Perhaps the number one question our clients and subscribers ask us is which bed sheets should they buy. We have answered that question in the past, but products change with time, so we’ve decided to update you on which sheets we are currently crazy about as well as why sheets need to be white.
You see, we are a bit nerdy about sheets because they translate very directly into 5-star reviews, so we are always on the lookout for the perfect set.
GOLDEN RULE FOR SHORT TERM RENTAL SHEETS – THEY MUST BE WHITE
To begin, your bedsheets absolutely positively without exception need to be white. It’s the golden rule of hospitality.
WHY WHITE? HERE ARE THE FOUR REASONS:
1. GUEST PSYCHOLOGY
White has traditionally been the color used in hotels. The hospitality industry funds scientific studies on guest psychology; they know there is a primal association between the color white and cleanliness. It makes sense if you think about it: if you are presented with a crisp set of white sheets, you can see that they are clean, right? On the other hand, if they are blue or (God help us!) maroon, or any other color, they could be clean, but who would know? Most colors, with the exception of white, camouflage dirt.
And subconsciously guests know this. Bright, freshly laundered white sheets look cleaner and seem more sanitary. Guests can relax. It’s a primal thing.
2. EASY TO MAINTAIN
Not all vacation guests treat your sheets with respect. With white, you can bleach stains away. You can also wash white bedsheets in very hot water and they come out looking new.
3. EASY TO REPLACE
When it comes time to replace some of your white sheets, you will always find the perfect color match every time – white! And who gets sick of bright, crisp white? Be sure you stick to the same brand though so the white is exactly the same white and the hand is the same.
4. ENHANCES OTHER BEDDING
Lastly, white sheets contrast nicely with the bedspread or blanket, as well as the shams and decorative pillows. Your guest’s eyes will really notice their patterns or colors when you set them against white.
OUR NUMBER 1 BEST SHEET RECOMMENDATION THAT WE PERSONALLY SLEEP IN AND SPECIFY TO CLIENTS
We have specified and even sold a few sheet brands through the years but none compare to those I discovered recently on a hiking trip my husband and I made last month to Highlands, NC. We slept in the best percale (our favorite!) sheets we have in years! Highlander Mountain House features them on all the beds and I tell you, if it weren’t for waking up for early morning hikes, we would have slept in those white beauties until noon.
Upon waking up the first morning, I looked for the label and voilà, it stated Bellino.
Upon researching the company, I discovered they are the favored brand among the chicest hotels in the world, particularly among the trendy boutique crowd – The Line, Proper Hotels, The Bowery, The Greenwich Hotel, The Ludlow, and Nomad are just a few examples.
I didn’t even wait until we got home to buy some; while lying in bed I bought the Percale Hotel Set + Duvet for both the master and guest bedrooms. Our 1 Chic Retreat motto is to never specify for a client what we wouldn’t sleep on ourselves.
So I gladly agreed to be the guinea pig.
If you want to get a bit more sophisticated, Bellino sells sheets that literally are sold in the finest hotels in the world. For example, the Bowery Hotel allows Bellino to sell to the public the exact sheets found in their hotels.
Depending on your perspective, the only not-so-great aspect of these sheets is they wrinkle really easily. Personally, I don’t mind a sexy, rumpled look, but if that’s going to bug you, then you’ll have to either iron these or steam them. I’m not full of laundry tricks, so perhaps I’m just not using the right technique or product, but even when I take these straight out of the dryer, they aren’t smooth.
All in all, I love these sheets and if you don’t mind the labor of steaming or ironing, these are a guaranteed guest pleaser. We predict that you’ll get guests commenting right away, even leaving glowing reviews on how heavenly the bed is.