A hosts guide to GSM, thread count & tog ratings
A simple guide on GSM, thread count, tog ratings, and creating a repeatable formula for better laundry planning and a more consistent guest experience through-out your property or short-term letting space.
Heavier, denser textiles take longer to wash and dry. In a busy holiday let or Airbnb with same‑day check‑ins, these choices matter just as much as how luxurious everything feels.
We recommend choosing one GSM range for towels, a sensible thread count for sheets and one or two tog options for duvets.
Your guests will rarely ask about the numbers. What they will notice is whether towels feel thick or flimsy, whether sheets are crisp or a bit limp, and if the bed feels too hot or too cold for the season.
GSM in towels
GSM (grams per square metre) is simply a measure of how heavy and dense a towel is. Lower GSM towels are lighter and thinner; higher GSM towels are thicker and more absorbent.
We recommend to hosts planning towel sets for Airbnb lettings or holiday rentals to decide where they want quick‑drying speed and where they want a little extra luxury.
For most hosts, the balance is between quick‑drying laundry and a towel that still feels generous in the hand.
- 500 GSM works well as an everyday choice. These towels have an excellent feel, dry guests effectively and still move through the wash quite quickly.
- 600 GSM feels noticeably plusher and more “hotel like”. These are great for main bathrooms and premium guest rooms, but they will be heavier in the machine and slower to dry on tight turn arounds.
- Below about 400 GSM tends to feel more like “gym towel” territory. They can be useful as spares or for beach trips, but often feel too light as the main bath towel in a paid stay.
Our Supreme Bathroom Towels sit in that mid‑weight at 500 GSM and remain one of our most‑loved ranges for short‑term rental customers. They are comfortably soft for most guests, available in up to 16 colours, and designed to cope with frequent washing without losing their shape or feel. For more premium listings, our 600 GSM Luxor Bath Towels are a popular choice for a more indulgent guest experience.
A simple approach is to choose one main GSM for your property, then add a slightly heavier towel as a subtle upgrade for master bedrooms or premium listings. This keeps ordering straightforward and gives a consistent feel throughout your letting space.
Thread count in bedding
Thread count is the number of threads woven into a square inch of fabric. Higher numbers are often sold as better, but for an Airbnb, holiday let or high‑turnover setting, it is usually more useful to think in terms of feel, breathability and how easily the fabric washes and dries.
- Around 180 thread count polycotton (often called T180) is a popular “easy care” choice for busy hosts. It is light, durable, quick to wash and dry, and needs minimal ironing, which helps on tight changeover days.
- Around 200 thread count in a plain‑weave cotton gives a crisp, cool “freshly made” feel. It looks clean and smooth in photos, feels comfortable for most guests and holds up well to regular washing.
Very high thread counts sound impressive, but they are not always more comfortable in real life. They can feel heavier, are slower to dry and less practical when you have frequent laundry cycles or limited drying space.
For most short‑term rentals and guest-rooms, our customers tend to choose from our 180 poly-cotton linens as the practical “sweet spot”, or for more luxurious guest-rooms, our 200 thread count cotton ranges.
Thread count in bedding
Tog is a measure of warmth for duvets. As a host, you are trying to cover a range of guest preferences without filling cupboards with five different weights. The best way to think about it is by season and property type.
- Summer or well heated city flats: a lighter 4.5 tog duvet is usually enough for warmer months, especially in smaller bedrooms that hold heat.
- Most of the year in the UK: something in the region of 10.5 -13.5 tog tends to keep most guests comfortable from spring through to early autumn and often into winter for modern homes.
- Colder months or more rural, draughty cottages: offering a 15 tog option, or an “all seasons” set that fastens together, stops guests from feeling under dressed on chilly nights.
If storage is limited, an all seasons solution can work well. Two duvets (for example a 4.5 and a 10.5 tog) can be used separately in warmer weather and then combined when nights turn cold. Clearly labelling each duvet by tog and bed size makes it easy for cleaners and co hosts to dress beds correctly without guesswork.
You can browse our Restmor duvet ranges under the Bedding Essentials category in our online store.
Pulling it together for your guests for more 5-Star Review's
- Pick one target GSM range for your core towel set, with perhaps one plusher option reserved for master bedrooms or premium listings.
- Decide on a preferred thread count and fabric type for all bed linen so every bed feels and looks consistent when guests move between rooms or properties.
- Choose one or two duvet tog ratings that make sense for the local weather and building type, rather than a different duvet in every cupboard.
In the end, GSM, thread count and tog ratings are just contributors towards setting a clear linen standard throughout your property or holiday let. The simplest approach is to decide on one GSM range for towels, one thread count range for sheets and a simple one‑or two‑tog formula for duvets, and then use it consistently across your property or portfolio.
