Hotel Towels Buying Guide

Whether your guests are only spending the night or enjoying a weeklong vacation, you’ll want to make sure they feel right at home with the luxury of quality hotel towels. Yet supplying the right amenities for your hotel’s bathroom or spa facilities is not as easy as it might seem. Browsing through our site, you will find different towel materials, border types, and other factors that may sway your decision. If you’re unsure about any of these factors, you’ve come to the right place. And even if you know that you need a bath sheet rather than a regular bath towel, for instance, this hotel towels guide breaks down important purchasing features like material, weight, and price so that you can make the best selection for your specific business.

Towel Sizes

When you think of hotel towels, only wash cloths, hand towels, and standard bath towels may come to mind. However, to furnish your hotel bathroom with everything your patrons need for a clean and comfortable stay, will you also need bath mats? What about bath sheets or bath robes?

• Bath mats resemble bath towels, but are slightly smaller in size. They are used on bathroom floors in place of a rug or carpet to prevent slippery floors after bathing or showering.
• Providing ample space for drying off, a bath sheet has a larger length and a larger width than a bath towel. Because of its large size, it can drape around your guests sarong-style.
• Bath robes also wrap around your guests, but they are designed with sleeves and a collar to better fit the body. Some include a wrap-around belt to keep the robe in place while your guests are freshening up or relaxing at the spa. They tend to get heavier when saturated with water, so they do not dry as quickly as bath towels.

Towel Weight

An important consideration when purchasing towels is their weight. The weight of a towel is measured in pounds per dozen, so it is very important to compare similar products together. You can compare bath towelstogether, or different washcloths with each other, as long as they have a similar size. The heavier the weight of your towel the more luxurious it will feel to your guests, and the more water it can absorb.

Lightweight Medium Weight Heavy Weight

Don’t underestimate the significance of weight! Towels that weigh between 15 - 20 lb. per dozen are much more plush and heavy, as compared to thinner towels weighing only 5 - 10 lb. per dozen. The denser the towel, the more absorbent the towel. You might not need a towel weighing 15 lbs. per dozen when you’re at the gym, but your customers are sure to notice a difference in the luxurious material of your towels when lounging at your spa!

Towels with a lighter weight are a great economical choice. You can use these at motels, gyms, or athletic clubs where the thinner quality won't make a difference in the service. For higher end businesses like spas and resorts, heavier weight towels are a better choice. Some spa towels can have weights as heavy as 20 lb.! These heavy towels are plush and soft to the touch, adding an extra bit of luxury to your guests' overall experience.

Application

Now that you have an overview of the types of towels we carry, it’s time to decide which style is right for your venue. Our website takes into account that towels are used in many different locations, from the spa to the gym.

• Usually made of premium ringspun cotton yarns, spa towels are designed for maximum whiteness and designed to provide the ultimate comfort for your guests relaxing at the spa. Generally thicker and softer, they tend to weigh an average of 15-20 lbs. per dozen.
• Regular bath towels can be used in many locations, from gyms to health clubs, to schools, hotels, and more. They can be made from a variety of cotton yarns and cotton polyester blends. Offered in a clean white color to match your bathroom decor, they range from 5-17 lbs. per dozen.
• Summer vacations aren’t complete without a trip to your hotel or resort’s swimming pool, and many pool towels feature fun stripes or bright colors to accommodate a sunny summer feeling. As opposed to regular hotel towels, pool towels are longer and have a similar soft, light feel as spa towels. Since pool towels are subjected to more water, they are more absorbent and designed to dry quickly in the sun.They range from 5-20 lbs. per dozen.

Material

Our website offers hotel towels in many different materials, the most familiar being 100% cotton. But what’s the difference between 100% ringspun cotton yarns and 100% combed Egyptian cotton yarns?

• Cotton / polyester blend is made from 86% cotton and 14% polyester ring spun yarns. It is soft yet durable for frequent use. Great for businesses on a budget.
• Open end cotton combines 100% cotton make up with an affordable price. Great for areas of high use.
• 100% cotton is extremely absorbent, lush, and softer than most cotton blended fabrics. A good fit for any setting.
• Ring spun cotton is made of 100% cotton with an extra silky feel. It’s a long lasting choice for casual to upscale locations.
• Zero twist cotton is 30% lighter in total weight than regular twisted cotton for a soft feel. Requiring less cotton production than other types, it is good for the environment and the fabric dries faster to save energy.
• Egyptian cotton is made from soft and silky natural cotton yarns. It has excellent absorbency and drying properties. A top-quality make-up, it is designed to meet the needs of your upscale establishment.

	$	Cotton/ Polyester blend, Open End Cotton	Economy quality	Gyms, motels, nursing homes, correctional facilities	Cam border
	$$	Ring Spun Cotton, 100% Cotton	Standard quality	Health clubs, hotels, spas	Cam and dobby border
	$$$	Zero Twist Cotton, 100% Cotton, Egyptian Cotton, Combed Terry Cotton	Spa quality	Upscale hotels, resorts, spas	Dobby border

As seen in the table above, towels can have either a cam border or a dobby border. A cam border has a flat weave texture usually featured on the top and bottom of the towel. A dobby border has a decorative weave that can consist of many unique designs, including checkers, stripes, and other patterns. A piano dobby border features elegant stripes lining the edge of the towel that resemble piano keys. Both cam and dobby borders are typically woven an inch or two from the edge of the towel. Dobby borders are considered more upscale than cam borders, which is something you may want to consider at your upscale venue!

Dobby Border Cam Border

Steps for Cleaning Towels

Once you choose the right towels for your establishment, it’s just as important to keep them fresh and clean for each and every guest. Though different hotels and businesses have different wash cycles, here are the steps most commonly used to wash towels:

• Flush - Run the towels underneath water before adding chemicals.
• Wash - Wash the towels in hot water with detergent. Noble Chemical has a great line of detergents and pre-spotters recommended for any business. Check out the laundry chemicals buying guide to lead you in the right direction.
• Brighten - Towels are not recommended for use with bleach. If necessary, a non-chlorine bleach or an oxygen bleach alternative can help maintain the quality and appearance of the material.
• Rinse - Wash away all of the dirt, germs, and unwanted stains to make the towels pure white once again.
• Extract & Dry - Extract the towels immediately after the final rinse cycle to prevent mildew. Use high heat to dry the towels to destroy any remaining germs.