Hosting guests can be tricky when you don't have the luxury of a large spare room, but that doesn't mean you can't offer up a comfortable bed for the night. Luckily, there are plenty of compact guest beds on the market designed to work in the smallest, or most awkward, of spaces. We've rounded up a list of our favourites, from chair beds that slot into your office, to decorative multi-purpose day beds. Take a browse, and up your hosting game, and guest intake.
Decipher your trundle from your daybed with our short buyer's guide: how to choose a guest bed.
You can also check out the best compact living essentials for more nifty ways to make the most of a small space.
Best guest beds for small spaces
Metal Day Bed
Best decorative guest bed
- Dimensions: 197 x 95.5 x 94.5cm
Thanks to their multi-purpose nature, day beds are ideal for making the best of a small space. Whether you need additional sofa space, or a place for your guest to sleep, you're covered. Plus, this metal day bed from Amazon can be built up in the room, which is perfect if you're worried about manoeuvring a large bed into a tight space.
We like the white exterior and metal legs which both help to open up a tight space, and the pretty bed posts make for a sweet, elegant touch. There's also plenty of storage room underneath. A handy place for zip up storage bags and boxes.
Day beds look particularly lovely when layered with soft furnishings such as fluffy throws, plush cushions and patterned quilts so you can get creative with styling.
Classic Guest Divan Bed
Best trundle guest bed
Buy from Dreams (£270.00)
- Dimensions: 42 x 197 x 90cm (closed), 42 x 197 x 180cm (open)
For a compact guest bed that doesn't compromise on style, consider this smart design, available from Dreams. Underneath the single bed, you'll find a trundle bed that can be rolled out, and propped up to match the height of the original mattress. So you've got two single beds side by side. Host two guests without filling your small room with a double bed.
This would be a nice choice for an office - push the single bed back underneath whilst working during the day, and make up the two singles for visitors in the evening.
It's worth noting, the trundle bed doesn't come with a mattress, so you'll need to add your own. A single mattress up to 20cm in height will do the trick.
If you're looking for a new mattress, read our reviews of the best mattresses for back pain and the best budget mattress.
Habitat Velvet Chair Bed
Most glamorous guest bed
- Dimensions: 81 x 91 x 90cm (chair), 91 x 191cm (sleeping area)
If you're dealing with a box room that's not large enough for a bed, a chair bed could be your solution. Just fold out the chair to create a single bed, and you're sorted for spontaneous visitors! This velvet number from Argos is not only great value, but ultra stylish too. Place a teal cushion on the seat for contrast, and a decorative touch.
Silentnight Maxi Store Divan Base
Best guest bed for storage
Buy from Silentnight (from £279.00)
Dimensions: 90 x 190 x 38cm
The ideal mix of practical and stylish, divan beds make for great guest beds for small spaces. Keep bedding, clothing and general bedroom clutter in the convenient storage drawers, and you'll have no need for bulky furniture. This single divan bed from Silentnight comes in an array of lovely fabric options, including a bold mustard.
Rather than drawers, this guest bed features a flap of fabric than can be lifted up to reveal ample storage room - so you're not limited to sections. Ideal for heavier items such as books, boxes and shoes.
In the market for a double? The Emma double divan bed is a lovely option.
Henry Bed in a Box
Most compact guest bed
Buy from Sofa.com (£1,290)
Dimensions: 107cm x 42cm x 74cm (box), 218 x 39 x 107 (bed)
What looks like an unassuming ottoman is actually a nifty single bed in a box. The lid opens up to become a headboard, and there's a single bed hidden inside - a classic pull out sofa bed mechanism.
The ottoman measures just 107cm x 42cm x 74cm, so you can keep it in the corner of a room, or as a nice bay window feature, when not in use. We couldn't resist this beautiful teal colour - a bold choice to liven up a white bedroom - but have a browse as there are a number of tempting fabrics and colours to consider.
Captains Waxed Pine Wooden Guest Bed
Best permanent guest bed
Buy from Happy Beds (£594.99 £394.99)
Dimensions: 92 x 196 x 100cm (bed), 43 x 189 x 95cm (trundle)
The Captains Waxed Pine Wooden Guest Bed features both an additional single bed, and a set of drawers, so you can keep guests happy, and your room clutter-free. A fun pick for sleepovers, or a neat office addition, this guest bed has been made with solid pine wood, offering a durable finish that's built to last. Now on offer with a 34% reduction!
Grey Rowan Small Double Sofa Bed
Best guest sofa bed
Dimensions: 40 x 122 x 59cm (seat), 192 x 122 (bed)
An armless, streamlined double sofa bed will slot into a neat section of a small room, and you'll still have room for two guests. We were taken with this boxy design from Dunelm - the sleek herringbone exterior is stylish yet straightforward enough to work with a range of colour schemes, and at just 122cm in width, it won't take up too much floor space.
The design features a sprung slatted frame so you can expect a solid bed structure for a decent night's sleep.
Bestway Queen Inflatable Mattress
Best portable day bed
Dimensions: 97 x 188 x 95 cm
Inflatable mattresses are always convenient to have to hand when you're hosting a large group, and even if you already have a spare bed, it's great having the option of squeezing one or two more on the floor! Those of us who have slept on air beds before have likely experienced the joys of waking up on the floor as our mattress deflates during the night, but Bestway is a solid and durable brand when it comes to inflatable mattresses.
The built-in electric plug is a welcomed feature - rather than having to huff and puff your way through a foot pump session, you can just plug in and inflate the bed within three minutes. This is a queen size bed which works well for small spaces - host two people, even if you don't have masses of floor space. And when your guests leave, just roll up the bed, pack it away, and get your space back.
If you're sorted for bed space, but fancy adding a decorative touch to a small box room, browse our favourite compact sofas.
How to choose a guest bed
Guest bed options
- A chair bed is essentially a single sofa bed, making it a neat choice for a small room as you'll not need too much floor space. There are a number of standout armchair designs on offer, so they make for a lovely room feature in the day, and a convenient single bed come evening
- Trundles beds are another popular choice for guest rooms thanks to their space-saving qualities. A trundle bed is made up of two beds: a standard bed, and a hidden bed underneath than can be rolled out and propped up when you require double the bed space. Just push the trundle bed back underneath when it's not needed
- Divan beds also work well in tight spaces as they're often fairly streamlined in design, and you can make use of the storage drawer/space underneath the mattress which could save you the hassle of investing in a set of drawers for your guest room
- A budget-friendly choice is the inflatable mattress. Perfect if you don't have the luxury of a spare bedroom, and often a comfier alternative to a sofa. The deflated mattress won't take up too much space at all - you could even store it on top of a wardrobe, or under a bed - and they often take just minutes to inflate
- Day beds, while taking up more space than the more compact designs mentioned above, are particularly convenient as they don't require any setting up. Just chuck on a sheet and some bedding and you're good to go. The fact they're multi-purpose as well, doubling up as a sofa, means you can make the most of a room without it becoming cluttered with lots of different furniture pieces
Size and purpose of guest room
Consider the size of your guest room before investing in a guest bed, and check all of the measurements before investing, particularly if you're buying a multi-purpose, fold-out design with various dimensions. Do you have room for a fold out sofa bed, or is there just space for a single divan bed pushed up against a wall? Trundle beds are ideal if you want to accommodate more than one guest, but don't want a permanent double bed. Chair beds on the other hand are well-suited to multi-purpose guest rooms, such as playrooms or offices, as you can keep the actual bed folded away and out of sight when you require more space for activities during the day.
Don't forget to check out the best storage beds for the tidiest of guest rooms!