An area rug makes the home more inviting and can tie the room together. It is one of the central decor pieces, so you want to choose a rug that will accentuate the style of your short-term rental and make it look cozier for your guests.
What differentiates shopping for a rug for your home and for your rental is that you can’t rely on your guests to be cautious with it. Like with any other item in your Airbnb, the durability and suitability for your specific rental will be the deciding factors before making a purchase.
Here are our choices for the best rugs for Airbnb:
- The Best Overall: SAFAVIEH Rag Rug
- Classic: Ottomanson Ottohome Oriental Design Rug
- Vintage: Ruggable – Kamran Coral Area Rug
- Persian: nuLOOM Persian Verona Distressed Area Rug
- Modern and Bold: Ruggable Absida Sage Area Rug
- Natural: SAFAVIEH Natural Fiber Handmade Thick Area Rug
- Coastal: Luxe Weavers Art Deco Rug with Marble Swirl
- Solid: Nourison Essentials Solid Contemporary Area Rug
- Geometric: Unique Loom Trellis Frieze Collection Area Rug
- Budget: Persian Area Rugs Moroccan Trellis Area Rug
Why Get a Rug for an Airbnb?
A rug plays both a decorative and protective purpose in vacation rentals. A beautiful rug can completely change the look of the place and help you create a theme in your Airbnb to make it stand out in listings. Adding some texture and fabric to the floors makes the room look more warm and cozy which can create that homey feel for your guests.
On the other hand, an area rug can protect your floors from scratches and dents, cover worn-out floors, and reduce the noise of walking so the downstairs neighbors won’t have any complaints.
Factors to Consider When Buying a Rug for Your Airbnb
There are a few key things to remember when searching for a rug for your short-term rental:
Durability – Airbnbs demand a durable rug, especially in high-traffic areas such as the living room. The durability will largely depend on the material. Some of the rug fabrics that hold up the best are the flat woven rugs, cotton-wool blend, and cotton-polyester blend.
Ease of Cleaning – You want a rug that is less likely to stain and is easy to clean. For example, rugs suitable for both indoor and outdoor can be hosed down. Machine-washable rugs such as those from Ruggable are also great for Airbnb hosts. We especially love this fun southwestern style as an accent piece and the sophisticated Verena Dark Wood style. NuLoom followed Ruggable’s lead and they have their own line of machine-washable rugs, like this medallion style and this practical go-with-everything grey rug.
Aesthetic – The color and pattern should match the style of your short-term rental—that’s a given. If you don’t have any inspiration, you can head to Pinterest and type ‘vintage Airbnb bedroom’ or ‘modern living room’ and you’ll get loads of inspirational images to browse through.
Material – The material impacts the durability and the price, so it’s one of the most important rug decisions you’ll have to make. It also affects the weight and whether you’ll be able to wash it in the machine, so pick carefully. Wool, for example, is very durable and stain resistant but it can be quite pricey.
Synthetic materials such as polyester and polyamide are a decent alternative for wool, as they are less expensive but they have that wool feel.
On the other hand, cotton is inexpensive, but it may not be able to withstand the traffic of a short-term rental living room for too long. Cotton and cotton-blend rugs can be more than suitable for rooms with less traffic such as bedrooms and kitchens. They are more lightweight and they won’t burden your budget.
Thickness – Flatweave rugs have no pile which makes them easier to clean and cost-efficient. They can be vacuumed in no time as they won’t trap as much dirt. These work great for kitchens and playrooms. To make them look cozier, you can add a smaller low-pile rug on top (just look at some rug layering ideas on Pinterest). If you opt for a thinner rug, you can use a rug pad for cushioning and to prevent slipping.
Higher-pile rugs may have that welcoming, snug vibe but they are more difficult to clean which makes them not the best option for short-term rentals.
Size – To prevent the rug from moving around and guests slipping over it (insurance claim alert) you should have a few pieces of furniture on top of it. This also makes the living room look more pulled together.
For example, in a living room, an area rug is a central piece so you should have a coffee table and the front feet of the couch on top of it. For a dining room, ideally, you’ll have the table and all the chairs on the rug.
Pro tip: you can outline the size that complements the room with painter’s tape onto your floor and then measure it to find out which size you need.
Price – It is so easy to get carried away with an array of beautiful rugs, so you should set your budget in advance. This can also help you narrow down your choice. If you have a low budget, you should skip the wool rugs and head straight toward cotton or polyester area rugs.
The Best Rug for Airbnb and Vacation Rentals
Picking the best rug for vacation rental is difficult because it’s not easy to find a single choice that embodies all the needs of Airbnb hosts. However, we did manage to uncover a rug that can be a match for different room styles, is easy to clean, and is suitable for all budgets—and that’s the SAFAVIEH Rag Rug.
Here’s why this is our top pick:
Versatile Design – The style of this rug can complement causal, modern, bohemian, coastal, and rustic aesthetics. It is handwoven so every rug is a one-of-a-kind piece. This rug can work well in any room of the house. If the ink color we chose doesn’t match your color scheme, you’ll be happy to know that you can get it in other colors as well, such as yellow, blue, black, grey, and many more.
Inexpensive – Since it is made of cotton, this rug is very affordable. The reviews say that it is quite durable, but in case it gets worn out or if guests stain it, you won’t need to fret as replacing it won’t do much damage to your budget.
Durable – Don’t let the cotton material fool you, since in this case it doesn’t detract from durability. The quality craftsmanship and 100% premium soft cotton fibers make this rug durable enough for short-term rentals.
Easy to Clean – Flat weave won’t catch much dirt, and even when it does, you’ll vacuum it until it’s spotless in no time. The colorful design is also great for not showing stains.
Other Airbnb Rug Alternatives
If the SAFAVIEH Rag Rug doesn’t align with what you want, we have prepared a list of chic alternatives for every vacation rental theme.
Let’s start with a classic option that can accentuate the traditional-themed Airbnbs. In this category, our top pick is the Ottomanson Ottohome Rug. It has a classic design and is made of stain-resistant polyamide material which makes it ideal for vacation properties.
Ruggable – Kamran Coral Area Rug
Vintage aesthetics are very popular nowadays, so if you need a rug to match that style, this Ruggable Kamran Coral Area Rug is an excellent option. The beautiful medallion pattern and ornate border will make it a statement piece in any room. It will also be super easy to maintain as it is machine-machable and stain- and water-resistant.
nuLOOM Persian Verona Distressed Area Rug
If you like the Persian look, you’ll love this nuLOOM Persian Verona Distressed Area Rug. Not only does it look amazing, but it is also very soft and designed to be resilient against wear and tear. Rentals that allow pets would get great use out of it since it is pet friendly—you won’t have any trouble vacuuming the pet hair.
For a fashion-forward modern rug, we suggest the Ruggable Absida Sage Area Rug. The design features an off-white backdrop with mirrored arches in shades that range from dark to light green. As we mentioned above, Ruggable rugs are machine-washable, so cleaning it will be a no-brainer.
SAFAVIEH Natural Fiber Handmade Thick Area Rug
Airbnb hosts that take pride in nature-derived items can find their match in this SAFAVIEH Natural Fiber Handmade Thick Area Rug. It is handwoven of thick and durable jute fibers. What you should know about this rug is that when it is exposed to direct sunlight, the colors will fade over time.
Luxe Weavers Art Deco Rug with Marble Swirl
Decorate your coastal vacation rental with this eye-catching Luxe Weavers Art Deco Rug with Marble Swirl. There’s no way this rug won’t attract the attention of guests while they’re browsing through listings. It is made from premium polypropylene so it is affordable as well as dirt- and stain-resistant.
Nourison Essentials Solid Contemporary Area Rug
If you want a reliable indoor/outdoor rug, we recommend this polypropylene Nourison Essentials Solid Contemporary Area Rug. The basic look goes well with any style and fits into any room. Since it is a low-pile rug, it’s easy to clean and it can withstand the active lifestyle of an Airbnb.
Unique Loom Trellis Frieze Collection Area Rug
Geometric prints are quite popular, especially for contemporary and modern-looking rentals, so we included the Unique Loom Trellis Frieze Collection Area Rug as one of our contenders. You can get it in 13 different colors, and the polypropylene material makes it durable and affordable.
Persian Area Rugs Moroccan Trellis Area Rug
Coming in at a price point that will suit the budgets of most hosts, we have the Moroccan Trellis Area Rug. This is a medium-pile rug so it feels comfy and soft underneath the feet, and the customer reviews on Amazon praise its longevity.
Final Thoughts
Picking out a rug is a big decision, but with the help of these options, it shouldn’t be that hard. As you can see, there’s something for everyone—whether you want an affordable rug that looks expensive or a bold rug that will add a special touch to the room.
When it comes to the most versatile area rug, we believe that with the SAFAVIEH Rag Rug you’ll get the most out of our money. You can purchase it in different colors to match different rooms (since it’s not costly). Even if you decide to change the aesthetic of the room at some point, you won’t need to change the rug as this SAFAVIEH rug can adapt to various styles.
