Practical guide
Sheets and towels in a short-term rental: provide them or not?
In our experience, linen is often the first thing to go wrong: a missing set, a stained pillowcase, a machine that did not have time to run. Here is how to organise it and stop worrying about it.
Updated 18 September 2026 · 2 min read
What guests expect today
Few people pack sheets in their suitcase, and even fewer when they fly in. A property with linen provided is easier to choose; it is also simpler to run, since everything is changed at every check-out.
Not providing it: two options
Either you offer it for an extra charge, and must handle the option and its payment. Or guests bring their own: less and less accepted, and it multiplies questions — how many beds, which sizes.
The right stock
- at least two full sets per bed, one in use, one ready;
- a third for weeks when departures follow one another;
- for each person, a large and a small towel;
- for the property, a bath mat and a few tea towels.
The right linen
- white, to withstand hot washes;
- easy-care, needing little or no ironing;
- protected by mattress and pillow protectors;
- in the exact sizes of your beds and duvets.
Wash on site, or use a laundry
Washing in the property needs a machine, a dryer and time between stays. A professional laundry frees up that time and washes hot, but needs organising: dirty linen out, clean linen back. Beyond a few check-outs a week, it usually wins.
This guide gives general pointers. It is not legal advice, and the obligations that come with letting a property remain its owner's. The law that applies is French law; legal texts are cited in French.