01List by 7 categories
These are the most common items in small and mid-size hotel rooms. Tick off what you need first, then calculate quantities.
| Category | Common items |
|---|---|
| Bedding | Flat sheets, duvet covers, pillowcases, bed runners, bed skirts |
| Sleep Products | Duvet inserts, pillow inserts, mattress protectors |
| Bath Linens | Bath towels, hand towels, face towels, bath mats, bathrobes, slippers |
| Guestroom Amenities | Shampoo, shower gel, conditioner, body lotion, soap, dental kit, comb, shower cap, cotton swabs |
| Hotel Equipment | Kettle, hair dryer, safe, minibar, iron |
| Guestroom Leather Goods | Trays, tissue boxes, guest directory folders, remote control holders, waste bins |
| Furniture & Décor | Bedside tables, desk and chair, luggage rack, hangers, lounge chair, artwork |
02How many are in use per room at once
Based on a room with one king bed and two guests. For twin rooms, count per bed.
| Item | In use | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Flat Sheet | 1 / bed | Hotels using fitted sheets count them separately |
| Duvet Cover | 1 / bed | |
| Pillowcase | 2–4 / bed | By number of pillows; upscale hotels often provide 4 |
| Duvet inserts, pillow inserts | 1 and 2–4 / bed | Not sent to the laundry with bedding; keep a few spares |
| Mattress Protector | 1 / bed | Recommended; noticeably extends mattress life |
| Bath towels, hand towels | 2 each / room | One set per guest |
| Face Towel | 2 / room | Optional; some hotels don't provide it |
| Bath Mat | 1 / room | |
| Bathrobe | 2 / room | Mostly in mid- to upscale hotels |
| Slippers | 2 pairs / room | Disposable or washable |
03Calculating linen purchase quantities
Linen rotates between guestrooms, the laundry and the store room, so you need several sets of each item. Purchase quantity = pieces in use × rotation sets.
| Item | Economy (3 sets) | Midscale (4 sets) | Upscale (5 sets) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flat Sheet | 3 / bed | 4 / bed | 5 / bed |
| Duvet Cover | 3 / bed | 4 / bed | 5 / bed |
| Pillowcase | 6 / bed | 8 / bed | 10–20 / bed |
| Bath Towel | 6 / room | 8 / room | 10 / room |
| Hand Towel | 6 / room | 8 / room | 10 / room |
| Bath Mat | 3 / room | 4 / room | 5 / room |
Example: 50 king rooms, midscale, 4 rotation sets: 200 flat sheets, 200 duvet covers, 400 pillowcases, 400 bath towels, 400 hand towels and 200 bath mats. Add 10% for a new opening.
For how to choose the number of rotation sets, see "How many sets of bedding does a hotel usually need?"
04Toiletries and disposables are calculated by occupancy
Toiletries and disposables are consumables, so they're calculated by monthly occupied room nights, not rotation sets.
Monthly usage ≈ rooms × occupancy × 30 × guests per room. For example, 50 rooms, 70% occupancy and an average of 1.6 guests per room: 50 × 0.7 × 30 × 1.6 ≈ 1,680 sets / month.
Items guests take on request, such as dental kits and combs, are used less than guest numbers suggest. Record actual consumption in the first month or two after opening, then adjust restocking. Stock should cover the restocking cycle: if it takes 2 months from order to arrival, hold at least 2 months' worth.
05Easily forgotten items
- Mattress and pillow protectors: easy to overlook, but they protect mattresses and pillow inserts.
- Bed runners and cushions: common in mid- to upscale rooms, chosen together with the bedding colors.
- Linen carts, linen bags and laundry bags: back-of-house items that are too late to source if you notice them a week before opening.
- Hangers: depending on wardrobe size, usually 4–6 per room.
- Extra-bed linen: hotels offering extra beds should count it separately.
06Information for suppliers
Write out the points below clearly so suppliers quote on the same basis.
- Room types and the number of each
- Size of each bed and mattress thickness
- Hotel tier (economy / midscale / upscale)
- How many linen rotation sets
- Which categories are needed
- Planned opening date and delivery location
How to word your inquiry
50 king rooms (1.8 × 2.0 m beds) and 20 twin rooms (1.2 × 2.0 m beds), 20 cm mattresses, midscale. Linen on 4 rotation sets; we need bedding, sleep products, towels and toiletries. Planned opening March 2027, delivered to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.