store in a kids room and take out as needed because the sofa style is a bit too low for most adults to sit comfortably on it’s great for kids.

And you can pull it out whenever an unexpected sleepover surprises you. It’s a single size mattress so you can put a sheet on it easily, although it will tuck further under because it’s not as deep.

The material is a high-density foam that feels very firm but stops you sagging down and feeling the cold floor underneath you.

Not much else to say, it does what it says on the tin. More floor mattresses here.

Factors To Consider When Buying A Guest Bed

How often do you have visitors?

This is important to think about because if you only have one visitor, once a year, for one night, then you can get away with a pretty minimal setup. You don’t need a super fancy bed up and a whole room in your house just for this.

Nah, you can get away with an inflatable mattress, a sleeping bag and a pillow off your own bed, maybe a spare one in the cupboard if you have space.

But, if you have people over all the time, or you’ve got family who comes and stays for two stretches then you’ll want something a bit higher quality. A nice comfy bed, spare bedding, a nicely set up room that has a homey-hotel feel to it. That’s when you want to go for the Nectar I reviewed above.

Who are the visitors you have?

Again this dictates what quality you’ll need in your spare room. If you’re in your 20s and it’s your uni friends coming over, well they can pass out wherever they see fit, sofa, bathtub, the floor in the kitchen. But if your inlaws are coming over then you’re going to need something with a little more class.

Something that says “I’ve got my shit together” so you can carry on acting like you know what on earth is going on. A middle ground might be more suited, or if your parents tend to stay in a hotel then the pressure is off a little and you won’t need to worry, just get something you’d be happy sleeping on.

How much space do you have?

Maybe you don’t have a whole room you can dedicate to guests coming over. Maybe you barely have space in the living room to roll out a trundle bed into. Either way, it’s something you need to consider.

Even if you’re preparing a guest room think about how often the room won’t be in use and adjust accordingly, maybe go for a small double so you can also set up a desk and have a workspace the rest of the time.

Also, think about storage space, an air bed and air bed pump will fit nicely into a cupboard where a camping bed might not fit. Just make sure you’re using your space effectively.

Types Of Guest Bed Explained

Normal mattress – Your bog-standard bed mattress, the best choice for a spare room, go for something comfortable so your guests can have a great sleep. A nice medium-firm feel is a good one size fits all. And don’t spend over the odds but make sure you don’t go too cheap so your guests still have a nice night of sleep.

Air Mattress – The best guest mattress if you’re low on space, a small price tag and comfortable enough for a night or two of sleep here and there. Not a good long term choice but plenty good enough for most people if it’s high-quality and a perfect choice of last-minute guest bed.

Foldable Mattress – These are sort of like big mattress toppers, they fold away somewhat into chairs or big rolls so you can store them away in a cupboard but by and large they’re very comfortable. Perfect for a kids room if you’ve got a chair bed, a more sturdy choice than an air bed but not quite as easy to store.

Camping Bed – Not just for camping these are fold-out frames that normally have a thin mattress built-in. Sometimes not if it’s a lightweight camping mattress but some trundle beds for home are sturdy, comfy and reliable. Plus easy to set up and easy enough to put away again if it’s on wheels.

F.A.Q

Should you give up your bed for guests?

I think it depends on the guest. If your granny is staying over before a hip operation then get your ass on the sofa and let her have the proper bed. But if it’s your fussy younger sister who thinks she’s too good for the sofa bed then no chance are you giving up your bed.

Read the situation and decide for yourself, if they need it more then do the right thing and offer it up but don’t feel obliged for anybody who comes over.

How can you make your guest bed more comfortable?

A mattress topper is a sure-fire way to up the comfort of a guest bed (my reviews of the best ones here) you can even get yourself a cheap mattress and more expensive topper to save money but still have a superbly comfortable bed. Alongside that, some high-quality pillows and a half-decent duvet are always going to go down well.

What to have ready for overnight guests?

Anything you need to have in for yourself. Clean bedding, clean towels and enough food and drink. A nice breakfast planned for the morning can be a nice treat for everyone involved, I always head to Tesco and get some Jus-Rol Cinnamon swirls for the over in the morning, always a winner.

Conclusion

And there you have it, I hope these mattress reviews were helpful and you’ve found a guest mattress that you like. One final rule of thumb to remember is don’t go spending more on your guest room than you have on your own bedroom. It’s nice to impress your guests but your sleep comes first, so if you’re getting a new mattress to consider a new mattress for yourself then put the old one on the spare bed.