Adding a sofa bed to your listing can open the possibility of hosting more guests in your short-term rental. It’s a plus not only because it can earn you more money, but a comfy sofa bed can add to that 5-star experience guests crave, leading to better reviews!
In addition to comfort, a sofa bed needs to be sturdy enough to endure the busy life in a vacation rental. Pull-out couches tend to break, so if you don’t want to be a regular shopper of Amazon’s furniture stores, you need a durable sofa bed.
In our pursuit of the best sofa bed for Airbnb, we mainly focused on comfort, durability, price, and design, and our top picks are (drumroll please)…
- Best Sofa Bed Overall: Mopio Chloe Futon Sofa Bed
- Best Sectional: HONBAY Convertible Modular Sectional Sofa
- Most Stylish Sofa Bed: Belffin Velvet Convertible Futon Sofa Bed
- Best Daybed Overall: DHP Astoria Metal and Upholstered Daybed
- Best Daybed and Trundle Set: Zinus Eden Twin Daybed and Trundle Set
- Best Upholstered Daybed and Trundle Set: Novogratz Her Majesty Upholstered Daybed and Trundle
Why Get a Sofa Bed for Your Vacation Rental?
Hosting more people allows you to increase the price of your rental, and of course, earn more. So, investing in a sofa bed will pay off quite quickly.
Unlike air mattresses that demand more space, a sofa bed can serve as a couch by day and as a bed by night. It will create more sleeping arrangements without ruining the aesthetic of your rental.
If you’re worried that your guests will find a sofa bed too uncomfortable, you can always add a mattress topper. When you top that off with memory foam pillows and a cozy comforter, your guests will feel like they’re sleeping in a high-quality bed.
What to Look for in an Airbnb Sofa Bed
Buying a sofa bed can be a costly investment, so you need to make sure that the one you select is suitable for an Airbnb. Here are the factors that we find to be the most important:
Sofa Bed vs Daybed/Trundle – Both sofa beds and daybeds work well for Airbnbs, but they have their differences. Daybeds turn into two separate beds, so they may not be the best choice if you want to host couples. Since you’ll need to select mattresses for a daybed with a trundle, you can buy high-quality ones to improve your guests’ comfort. Sofa beds are a better choice for those who want to get both extra sleeping arrangements and a great hang-out place for guests.
Durability – Traditional sleeper sofas and pull-out couches have a fragile mechanism that is easy to break, so their life span in vacation rentals won’t be long. You need a sofa bed that has a durable mechanism without many movable parts, so even if it breaks, you can repair it.
Price – Base your budget for the sofa bed on how often the bed part of the sofa bed will be used. If you plan to use it as often as the other beds in your listing, you’ll want to invest in a high-quality sofa bed. But if it will be unfolded only every once in a while, a more affordable one will do just fine.
Style – Sofa beds can add a glamour factor if you aim for stylish pieces. Check out this Better Homes & Gardens Nola Sofa Bed, for example. Sofa beds like this one can bring your room to life and also work well for sleeping.
Material – Fabrics that tend to last long despite frequent use are polyester and leather. They are also easier to clean.
Size – Consider how much space you have before you pick out the sofa bed. Don’t forget to factor in the size of the sofa bed or daybed once it is unfolded.
Ease of Cleaning – You want a sofa bed that is easy to clean under, which means that elevated sofa beds are the best choice.
Assembly – If the sofa bed is easy to assemble, that’s another plus. Also, the pull-out mechanism should be simple so that guests can set it up without any trouble.
Free Returns & Warranty – You can’t know whether the sofa bed is the right one for you until you try it, so having the possibility to return it is another benefit. And just in case anything goes wrong, having a warranty for a pricey purchase like this is always smart.
The Best Sofa Bed for Airbnb
After considering the needs of Airbnb property rental owners as well as the needs of guests, we declare the winner to be the Mopio Chloe Futon Sofa Bed.
If you think that this is just another typical dorm room futon, think again! Here’s what won us over:
Adjustable Splitback Design – The guest can sit, lounge, or sleep on this sofa bed. The fold-down backrest can be adjusted among three levels for multiple purposes. The oblique angle, for example, is perfect for watching TV.
Modern Style – Rich fabric upholstery and chevron-stitched patterns make this couch a real eye-catcher. It comes in 7 different colors and two material options (fabric and velvet).
Comfort and Support – This is a high-quality foam sofa that guests will love sitting on.
Easy to Assemble – Buyers report that it only takes 20 minutes to assemble this sofa bed.
Easy to Clean Under – The solid wood elevated legs aren’t just durable; they also make it easy for you to clean underneath the sofa bed.
30-Day Guarantee and 1-Year Warranty – Not sure if you’ll like it? You have a 30-day guarantee, so if it fails to justify the rave, you can return it and get your money back. And as a failsafe, a 1-year warranty backs your investment for the long term.
Other Sofa Bed Alternatives
Besides our top pick, we’ve singled out a couple of other great options as well.
The HONBAY Convertible Modular Sectional Sofa was our top pick in the best couch for Airbnb category. It works well for large spaces and turns into a full-size bed. Some of its many amazing features are durable constructions (it is made out of solid wood and polyester), seating for 6 people, and storage space underneath the seats.
If you want a sofa bed that will both add a special touch to the room and serve as a bed, we suggest the Belffin Velvet Convertible Futon Sofa Bed. Besides the luxe look, it has memory foam cushions for a comfy sleep, and the back and side arms are adjustable (the back has 3 adjustable angles and side arms have 5 adjustable angles). This sofa bed’s size is also perfect for smaller rooms.
The Best Daybed/Trundle for Airbnb
The good thing about a daybed with a trundle is its simple functionality (it just slides in and out), so there’s not much to break. If you prefer a daybed over a sofa bed for your short-term rental, we suggest the DHP Astoria Metal and Upholstered Daybed.
DHP Astoria Metal and Upholstered Daybed
This is why the DHP Astoria Metal and Upholstered Daybed is our top pick in this category:
Strong Construction – With a metal frame and faux leather upholstery, this daybed will be hard to damage which is ideal for an Airbnb. If you like the idea of a faux leather sofa bed, you can check out this faux leather futon from the same brand.
Multi-Functional Use – You can use it as a couch and transform it into 2 beds whenever you want.
No Need for Additional Foundation –Just throw a mattress on the frame and it’s ready to go! There’s no need for any additional support underneath.
Easy to Assemble – The instruction for assembling is easy to follow, so you’ll have no problem with putting it together.
30-Day Guarantee and 1-Year Warranty – The manufacturer accepts returns within 30 days from the day of the purchase, plus offers a warranty for the first year.
Other Daybed/Trundle Alternatives
If you’re open to more recommendations, we suggest that you take a look at these contenders from Zinus and Novogratz.
For those who want simplicity and minimalism, the Zinus Eden Twin Daybed and Trundle Set will be perfect. It is made out of alloy steel and can be assembled within a few minutes. It even has a 5-year warranty (which says a lot about the company’s faith in this daybed).
The only downside is that it might be too basic for those who want durability and style. If design matters to you, you might prefer the Novogratz Her Majesty Upholstered Daybed and Trundle.
This daybed has a diamond-tufted backrest with wingback arms. The stylish design doesn’t take away from its durability because it is made with a sturdy wood frame and upholstered in premium linen.
Final Thoughts
Whether you choose a sofa bed or a daybed with a trundle, you’ll increase your Airbnb’s earning potential by hosting more guests. If you want the perfect mix of affordable price, comfort, and durability, we’re sticking to our top picks, the Mopio Chloe Futon Sofa Bed and DHP Astoria Metal and Upholstered Daybed. But if your preferences differ from ours, you can’t go wrong with any of the pieces suggested above.
