A new hotel does not buy “linen” as one standard package. You need separate lists for each room, bathroom and operating area, with specifications matched to hotel grade. This hotel linen order checklist for new openings helps you build them without treating three-star and five-star projects as identical.

Start with the three product groups every hotel needs

For a hotel with guest rooms but no pool, spa or restaurant, your opening list starts with three groups:

1. Bed linen:bed sheets, duvet covers and pillowcases.
2. Bedding and protection:duvets, pillows, mattress protectors and pillow protectors.
3. Bathroom linen:bath towels, hand towels, face towels or washcloths, and bath mats.

These groups appear in almost every project. The product names may stay the same from one hotel to another, but the fabric, construction, size, weight and finishing should not. Your hotel positioning needs to shape the specification from the beginning.

If your property also has a pool, spa, gym, restaurant or banquet operation, add separate lists for those departments. Do not hide them inside the guest-room quantity sheet. Different departments use, wash and replace linen in different ways.

Choose bed linen according to the hotel grade

Your basic bed-linen list should include:

• flat sheets or fitted sheets;
• duvet covers;
• pillowcases;
• any decorative pillow shams required by the room design.

In most hotel projects, the sheet, duvet cover and pillowcase use the same fibre composition and fabric construction. This keeps the bed appearance consistent and makes washing and replacement easier. Indonesia is a market where you may meet a different practice: the duvet cover and pillowcase can use one fabric while the bed sheet uses another. If you are working to a brand or local operating standard, confirm this before sampling.

Hotel grade makes a visible difference here. Based on more than ten years of hotel linen project work, the following ranges are practical starting points:

Hotel positioning	Common bed-linen starting point
Economy hotel	200T
Three-star hotel	250T
Four-star hotel	300T
Five-star hotel	300T to 500T

Thread count is an imperial measurement: it is the total number of warp and weft threads within one square inch of fabric. It helps you compare constructions, but it is not the whole specification. You still need to confirm fibre content, yarn count, weave, finished dimensions, shrinkage control and washing conditions.

Your pattern choice also changes the character of the bed. Plain fabric gives you a clean, simple surface. Stripe is widely used because it adds detail without introducing colour. Jacquard gives you more freedom to build a distinctive pattern into the fabric. Some hotel brands use fixed, brand-specific jacquard designs, so you should check the operator’s standard before choosing a mill pattern.

Before you request a quotation, provide the mattress width, length and height for every bed type. “King,” “queen” and “single” are not reliable production dimensions across markets. Also state whether you want flat or fitted sheets and confirm the intended tuck-in, pocket depth, duvet drop and closure style.

Match duvets and pillows to positioning, climate and budget

Your bedding inserts affect comfort more directly than their simple product names suggest. A duvet that works in an air-conditioned city hotel may be too warm for another project, even when both hotels have the same star rating.

For hotels below four-star level, microfiber or other down-alternative duvet fillings are common. You can pair them with a microfiber shell when the budget is tight, or use a 100% cotton shell when you want a more natural hand feel. The fill weight should follow the local climate, room temperature and expected air-conditioning use. Do not copy one GSM into every destination.

Microfiber pillows are also common below the four-star level. Whatever filling you choose, you should normally prepare both soft and firm pillows. This is a small operational detail, but it gives guests a useful choice without requiring a large pillow menu.

For an upper-upscale or five-star project, you may need down or feather-filled options and a broader pillow selection. Confirm fill composition, firmness, finished weight, construction and any sourcing or testing requirements before approval. “Down pillow” alone is not a complete purchasing specification.

Pillow protectors belong in the basic order, not the decorative package. They add a washable layer between the pillow and pillowcase and help you protect the insert during normal hotel use.

Do not treat a mattress protector and a topper as the same product

You use a protector to shield the mattress and a topper to adjust the comfort of the bed. Many hotel projects need both, but they should never be treated as the same product.

For hotels below four-star level, a basic mattress protector is common. It gives you a practical removable layer and keeps the opening budget controlled. For a five-star project, you should move to a waterproof, skirted protector. The skirt helps keep the protector in position, while the waterproof layer gives the mattress more reliable protection.

If you want full mattress coverage, add a mattress encasement. An anti-mite, waterproof encasement surrounds the mattress and provides a second level of protection below the removable protector. You should confirm the mattress depth, closure construction and waterproof specification before ordering.

A topper is a comfort item. A microfiber topper has a lower initial cost, but its useful life is normally shorter. A feather topper costs more and generally gives you a longer service life. For a five-star bed, the higher-cost option can support the softer, deeper sleep surface that guests expect. Your decision should account for comfort, maintenance and replacement cost, not purchase price alone.

Build the bathroom list around towel construction, not just towel names

Your core bathroom list should include:

• bath towels;
• hand towels;
• face towels or washcloths;
• bath mats.

The grade difference is easy to see and feel. Hotels below four-star level often use two-ply yarn towels with smaller dimensions and lower GSM. Five-star hotels commonly move to 16s single-yarn towels, larger sizes and higher GSM. The result is a fuller towel with a different hand feel and visual presence.

Do not compare towels by GSM alone. You should also confirm yarn structure, dimensions, single-piece weight, border design, colour, wash shrinkage and expected laundry method. A larger towel can be heavier even at the same GSM, and two towels with the same GSM can behave differently because of their yarn and construction.

Keep the bath mat separate from the guest towels in your specification. It has a different function and may need a different construction, border or weight. Also decide whether the hotel will use white throughout or introduce department-specific colours. That choice affects replacement control as well as appearance.

Add comfort and presentation items where the hotel level calls for them

Not every hotel needs the following products, but they are not random extras. They help define the service level of the property.

Bathrobes

You may omit bathrobes in a limited-service hotel. For a five-star hotel, you should include them. Common options include waffle, terry, velour and microfiber constructions. Your choice should follow the budget, hotel-group standard and climate. A heavy terry robe may suit one property but feel excessive in a hot resort market.

Confirm the robe length, chest width, sleeve design, belt, pocket position, size mix and logo method. “One size fits all” should still have finished measurements.

Bath rugs

A bath rug is uncommon in standard hotel projects. You are more likely to use it in a luxury five-star room where the bathroom design and service standard justify the extra item. If you include one, check how housekeeping will wash, dry and replace it before approving the style.

Specialty pillows

A five-star hotel will typically prepare a choice beyond soft and firm standard pillows. Your list may include buckwheat, down, memory-foam and latex pillows. You do not need the same quantity as the standard bed setup; you need a controlled stock that supports the hotel’s pillow-menu service.

Bed skirts, runners and decorative cushions

These items depend on the interior design. A bed skirt can conceal the bed base. A runner and decorative cushions add colour or reinforce the room concept. If the design team includes them, treat them as operational textiles: confirm removability, cleaning method, colourfastness and replacement fabric, not only the first-room appearance.

Add separate linen lists for every operating facility

Once you finish the guest-room list, walk through the property department by department. If a facility is shown on the plans, it may create another linen requirement.

Pool, beach and gym

Add pool or beach towels where applicable, along with lounge-chair covers if the operating concept uses them. A gym may need workout towels in a smaller, lighter format. Use a colour, stripe or woven identification that prevents these towels from being mixed with room towels during collection and laundry.

Spa and treatment rooms

Your spa list may include spa towels, treatment-table sheets, fitted table covers, face-cradle covers, robes, slippers and hair wraps. Confirm the treatment table dimensions and the oils or products used in the spa. Those details affect staining, washing and replacement.

Restaurants, room service and banquets

For food and beverage operations, review tablecloths, napkins, table runners, overlays, table skirting, buffet cloths, banquet linen and tray cloths. You may also need waiter cloths, bar cloths and kitchen cloths. Build the list from the actual table sizes, layouts and service styles instead of ordering one standard tablecloth size.

Housekeeping, laundry and staff areas

Back-of-house linen is easy to overlook because guests rarely see it. Your project may need clean-linen bags, soiled-linen bags, laundry bags, housekeeping cloths and staff locker towels. Uniforms and aprons are often purchased as a related package, but keep them separate from room linen because sizing, issue control and replenishment work differently.

Use hotel grade as the starting point, then confirm the project details

Star level should not be reduced to a label after the specification has already been chosen. It changes the product you should put on the order list.

Product area	Economy to four-star level	Five-star level
Bed linen	Commonly 200T for economy, 250T for three-star and 300T for four-star	Commonly 300T to 500T
Duvet	Microfiber/down-alternative fill is common below four-star; at four-star, confirm the comfort standard and budget	Higher-grade fill and shell options according to brand standard and comfort target
Pillows	Microfiber is common; prepare soft and firm options	Broader filling choice and specialty pillow menu
Mattress protection	Basic mattress protector	Waterproof skirted protector; encasement may add a second layer
Towels	Below four-star, often two-ply yarn, smaller sizes and lower GSM; confirm the four-star project standard	Commonly 16s single yarn, larger sizes and higher GSM
Topper	Optional microfiber option where budget allows	Feather topper is the stronger long-term comfort option
Bathrobe	Depends on service level and budget	Include as part of the room setup
Bath rug	Rare	Mainly used in luxury five-star projects

These are working benchmarks drawn from hotel linen projects, not a substitute for the operator’s written standard. If the brand specification is stricter, the brand specification controls. If there is no brand book, these differences give you a sound basis for the first sample and quotation.

Prepare the right information before you ask for prices

A product-name list is not enough for an accurate hotel linen quotation. Before you send an enquiry, prepare:

• hotel positioning and any brand or operator standard;
• room list, room-type quantities and maximum occupancy;
• mattress width, length and height for every bed type;
• number of beds, duvets and pillows in each room type;
• required pillow firmness and any pillow-menu options;
• bathroom count and required towel setup;
• pool, beach, gym, spa, restaurant and banquet facilities;
• laundry method, turnaround time and target operating stock;
• custom sizes, fabric, colour, logo, label and packaging requirements;
• project location, target delivery date and any phased-delivery plan.

This information lets you turn a general checklist into a room-by-room and department-by-department linen schedule. It also exposes missing dimensions and unclear specifications before they become production problems.

Frequently asked questions

Should you use flat sheets or fitted sheets in a new hotel?

Use the style that matches your housekeeping method, mattress depth and operator standard. Fitted sheets need an accurate pocket depth and shrinkage allowance. Flat sheets give housekeeping more flexibility but need enough tuck-in on every side. Confirm the actual mattress dimensions before you choose.

Is thread count enough to compare hotel bed linen?

No. Thread count tells you the total warp and weft threads in one square inch, but it does not tell you the full quality of the fabric. Compare fibre content, yarn count, weave, finishing, finished dimensions and wash performance as well.

Does every new hotel need mattress toppers and bathrobes?

No. They depend on the hotel level and service concept. A limited-service property may omit both. A five-star hotel should include bathrobes, and a topper can be an important part of the bed-comfort specification.

Can you use the same towels for guest rooms, the pool and the gym?

You should specify them separately. Pool and gym towels have different size, weight, colour-control and laundry requirements. Clear visual identification also reduces mixing between departments.

How many linen sets should you buy per room?

Do not apply one stock multiple without checking the operation. Your quantity depends on occupancy, laundry turnaround, on-site or outsourced washing, replacement policy and delivery risk. Complete the category and specification list first, then calculate the operating and reserve stock.

What should you send a supplier for the first quotation?

Send your room list, mattress dimensions, bed quantities, bathroom setup, facility list, hotel positioning and opening schedule. Add any brand standard, target construction, custom logo, packaging and phased-delivery requirements. Mark unknown items as pending instead of filling them with assumed dimensions.

Before you send out the linen list

Start with the hotel grade, then check the list room by room and department by department. Once the dimensions, specifications and quantities are in place, you are ready to request prices. Send us your room schedule and opening date, and we can check the linen list with you before quotation.