Duvets or Bedspreads ???

[jellybean]

Hello everyone - I would like to know your thoughts on bed linen for rentals. Do you prefer to have just sheets and a bedspread on the bed or duvets? Not sure how hygienic the duvets would be long term as I imagine they wouldn't get cleaned as often as they should! A duvet is more comfy though....any suggestions?

[pollensa]

Based on previous experience, we used to just have sheets (& blankets available when required) for our guests plus cotton bedspreads from IKEA which were washed as required.

BUT now that we use our apartment ourselves, we have a duvet (with a summer or winter filling), especially as we tend to visit out of season. Sheets & blankets are available for friends & family who use use our apartment.

But it would be interesting to know what other people do.

[sws97sdg]

In July and August neither, so warm I inevitably sleep on the top! that just might be me though!

[Sparky]

Same here SWS. I have been kicking off my quilted throw and only using a sheet for the last few nights .

[Gommar Goffer]

Sheets in summer (or nothing) and duvets in winter.

[kate1]

Some companies insist on one or the other - our previous one favoured duvets, our new one prefers blankets and bedspreads.

Personally I think blankets and bedspreads are better suited to the climate as the various layers can be taken off/added according to need. With a duvet you don't have a lot of options and it is harder to launder them. I actually think bedspreads somehow look more appropriate in the Mallorcan setting too.

On a similar subject, we have always found it helpful to cover all our upholstery with washable Ikea throws (which are really cheap to buy) while the villa is being rented; we found when we didn't do this the sofas soon started looking grubby.

[jellybean]

Thanks everyone...will take your suggestions on board but it seems that sheets, blankets and bedspreads are the way to go.

[LJH]

i think low tog duvet better with upper flat sheet best in summer months. . We use high tog in winter, low in summer with a flat sheet. we were freezing last time we rented as had only sheets and a throw. people shd give renters what they wd use themselves. i have rented so many times and had a great apartment with hardly any outdoor furniture making the roof terraces etc unusable and the beds freezing as only summer bedding available and all other bedding locked up. why wd you lock up bedding ? also hate duvets with no duvet covers , it is so mean and seedy I think.

[LJH]

hate blankets and sheets and throws.. throw ok over a duvet. I wd hate to pay a frtune and get a sheet and hairy blankets and a throw. its so old fashioned and just uncomfotable. go with the lo w tog duvet with a upper flat sheet. Really renters now shd be more modern . who uses blankets and bedspreads nowadays? and a duvet cover cheaper to launder than many blankets. People want modern look now. even in a trad setting . blankets make me think of B and bs in blackpool lol !!!

[kate1]

I don't like blankets either, I have to say, mainly because they make the bed so much harder to make... But if you are renting your property through a company, you should check what they prefer, especially if you have an arrangement where they provide the bed linen. Sometimes these companies just do not supply duvet covers - I agree, there is nothing more tacky than an uncovered duvet! I've also never stayed in a Spanish hotel which used duvets - they just don't seem to be the norm, for some reason.

We have also found that good quality duvet cover sets are a lot more expensive and harder to find than in the UK, perhaps because they are not used so often. We ended up bringing some over in our luggage.

[eleanor]

I agree that blankets and bedspreads can give a old fashioned feel and personally I am not a fan either. Reminds me of visiting my gran years ago!
As Kate says some management companies have their own ideas and rules and some also supply their own bedding and towels. We made a decision years ago that we wanted to have control of this and I went to great lengths to ensure that my bedding and curtains always matched and were modern in design. We have low tog quilits in the summer and higher tog for the winter. We provide quilt covers (matching) from the Uk and update on a regular basis. I think some renters in the very hot months just use the quilt covers without the quilt. This seems to work well and as quilt covers are cheap in the UK I buy vacumn down and take out on most visits.
I have had a management company that drove me mad as decided to take over the 'ownership' of my bedroom ideas! They took it upon themselves to go against my rule of all beds ready for use to only making beds per expected person. i.e. if 2 people were visiting then only the double bed would be made!!! The arguments we had - honestly! Also I like to see bedding matching in a twin room and not one red bed and one blue bed - common sense really??
As for locking up bedding - please see this from the owners point of view. Most renters are very considerate but some are not. We found that when we left the linen cupboard open then some took advantage and gave us a huge laundry bill! Most owners have an arrangement were by beds are changed once per week. Laundry costs in Mallorca are very high. It would be cheaper for us to send our renters out with a complete new set from Asda telling them to bin at the end of their stay. Yes laundry per bed costs more to launder! A crazy situation but that is how it is. Therefore it is necessary for owners to lock up and take care and some property management companies actually insist on this too.

[debz1]

I agree with others that blankets and throws are old fashioned, unhygienic and itchy... and the cleaning costs for those items would be high. We use low tog duvets in the winter and then just the duvet covers in the summer which look nicer on the beds than just a plain sheet. We have never needed a duvet in the Summer months. I also bring all our duvets out from the Uk as the choice is better and they are a lot cheaper. Thank goodness for Matalan and Primark! I have put stickers on the shelves in the cupboard saying Bed 1 2 and 3 so the cleaner knows which covers go on which beds and have never had a problem. We never leave our towel and bedding cupboard unlocked but have the cleaner once a week to change these items, otherwise, as Eleanor says people would just be helping themselves to fresh towels on a daily basis.

[jellybean]

Thanks for all your replies. I seem to have started a real debate "duvets vs. bedspreads"! I like the idea of the duvets now, I think. I can't take everything with me from the UK so does anyone know of a handy place that sells good quality duvets, pillows and duvet sets. The only place that springs to mind is Ikea so if you know any closer places that would be great.

[Sparky]

Obviously as a resident i cannot comment from a renters point of view but i do agree that blankets are a pain, i do have a couple just in case it gets really cold and a little extra warmth is needed but it never has been.
Bedding is expensive here but also the sizes seem to be very odd. For this reason i found myself surfing the net and now buy all my bed linen from Littlewoods Europe, they have a great selection of designs and prices, but where they are exceptionally good is delivery is never more than a week and they only charge 5€ per order .

[eleanor]

Actually Sparky's idea is a very good one and I think there are other companies which deliver to Mallorca but not sure which. I've got a feeling that Argos do but maybe someone else can help here. The problem of course is that you need to be available for delivery or have someone take in for you which may be difficult.
I found Ikeas sizes to be very strange. Pillows especially in Mallorca can be the long and thin european. So pillow cases need to be thought about if buying these. I suppose Alcampo and the other large supermarkets might be cheaper and have a good selection.
I took all my duvets etc out with me by vacuumming down. Many come in tiny bags anyway but I did transport over a number of visits.