Do or Don’t: Twin Beds in Guest Bedrooms

Have you ever stayed in a guest room with twin beds? My grandmother’s house in England had this set-up, above, and I’ve slept there since I was a little kid. Doesn’t it look inviting? So, on this lazy Tuesday, here’s my argument for twin beds for guests (*clears throat*)…

When a room has two twins, your guests can mix-and-match: a parent can bunk with their child without getting kicked in the ribs all night, and adult friends, siblings, or relatives can easily crash together.

Even if you’re with a romantic partner, it’s kind of nice to sometimes stretch out in your own spot, don’t you think?

I also love the guest-room-ness of it all. Twin beds immediately feel welcoming to me, maybe because I grew up getting tucked into one (along with a hot water bottle) whenever we visited relatives.

Do you think they feel too childlike? In England, it’s not uncommon to have twin beds in grown-up guest rooms, but in the U.S. twin beds seem to be reserved for kids — what do you think?

Then again, maybe casual is good. On a similar note, I liked reading that, when it comes to guest rooms, the brilliant designer Rita Konig prefers a shared hallway bathroom, versus en-suite bathrooms. “Houses can become too much like hotels and people disappear into suites, which can be rather ghostly,” she says. “Passage life is good.” Don’t you agree? I love when friends stay over and we brush our teeth together or bump into each other when getting glasses of water after bedtime. Feels like camp!

And sharing the bedside table is also a bonding moment.

Thoughts? Would (or do) you have twin beds? What guest room touches do you like?

P.S. The #1 item you need for overnight guests, and what’s the best book to put in a guest room? Also, what about two duvets on one bed?

(Photo credits, in order: my grandmother’s guest bedroom by Belathée; Rita Konig’s children’s bedroom by Simon Brown; a bedroom in a French farmhouse by Tim Beddow; a bedroom in this Pound Ridge Airbnb; blue beds by Sharyn Cairns for House & Garden; a bedroom at this Fire Island Airbnb; a Swedish cottage; and a hotel room at Relais Saint Suplice in Paris.)