Airbnb Host Mattress Guide: Better Guest Reviews Through Better Sleep (2026)

14 min read

How Ratings Drive Revenue (The Numbers)

Let us start with the data that matters. AirDNA's 2025 analysis of Airbnb listing performance found that properties with an average rating of 4.9 stars or higher enjoyed:

• 9.7% higher occupancy rates
• 7.7% higher average daily rates
• 18.2% higher total revenue compared to lower-rated listings

For a Toronto host averaging $42,000 in annual revenue (Airbtics, 2025), that 18.2% gap represents roughly $7,600 in lost income. Not theoretical income. Real bookings that went to a competitor with better reviews.

Airbnb's own Global Quality Report shows that 80% of all reviews are 5 stars, with an average listing rating of 4.75+. Less than 1% of reviews are 1 star. This means the difference between a thriving listing and a struggling one is not a dramatic quality gap. It is small, consistent details. And one of the most consistent details guests notice is the bed.

What Guests Actually Notice About Your Bed

Here is something the mattress industry will not tell you: academic research on Airbnb guest satisfaction shows that bed quality alone is not the number one driver of guest ratings. A 2024 study published in Scientific Reports (Nature) analysed 59,766 Airbnb reviews and found that cleanliness was the strongest predictor of dissatisfaction, with "dirty or smelly environment" as the primary complaint.

But here is why that data should make you invest in a good mattress, not avoid it. A worn-out, stained, or odorous mattress is a cleanliness problem. It traps dust mites, absorbs sweat, harbours bacteria, and develops that musty smell that guests associate with a dirty property. When guests leave a review mentioning a "stale" or "unclean" room, the mattress is often the source.

What Guests Complain About (Mattress-Specific)

Based on Airbnb community discussions and review analysis, the most common mattress-related complaints are:

• Sagging or body impressions: The guest can feel where hundreds of previous sleepers lay. This is the most obvious sign of a worn mattress
• Too firm or too soft: An unavoidable issue when different guests have different preferences, but medium-firm (5-7 on a 10-point scale) accommodates the widest range
• Noise: Squeaky springs or a mattress that shifts on the bed frame. This is especially problematic with cheap innerspring models on metal frames
• Odour: Mattresses absorb moisture and body oils over time. Without protectors and regular cleaning, they develop a smell guests notice immediately
• Heat retention: Memory foam mattresses, especially bed-in-a-box models, trap body heat. Guests sleeping warm wake up more often and rate their sleep lower

Choosing a Mattress for Short-Term Rental Use

Rental property mattresses live a harder life than personal mattresses. Different body types every few days, variable cleaning schedules, and guests who are less careful with something that is not theirs. Here is what to prioritize.

Mattress Type Comparison for Rentals

Mattress Type	Rental Lifespan	Guest Comfort	Maintenance	Best For
Hybrid (coil + foam)	5-7 years	Excellent	Rotate quarterly	Most rental properties
Latex	5-7 years	Very good	Rotate quarterly	Hosts wanting longevity
Memory foam (quality)	3-5 years	Good	Rotate quarterly, monitor heat	Budget-conscious hosts
Innerspring	3-5 years	Variable	Rotate and flip quarterly	Properties with flippable models
Bed-in-a-box (budget)	2-4 years	Adequate initially	Limited (usually one-sided)	Starter properties only

For most Airbnb hosts, a hybrid mattress (pocketed coils plus foam comfort layers) offers the best balance. The coil system provides support and airflow that memory foam alone cannot match, and the foam layers provide the comfort guests expect. Hybrids also handle the diversity of guest body types better than all-foam beds because the coils adjust independently.

The Bed-in-a-Box Problem for Rental Properties

Bed-in-a-box mattresses are popular with hosts because they are affordable, easy to deliver, and do not require any coordination with a mattress store. But there are real trade-offs that affect your listing's performance over time.

Why Bed-in-a-Box Struggles in Rentals

• One-sided construction: Most modern bed-in-a-box mattresses cannot be flipped. You can only rotate them 180 degrees. This means you get half the wear distribution of a flippable mattress, which cuts into lifespan
• Edge support deterioration: All-foam beds (without perimeter coils) lose edge support faster than hybrids. Guests sitting on the bed edge to put on shoes or work on a laptop feel the edge compress, which reads as "cheap" even if the centre of the mattress is fine
• Heat retention: Dense memory foam traps body heat. In a rental property where you cannot control guest thermostat preferences or bedding layers, a hot-sleeping mattress generates complaints you cannot easily solve
• Compression timeline: Budget bed-in-a-box mattresses use lower-density foam (often 1.2-1.5 lb/ft3) that compresses visibly within 12-18 months of guest use. Visible body impressions tell your next guest that many people have slept here before them, not the impression you want

If you are launching your first Airbnb on a tight budget, a bed-in-a-box can work as a starting point. But plan to replace it within 2-3 years, and set that money aside now. The long-term cost of buying a $400 mattress every 2.5 years ($160/year) is higher than buying an $800 hybrid once every 6 years ($133/year).

Multi-Property Hosts: Buying Smart at Scale

If you manage 3 or more rental properties, your mattress purchasing strategy should shift from retail to semi-commercial. Here is how.

Volume Purchasing

Most mattress retailers and commercial suppliers offer volume discounts starting at 3-5 units. The savings are meaningful:

• 3-5 units: Expect 5-10% off list price
• 10-20 units: 10-15% off, sometimes with free delivery
• 20+ units: 15-25% off with potential for customization (firmness level, cover material)

Buying the same mattress across all properties also simplifies your maintenance. You only need to stock one type of fitted sheet, one type of protector, and one set of rotation instructions for your cleaning crew.

Standardizing Across Properties

Multi-property hosts benefit from picking one mattress model and using it everywhere. This approach:

• Simplifies inventory (sheets, protectors, replacement scheduling)
• Creates consistency if guests book multiple properties from you
• Allows bulk purchasing at better prices
• Makes it easier for your cleaning team to inspect and maintain

Maintenance That Extends Mattress Life by 40%

Hospitality research from King Koil shows that a documented rotation program extends mattress lifespan by up to 40%. For rental property hosts, that 40% can mean the difference between replacing mattresses every 3 years and every 5 years.

The Rental Property Rotation Schedule

Build this into your cleaning crew's quarterly checklist:

• Every 3 months: Rotate the mattress 180 degrees (head-to-foot). If double-sided, flip it as well
• Every cleaning turnover: Inspect the protector for tears or stains that have penetrated. Replace if compromised
• Every 6 months: Vacuum the mattress surface (even through the protector) to remove dust mites and debris that accumulate at the seams
• Annually: Measure mattress thickness at centre and edges. Note any compression exceeding 1 inch from original. Check for odour with protector removed

Signs a Rental Mattress Needs Replacing

• Visible sagging or body impressions that remain after the mattress is unoccupied for 24 hours
• Edge compression: the mattress edge dips more than 2 inches under 50 lbs of pressure
• Odour that persists after airing and protector replacement
• Any mention of mattress discomfort in reviews (one mention is a data point; two is a pattern; three is overdue for replacement)

Ontario Regulations Every Airbnb Host Should Know

Running a short-term rental in Ontario involves municipal licensing, fire safety compliance, and insurance. Here is what connects to your mattress decision.

Municipal Licensing

Ontario does not have a single provincial short-term rental law. Each municipality sets its own rules under the Municipal Act. Toronto's regulations are the most detailed:

• Principal residence requirement (you can only rent your primary home)
• Up to 3 bedrooms with unlimited nights annually
• Entire home rentals capped at 180 nights per year
• Registration fee: $375 CAD annually (2025)
• Municipal Accommodation Tax: 8.5% on top of HST

Brantford requires Short-Term Rental Accommodation Registration through the City of Brantford. Check your specific municipality's requirements before listing.

Fire Safety Requirements

Ontario Fire Code compliance is required for licensing approval in most municipalities. For mattresses, this means:

• Every mattress must comply with SOR/2016-183: The federal mattress regulation under the Canada Consumer Product Safety Act, requiring passage of the cigarette ignition test (CAN/CGSB-4.2 No. 27.7-2013). This applies to all mattresses sold in Canada, including those used commercially
• Smoke detectors: Required on every floor and near all sleeping areas, tested monthly
• Carbon monoxide detectors: Required outside bedrooms if fuel-burning appliances are present
• Fire extinguisher: Required in kitchen at minimum, accessible to guests

We cover Canadian mattress fire safety regulations in detail in our fire code mattress requirements guide.

Insurance

Standard homeowner insurance does not cover short-term rental activity. You need dedicated short-term rental insurance covering property damage, liability, guest injury, and income protection. Most municipalities require proof of insurance for licensing approval. Your mattress investment is protected under the property damage portion of this coverage.

Budget Planning: What to Spend and When to Replace

Here is a practical budget framework for Airbnb hosts at different scales.

Single-Property Host (1-3 Bedrooms)

Item	Budget Range (per bedroom)	Recommended
Queen mattress	$500-$1,200 CAD	$700-$900 (hybrid)
Waterproof encasement	$30-$50	$40 (zippered, full encasement)
Mattress pad/topper	$50-$150	$80 (adds comfort layer, protects mattress)
Total per bedroom	$580-$1,400	$820

For a 3-bedroom Toronto property generating $42,000 annually, the recommended $2,460 total mattress investment represents 5.9% of one year's revenue. Payback period at 9.7% higher occupancy: approximately 6 weeks.

Multi-Property Host (3-10 Properties)

At 3+ properties, your annual mattress replacement budget should be 3-5% of gross rental revenue, set aside monthly.

• Example: 5 properties averaging $30,000 each = $150,000 gross revenue
• Annual mattress reserve: $4,500-$7,500
• This covers: 3-5 mattress replacements per year across all properties on a 4-year rolling cycle

Replacement Timeline

• Year 0: Purchase quality hybrid mattresses with protectors
• Years 1-3: Quarterly rotation, protector inspection. No replacements expected
• Year 3-4: First compression check. Replace any mattress showing 25%+ compression or generating guest comments
• Year 5-6: Plan full replacement for original mattresses. Stagger across properties to spread costs

Frequently Asked Questions