One of life’s simple pleasures is stepping out of the shower in a lush hotel and wrapping yourself in its large, fluffy towels. So, we set out to find the best bath towels that will help you replicate this experience at home.
If your bath towels are looking worse for wear, feel rough or are no longer drying you properly, it’s probably time for some new ones. But which to go for?
If you’re a regular at your local gym or swimming pool, lightweight, polyester options could be the ones to choose – they’re quick to dry and easy to carry. However, when only five-star hotel extravagance will do, look for a towel made of 100 per cent cotton. Select one with dense, long loops of yarn that will be extra absorbent and make you feel like you’re in a high-end spa.
The weight of a towel is measured in GSM (grams per square metre), which will give you an indication of how plush and durable it is. Look for one with more than 600 GSM for the full hotel-towel experience.
Care is important if you wish to retain the fluffy quality, so, for the best bath towels, you should air them between uses, preferably wash them only with other towels (to avoid snags) and never use fabric softener, as this can reduce absorbency.
How we tested the best bath towels
We washed every towel before use, as advised, then used them after baths and showers to judge how quickly they dried us, how snuggly they felt and how long they took to dry – no one wants something soggy cluttering up the bathroom. We noticed if any towels left stray fluff behind and how good each one looked on our towel rail, paying particular attention to how well each towel washed. One thing’s for sure: we’ve never been cleaner.
The best bath towels for 2024 are:
- Best bath towels overall – Scooms Egyptian cotton bath towel pair: £55, Scooms.com
- Best budget bath towels – Next Egyptian cotton towel: £5-£26, Next.co.uk
- Best bath towels for fluffiness – The White Company hydro cotton towel: £18, Thewhitecompany.com
- Best bath towels for absorbency – Soak & Sleep luxury Egyptian cotton towels, set of four: £58, Soakandsleep.com
- Best statement bath towels – Soho Home house pool towel, White City House: £65, Sohohome.com