Talk to me about occasional beds for Christmas guests

[lazysummer]

If you were accommodating 9 extra people for 1 night, what would you do? I am short of beds for about 3 or 4, and don't mind buying something, as it will always be useful. So- can anyone recommend a decent air mattress, or are roll out mattresses (e.g. from the Futon Company) better? Very boring, I know- sorry!

I have DM/DF and Dbro/DSil for Christmas.
Luckily DS and DD have double beds so they're decamping.

DS will have the sofa in the sitting room.
DD will have an inflateable in the small room (the box-room/storage room./guinea-pigs bedroom)

We bought a couple of the inflateable that can be used as singles x2 or clip together to make a shallow double or a high single .
If you do get inflateables (much cheaper than a futon, very comfy and can store away) the ones with a built-in electric pump are best.

(IIRC they were from Tesco)

Thank you!

It might be too late for Christmas, but do any of your DCs have a single bed, and could you swop that for a single with another pullout beneath it? We have that as our spare bed, they can push together to make a double but we use them as 2 singles. And they would be handy for friends sleeping over as DCs get bigger.

Otherwise I heartily recommend built in pumps rather than the manual ones. (But I have no recommendations on brand, sorry, as I am on the lookout).

Alternatively, DD often sleeps on her beanbag - I can't remember the name of it but there are a few different ones available that seem decent (we're looking for a larger one at the moment as she's got longer!). It's a large rectangular beanbag, that works great as a seat for flopping into when upright, but laid out flat, works well as an occasional bed. DD begs to give up her bed to sleep on that, and we often find her sound asleep on it when we have no visitors too and she's been put to bed in her bed!!

Aerobed, it's not cheap but ace. Hang on, I'll try and get a link

aerobed

Get the platinum raised. It looks just like a proper bed when sheets and covers are on. All our guests say they get a great night's sleep on it. We have one because we don't have a guest bedroom, but it turns our lounge into a pretty good one.

We have a couple of those roll up mattresses from the futon shop and they've been great. They zip up into a roll shape so are easy to store. It tends to be just children using them here but apparently they're comfy - and you don't get that squeaky noise you sometimes get on air beds when someone turns over (plus of course no need to inflate them).

I don't think I'd buy 4 though unless you regularly have this many staying over -I'd check with guests to see if anyone already has one. Our kids often bring their own bed roll to sleepovers and we sometimes do this when visiting friends too.

Here's a pic of one I found online

For that number extra, I would ask them if they have any camping mattresses/airbeds they can bring. And sleeping bags if they have them

Thank you. We have capacity for most of the visitors, not the last 3. They will be able to bring sleeping bags (I hope)!