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A spare room usually has to do two jobs at once — office, gym or storage room most of the year, guest bedroom a handful of nights. That dual purpose shapes what actually makes a good guest bed: it needs to sleep well occasionally, without dominating a room that's doing other work the rest of the time. Here's how to choose one properly.

What Makes a Good Guest Bed Different

Unlike your own bed, a guest bed doesn't need to be tailored to one person's exact sleep preferences — it needs to work reasonably well for a wide range of guests. That points towards a medium firmness that suits most sleepers, and a size that balances comfort against how much floor space your spare room can actually spare.

Choosing the Right Size for a Spare Room

A small double (120cm x 190cm) is the classic guest room compromise — noticeably more comfortable than a single for two people or one person who likes to spread out, while saving real space over a standard double. If your spare room genuinely doubles as an office or gym most of the year, a single frees up the most floor space, while a double works best if the room is a dedicated guest bedroom used often enough to justify it. Our single ottoman bed guide and small double ottoman bed guide cover both in more depth.

Storage Matters More in a Multi-Purpose Room

Because a spare room often needs to store its own bedding, guest towels, and whatever else doesn't have a home elsewhere, a storage bed does double duty here in a way it might not in your own bedroom. An ottoman bed's full-width lift-up base is particularly useful for a guest room, since you can keep spare bedding and pillows out of sight and off a shelf, ready to make the bed up quickly when guests arrive. Divan beds with drawer storage are a lower-cost alternative if you don't need quite as much volume. Our ottoman bed vs divan bed guide compares both in detail.

Style Considerations for a Dual-Purpose Room

A lower-profile bed with a modest headboard tends to suit a room that isn't purely a bedroom, keeping the space feeling multi-functional rather than committed entirely to sleeping. A cleaner, more compact frame also makes it easier to fit a desk, exercise equipment, or storage furniture around the bed when guests aren't staying. Our panel bed guide covers this lower-profile, clean-lined style in more depth.

What Mattress Suits a Guest Bed?

A medium-firm pocket sprung mattress is the safest choice for a guest bed, since it accommodates the widest range of body weights and sleep positions without needing to be tailored to one person. Avoid very soft or very firm extremes, which suit specific preferences rather than a general guest. Our how to choose a mattress guide covers firmness selection if you want more detail.

Our Picks for Guest Rooms at Bed Innovation

Panel Strip Bed Frame
A clean, low-profile frame that keeps a multi-purpose spare room feeling versatile rather than bedroom-only.

Oxford Wing Storage Lift-Up Bed
Combines wingback style with full ottoman storage — useful for stowing spare bedding when the room isn't hosting.

Carlos Divan Lift-Up Bed
A straightforward, budget-friendly storage divan, well suited to a guest room that doesn't need a style statement.

Browse the full range in our divan storage collection and ottoman storage beds collection.

Frequently Asked Questions

What size bed is best for a guest room?

A small double is the most common compromise, offering more comfort than a single while taking up less space than a standard double — though this depends on your room size and how often it's used for guests.

Should a guest room have a storage bed?

It's a sensible choice if the room serves another purpose most of the year, since an ottoman or divan base lets you store bedding and guest supplies out of sight when the room isn't hosting.

What firmness mattress works best for guests?

Medium-firm is the safest general choice, since it suits the widest range of body weights and sleep positions without being tailored to one person.

Is an ottoman bed or divan bed better for a spare room?

Ottoman beds offer more total storage volume in one lift-up cavity, while divan drawers are more affordable and easier to access for smaller, frequently used items. Either works well in a guest room.

What if my spare room is also an office or gym?

A lower-profile bed with a modest headboard, paired with under-bed storage, helps the room feel multi-purpose rather than committed entirely to sleeping.

Final Thoughts

A good guest room bed balances comfort for occasional visitors against the practical demands of a room that's doing other jobs most of the year. A medium-firm mattress, a size that fits both your room and your guests, and storage that keeps bedding out of sight when it's not needed will cover most situations well. If you'd like help choosing the right size and storage combination for your spare room, our team at the Dewsbury showroom is happy to talk it through.