A hotel, motel or serviced apartment commonly holds three full changes of towels: one in use, one in the wash and one on the shelf. Count guests, not just rooms. A double room sleeps two, so a 20-room property of double rooms has 40 guests and holds about 120 bath towels, before a small reserve for wear. Busy properties with same-day turnover hold more.
The Rule of Thumb
Hold three full changes: one in use, one in the wash and one on the shelf. Busy properties with same-day turnover often hold more.
A Worked Example
A 20-room property of double rooms sleeps 40 guests. One full change is 40 bath towels, 40 hand towels and 40 face washers, so three full changes is 120 of each, plus bath mats for each bathroom and a small reserve for wear. Our towel planner does this sum for your own mix of rooms.
Add for Pools, Spas and Gyms
Pool and beach towels, extra hand towels and spa towels are on top of the room sets. Count them separately.
Allow for Wear
Towels wear over time, so keep a small reserve to replace the oldest ones.
Choosing the Weight
Many properties choose 500 GSM for everyday use and 600 GSM for a plusher feel. Our GSM guide explains the trade-off.
