What size is a standard guest towel?

The most common disposable guest towel is about 12 x 17 inches, or 30 x 40 cm. Sizes vary by region and supplier, so always confirm the open and folded dimensions before placing an order.

What material are guest towels made from?

Hotel guest towels are usually airlaid nonwoven at 50-70 gsm because it feels cloth-like and absorbs well. Lower-cost programs use 1-ply or 2-ply tissue, but it feels noticeably thinner.

What is the difference between a guest towel and a hand towel?

A guest towel is a presentation item laid out for one guest in a hotel bathroom or washroom. A paper hand towel is a smaller, thinner product dispensed from a wall dispenser in a public washroom.

Can guest towels be embossed or printed?

Yes. Embossed and coloured guest towels are produced to order, and custom printed guest towels start at 5,000 pieces per design with a digital proof before production.

Hospitality Sizes

What Is a Guest Towel? Sizes, Materials and Where Hotels Use Them

Updated 2026-08-31 · Jinman Paper Supplies

A guest towel is a large disposable towel placed in a bathroom or washroom for guests to dry their hands or face. It is bigger and more absorbent than a table napkin — the most common format is around 12 × 17 in (30 × 40 cm) folded, usually made from airlaid material for a soft, cloth-like feel.

How a guest towel differs from a napkin or hand towel

Product	Typical size	Material	Where it is used
Guest towel	12 × 17 in (30 × 40 cm)	Airlaid, 50–70 gsm	Hotel bathroom, guest washroom
Dinner napkin	16 × 16 in (40 × 40 cm)	Tissue 2–3 ply or airlaid	Restaurant table
Paper hand towel	9 × 10 in (23 × 25 cm)	Tissue, 1–2 ply	Dispenser in public washrooms
Disposable face towel	Varies by program	Airlaid or spunlace	Spa, beauty, skincare

Why hotels choose airlaid guest towels

Cloth-like handfeel: airlaid is soft and quiet, unlike crinkly tissue — the key reason hotels upgrade from paper.
Absorbency: 50–70 gsm airlaid dries hands in a single towel instead of two.
Presentation: guest towels are often folded or fanned on a tray, and airlaid holds the fold.
Hygiene: single use removes the laundry step and the risk of a reused damp towel.

Specifying guest towels for a program

Confirm size, gsm, fold style (1/4, 1/6, 1/8 or interlock), colour and embossing before quoting. Plain white is stocked most often; coloured and embossed guest towels run as made-to-order. Custom printing starts at 5,000 pcs, samples take 5–7 days and bulk production 10–15 days after approval.

See the embossed airlaid guest towel, 30 × 40 cm for a typical specification, or compare materials in airlaid vs regular napkins. For spa and beauty programs, our disposable face towels range is the closer match.

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