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Best Mattresses For Guest Bedrooms

Best Mattresses For Guest Bedrooms - UK (2023)

Last updated: 31.10.2023 Reading time: 4.5 Min.

You don’t necessarily have to splurge on the most expensive mattress for a guest bedroom. But you still want your family and friends visiting to sleep comfortably.

So what should you pay attention to when buying a mattress for a spare or guest bedroom?

There are dozens of mattresses you could choose, ranging from a simply cheaper mattress to inflatable and foldable mattresses.

In this article, we’ll guide you through the best mattresses for your guest bedroom and share some tips and tricks to make your visitors more comfortable in your home.

best mattresses for guest bedrooms

The best mattresses for guest bedrooms in the UK

Sleep Hero Favourite

Nectar Memory Foam Mattress

The Nectar is a luxurious memory foam mattress suitable for most people and sleeping positions.

This bestselling mattress comes with a revolutionary 365-day trial period and a lifetime warranty.

The Nectar memory foam mattress is one of our favourite mattresses.

It features 3 layers of high-quality, high-density memory foam for optimal spinal alignment, pressure relief, and comfort.

The base layer also has 7 contour zones to enhance its ergonomic design and keep your body in a healthy sleeping position. 📏

This prevents a build-up of tension and allows for orthopaedic support.

Nectar mattress
The Nectar is a medium-firm mattress.

The Nectar mattress comes with a breathable cover that enhances airflow to allow for a cool and comfortable sleep. 💨

Unfortunately, the cover is not machine-washable.

We'd suggest using a mattress protector to safeguard your mattress against stains, spills, and bacteria.

The Nectar mattress comes with free delivery & returns, a revolutionary 365-day trial period, and a "forever warranty". 

45% OFF NECTAR 

  Nectar mattress
Composition: Memory foam with a 7-zone cold foam base
Firmness level: Medium-firm
Height: 25 cm (10 inches)
Trial period: 365 days
Guarantee: Lifetime warranty
What makes this mattress special? Exceptionally comfortable for average-weight & lighter sleepers; lifetime warranty & revolutionary one-year sleep trial.
Best For Side Sleepers

Emma Original Plus

The Emma Original is an award-winning memory foam mattress and one of the UK's most popular choices.

This bestselling mattress by Emma Sleep offers 3 layers of premium foam and soft comfort with sufficient support and stability.

The Emma Original is a best-selling memory foam mattress and one of the UK's number-one mattresses. 🏆

It is made up of three different layers of foam, including pressure-relieving memory foam.

Emma original mattress

Memory foam offers great orthopaedic support, making it a good choice for people prone to back pain.

The Emma Original is rated as a medium-firm mattress, though we think it falls on the softer end of the scale.

This makes it an excellent choice for lighter-weight people and side sleepers, but we wouldn't necessarily recommend it to people looking for a firmer feel. 🧱

Conveniently, the mattress comes with a removable mattress cover that can be machine-washed at up to 60℃.

You can upgrade the Emma Original to the Emma Original Plus, which includes an advanced temperature-regulating Diamond Hybrid cover. 

The Emma Original is delivered free of charge and comes with a risk-free 200-night trial period. 

20% OFF EMMA ORIGINAL PLUS + 5% OFF W/ "SLEEPHEROUK5"

  Emma Original
Composition: Memory foam with a base layer of HRX cold foam
Firmness level: Soft
Height: 25 cm (9.8 inches)
Trial period: 200 nights
Guarantee: 10 years
What makes this mattress special? One of the UK's bestselling mattresses with excellent body contouring and a soft feel.
Great For Allergies

Ergoflex 5G Mattress

The Ergoflex 5G memory foam mattress has been uniquely designed for superior pressure-relieving comfort.

This mattress has almost 10,000 5-star reviews!

The Ergoflex 5G mattress is a 5-layer sleep system designed for pressure-relieving comfort and support.

It consists of:

  • 9 cm (3.5 inches) high-density viscoelastic memory foam for body-shaping comfort
  • 5 cm (1.9 inches) Cool Sleep airflow system for excellent temperature regulation
  • 9 cm (3.5 inches) high resilience foundation layer 

Materials are CertiPur-US® & OEKO-TEX® 100 certified, and the mattress is manufactured to UK BS 5852 and BS 7177 UK Safety Standards. 🌱

Ergoflex mattress
Ergoflex is one of the oldest bed-in-a-box mattress brands

The outer Tencel cover with 3D mesh provides a naturally anti-allergenic and breathable surface.

This keeps you cool and comfortable all night long. 🧊

The cover is removable and machine-washable at 30°.

Ergoflex was first established in 2006, making it one of the oldest bed-in-a-box mattress brands on the market!

The Ergoflex 5G mattress is available in a range of British and European mattress sizes. 🇬🇧

It comes with free delivery & returns, a 30-day sleep trial, and a 10-year guarantee.

50% OFF ERGOFLEX WITH SAVE50£ 385

  Ergoflex 5G mattress
Composition: Memory foam
Firmness level: Medium-firm
Height: 23 cm (9 inches)
Trial period: 30 days
Guarantee:  10 years
What makes this mattress special? One of the oldest bed-in-a-box mattresses on the market.
Great For Hot Sleepers

Otty Hybrid

The Otty Hybrid is a four-layer hybrid mattress that combines the unique qualities of a pure spring mattress with a top layer of memory foam.

Designed in Yorkshire and made in the UK, this is a proudly British mattress.

The Otty Hybrid is a four-layer hybrid mattress and one of the most affordable hybrids in the UK.

Otty Hybrid mattress

It combines 16 cm pocket springs with Cool Blue Gel memory foam, a unique combination to allow for superior comfort, body-hugging support, and stability. 

It's classified as a medium-firm mattress, but rates much firmer than many other hybrid models.

This is great for anyone looking for extra support and back pain relief. 

The mattress's unique airflow system also allows for excellent breathability to keep you cool and comfortable all night long. ❄️

The Otty Hybrid features firm side support panels for superior edge support, making this a great choice for couples or anyone who enjoys sitting on the side of the bed. 

This mattress is available in a wide range of European and British mattress sizes and is one of the very few bed-in-a-box mattresses available in the emperor bed size. 👑

Otty mattresses come with free delivery & returns, a 100-night trial period, and a 10-year guarantee.

 45% OFF OTTY HYBRID£ 439.99

  Otty Hybrid
Composition: Temperature-regulating memory foam & pocket springs
Firmness level: Medium-firm
Height: 25 cm (10 inches)
Trial period: 100 days
Guarantee: 10 years
What makes this mattress special? Best budget hybrid, excellent back support; only bed-in-a-box available in the emperor size.
Budget-Friendly

Happy Beds Majestic 1000 Pocket Sprung Orthopaedic Mattress

The Happy Beds Majestic 1000 Pocket Sprung Orthopaedic Mattress is a medium-firm, hand-tufted budget pocket spring mattress.

This 25 cm pocket spring mattress provides orthopaedic support.

The Happy Beds Majestic 1000 Pocket Sprung Orthopaedic Mattress is one of the most budget-friendly adult pocket sprung mattresses on the market. 🇬🇧 

450

It features an average of 1000 individually-wrapped pocket coils for superior orthopaedic support and comfort.

Overall, the mattress provides a medium-firm feel. 😴

It also features air vents that improve breathability, allowing you to enjoy a cooler and more comfortable sleep.

The mattress is hand-tufted with elegant damask fabric. 🧶

It should be flipped and rotated every six weeks. 

28% OFF MAJESTIC 100 MATTRESS

  Happy Beds Majestic 1000 Pocket Sprung Orthopaedic Mattress
Composition: Pocket springs 
Firmness level: Medium-firm 
Height: 25 cm (9.8 inches)
Trial period: /
Guarantee: 5 years
What makes this mattress special: A quality budget pocket spring mattress.

How we test products

Our mission is to take the guesswork out of finding the perfect sleep products.

We've dedicated hundreds of hours to testing mattresses and sleep accessories, and rely on a team of testers of differing weights, temperature preferences, and sleeping positions to evaluate each product. 

Tested products are granted the Sleep Hero tested stamp of approval, a mark of our review's reliability.

To learn more about our testing process, check out our methodology page.

If we haven't personally tested a product, please be assured that we invest significant time and energy into scouring the UK market and researching the best recommendations, and we work with a team of sleep experts who review our articles, ensuring that the insights we provide are not only relatable but also reliable.

Criteria for choosing a mattress for a guest bedroom

As with all mattress choices, there are a certain number of criteria you may wish to consider when choosing a mattress for your guest bedroom.

Comfort

Of course, the mattress in your guest bedroom should be comfortable. You wouldn’t want your family or friends sleeping on an uncomfortable mattress!

So our general rule of thumb is that you should find the mattress comfortable yourself. Try it for a night — if you don’t like it, it’s probably not a good choice.

You don’t have to buy a luxury mattress, like a Tempur, but, still, pay attention to the quality and comfort level of the mattress you decide on.

Many online retailers offer risk-free trial periods, which give you the chance to try the mattress to see if it’s right.

Universality

Since the people visiting you will all have different bodies, needs, and sleeping preferences, it’s important to choose a mattress that’s universal enough to work for a wide range of people and sleeping positions.

Choose a medium-firm mattress of the universal kind that’s neither too firm nor too soft.

Size

Not everyone is blessed with luxuriously large guest bedrooms. It’s likely that your guest bedroom is small, so it’s important that you have a mattress that’s space-savvy. The UK Double Mattress (135 x 190 cm) is a good space-saving option.

If you don’t have a guest bedroom but still need a guest mattress, then you can also consider camping beds.

Foldable beds and air mattresses can be set up easily and stored in a cupboard, but they’re not ideal for sleeping in the long term.

You can also choose a futon, a sofa that folds out into a bed.

Price

While you certainly can splurge on a mattress for a guest bedroom, your spare mattress does not have to be expensive.

There are many high-quality mattresses available at very affordable prices.

Why would you choose an inflatable mattress?

Inflatable mattresses are great as they’re very space-efficient. You can pack them away if you don’t need them and easily set them up if you have visitors.

Before buying an inflatable mattress, though, you should think about the size and the height of the mattress as well as the inflation technique.

You’d want something that’s quick and easy to set up to accommodate overnight visitors and something that’s very comfortable.

Why would you choose a foldable mattress?

Foldable mattresses are often very thin but can be quite comfortable.

They’re also very space-efficient and can be stored away quite easily. Foldable mattresses can be made of a variety of materials.

Converting a small room into a guest bedroom

You don’t need a large space to create a beautiful guest bedroom. If done right, even a small area can be optimised.

If the room is very small, don’t bother installing cupboards or a dressing table — these just take up unnecessary space. You could install a clothing rail, if you wish, or add in a chair and small table.

If a bed and mattress fit, then you’re in luck. If not, you may consider using a futon, which can be folded back into a sofa during the day, or making use of a foldable or inflatable mattress.

For decorating, we’d recommend using neutral or soft colours. White or beige walls tend to lighten up the room and enhance the space.

To create a cosy room, dress the mattress with sheets, a duvet, and cushions. This will turn even the smallest space into a comfortable bedroom.

Conclusion

There are dozens of mattresses you can choose for your guest room.

If you’re struggling with space, then a futon, inflatable, or foldable mattress are good options. But if you do have space for a full bed and mattress, no matter what size, then it’s always worth investing in a high-quality mattress at a reasonable price.

Many of the mattresses in our mattress reviews will be suitable, including the best-selling Emma Original and Eve Original, but if you’re really looking for the best value for money, then you can’t do better than the Eve Lighter Hybrid.

Nicky

Nicky

Content Director & Partner Relations

My mum calls me "bear" because I like to sleep so much. I never thought that, one day, I'd be a certified sleep coach and apply my skills more widely. Can you tell that I've found my calling? 

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