What bed size is best for guests?

Have friends stopped visiting your place and given evasive answers as to why? Have family members complained about mysterious back pain during the holidays? Houseguests would rather sleep on the couch than in that dreaded guest room? Maybe it's finally time to upgrade your guest bed!

As with any larger purchase, it’s wise to put some thought into what size bed will work best for your needs before pulling the trigger. If you're furnishing a guest room, you may be tempted to save money and space by opting for a smaller size. However, a larger option may be a better option. Measuring 76 inches across, king size beds only require 16 more inches of space than queen size beds which are 60 inches across, which means that almost any bedroom that can accommodate a queen can also accommodate a king. Those 16 inches may not sound like much, but they increase the sleeping surface of a king size bed by 27%. That's nearly one-third more room to spread out, helping to ensure that your guests get a great night's sleep.

If you ever rent your place out with a short-term rental service such as Aibnb or VRBO, you'll also find it interesting that listings with a king size bed have significantly higher demand than those with a queen or full size bed.  Anecdotally, one host on Airbnb's forums reported upgrading their home from 3 queens and 1 king to 2 queens and 2 kings, and they reported that the number of rentals for that property doubled. Although most data on the subject is anecdotal, guests may be willing to pay more and stay longer as well.

At Maple Zen, king size beds currently cost less than 10% more than queen size beds, and the additional sleeping room and increased comfort that they provide make them an obvious choice for guest rooms that have the space. The only downside is that you may have a hard time getting guests to leave when their visit is over!