I slept on a futon once. I would have been more comfortable on the floor. JMHO

How tall are they? In my family, the menfolk require a longer bed than a daybed or futon might give you.

Nobody is tall here.. tallest one is 5'11".

My futon is very comfortable and nearly 7' of sleeping space. I sleep on it often. Far better than the mattresses in the motels I've stayed at the last few times! I like the light weight of the futon but it still has a solid build to it. Easy to move when needed. Hide-a-beds are usually quite uncomfortable for me though. There's always that bar in the middle of your back. Actually I prefer comfortable chairs over a sofa style piece of furniture though. I don't keep an extra bed around the house anymore, and won't.

Futon, daybed, hide-a-bed, etc are all a multi-purpose piece whereas a bed is limited use and probably takes up more room too. I'd go with something like this and at any rate instead of a dedicated bed, I'd get an Aerobed and keep in the closet rather than a bed that would be used a few months and sit there. If you get a futon (or daybed, or hide-a-bed or whatever) that isn't comfortable enough, you can always put the Aerobed on top of it.

I have an air mattress that can either be a king size bed or a double thick twin size. That is going to be my guest bed in the near future. Right now I have a full size bed in my guest room and it doesn't get used enough for the space it takes up. I would rather use that room for a dedicated sewing room.

The hide-a-bed in our condo is actually comfortable -- both for sleeping and for sitting. It has a 6" thick mattress.

Daybeds aren't usually comfortable to sit on because they are too deep (36").

I think the idea of the air mattress is good. Perhaps with a memory foam topper? (I've heard air mattresses can feel clammy.)

My nieces absolutely hate coming to spend the night because the futons "are horrible".

I'd get a real bed.

I have a daybed in the guest room/office and a futon in the craft room, plus a Lazy-Boy hide-a-bed in the livingroom. The daybed gets rave reviews for comfort from my nephew and also female relatives. I have slept on the futon and it is very comfortable. The hide-a-bed is not bad, but it does have that rod in the middle and the mattress is not as thick as I would like. I love having the daybed in the guest room since it's comfortable and private when we have only one or two guests. If you get a futon, I would suggest getting a "heavy duty" type with a thick mattress.

I hate sleeping on daybeds and futons, and traditional beds are a waste of space. We have an Aerobed, and while it is good, I plan to buy an Essential EZ Bed. It would be more comfortable than the Aerobed on the floor. And it closes itself so you can store it in a closet.

Here is a link that might be useful: Essential EZ Bed

I don't like futons, daybeds or hideabed sofas. I bought one of these at Wal Mart years ago and it is the best bed ever. I took it all around the southeast on my trip 8 years ago and it was so comfortable. I have still seen them at WalMart so I know you can get them. What is nice is that it stores in a rolling case like a suitcase with a handle to pull it along. I have also taken it on the plane as a piece of luggage. It uses regular queen size sheets and I put a mattress pad on it so that you don't sweat from the air mattress. It is bed height so you don't have to crawl around on the floor. The air mattress zips into an envelope so it doesn't slip off and stays in place.

{{!gwi}}

There are futons, and there are futons.

I have a solid oak futon that has a regular queen size bed mattress on it, with a faux suede cover. It's very comfortable.

I have a blow up bed and it is really quite comfy. I put an egg crate foam pad on it with a mattress pad. The only bad thing is that it is not a raised one. Getting up off the floor is hard in your 60's. We used it on top of a hide a bed at a friends house and it really made a difference!
Kathy G in MI

We have a daybed with pull out trundle that will raise to full size allowing the daybed to become a double bed in size or be two twin beds. Both are very comfortable. We also have two of the blow up full size beds and they are quite comfortable too.

Has anyone ever thought about a wall bed? I have one and I love it. I close it up in the morning and it's out of the way. I have bookcases on either side and it looks like a piece of furniture. It's only about 18" deep so doesn't really take up that much space. The mattress is comfy as well.

What about a non-tradtional traditional bed? I don't have a single traditional bed in either of my 2 houses.

Instead, I get a good quality mattress and box spring set and place it right on the floor. Have done that for many years. Has a number of advantages: you save the cost of buying the bed (frame, headboard, etc) so it saves you hundreds of $$$. The box spring is supported beautifully, so it's very comfortable (and no wooden slats dropping down in the middle of the night--LOL). You don't have dust bunnies breeding under the bed. No need for a dust ruffle (I do put a pretty sheet on the box spring). I guess the one disadvantage is that you don't have space for underbed storage boxes, if that's important to you. But putting the mattress/box spring right on the floor is a very comfortable, economical solution IMO.

We had a hide-a-bed (bought from a U.S. missionary) in Korea years ago, that Sue's mom slept on when visiting for a couple of weeks, and found comfortable, and I had no complaints about it, having slept there when suffering ffrom a cold, etc. a few times - no uncomfortable bar in the middle.

It was a bit firm as a chesterfield, though, though not uncomfortably so.

I've slept on some very comfortable futons (e.g. in a small hotel in Japan), as well.

Even at these 80+ years, I can still get up from the floor (with some help from the agile arms).

Good wishes for satisfactory service, whichever route you choose.

ole joyful

If you have a spare bedroom for it, go for the traditional bed. If space is a concern, get a nice air mattress like the ones posters talked about above. A decent air mattress if far more comfortable than any day bed, futon, or hide a bed I have ever slept on, and can be deflated and put away later.

I just have to say--sleeping on those air mattresses (Aerobeds or whatever) is not comfortable. Also, in cold weather they are cold because the air in them is cold. You have to put some blankets under you to be warm enough. I think they are fine for kids or fine if that's all there is, but I would not want to offer one to guests unless there was no other choice.

What a lot of varying opinions on this thread.

My opinion is that futons look sloppy. I've only slept on one, but found it very uncomfortable as well. I'd opt for a daybed which can be very comfortable if you buy a good quality pillow top mattress. A daybed can double as a sofa in the room and is small enough to allow the room to also serve as a craft room or office.

I like the idea of a wall bed if you don't mind something more permanent.

We have had air beds, and most acquire a small pin hole quickly, and have to be blown up at least once during the night. This makes for uncomfortable sleeping.

Since my daughter and son in law were coming we wrestled with the bed situation.

Bought 2 cots, like in the link.

Doug slept fine, but Lori couldn't get comfy. I ended up borrowing a memory foam mattress topper from a friend, and Lori said it was better, but honest, not good.

So we are back to square one. I am thinking wallbed, but crinch at the cost.

However, we do want Lori to come back, and prolly go for a wall bed.

Personally I sleep fine on my big agnes insulated aircore camping mat, but know, that the majority would prefer something off the floor.

The reason we don't have a traditional bed is space. The room our guests get to sleep in is our workout room, my computer room and the sewing room all rolled in to one.

Moni

Here is a link that might be useful: cot

I guess what people just don't get about a traditional bed is that the mattresses are not all comfortable to all people. If you like/need a firm mattress and they have a soft one or vice versa, it's *still* not comfortable.

Temporary sleeping accommodations are just that. Temporary. If you *really* want to make people comfortable, let them pick out the bed. But that's not too practical, nor is having an assortment of mattresses to cover all ranges of tastes.

Get what serves *your* needs first, others' second. When you think about it, a comfortable recliner can be great sleeping accommodations for most people, albeit a bit unconventional. If they don't like what you give them they can always go to a motel and complain about the mattresses there, or go home! And who knows if they'll be happy there! LOL

I agree about a recliner being very comfortable, and I know that Nita does too ;^)
We have both an inflateable and a traditional for guests. Noone has complained about either of them, and folks do seem to return!