How Many Towels Does a Hotel Need? Par Levels Explained
Quick answer: most hotels stock towels at a par level of 3 to 5. One par is one full set of towels for every room. A standard set for a double-occupancy room is 2 bath towels, 2 hand towels, 2 wash cloths and 1 bath mat, so a hotel at 3 par needs 6 bath towels, 6 hand towels, 6 wash cloths and 3 bath mats per room.
What is a par level?
A par level is the number of complete towel sets you own for each room. Hotels use par because towels are always in one of a few places: in the guest room, in the laundry, or on the shelf waiting to go back out.
- 1 par is the set in the room.
- 2 par adds a set in the laundry.
- 3 par adds a clean set on the shelf. This is the usual minimum for an on-site laundry.
- 4 to 5 par covers off-site or outsourced laundry, high occupancy, pool and spa use, and towels that are lost, stained or retired.
A standard hotel towel set per room
| Item | Per room (1 par) | At 3 par | At 4 par |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bath towel | 2 | 6 | 8 |
| Hand towel | 2 | 6 | 8 |
| Wash cloth | 2 | 6 | 8 |
| Bath mat | 1 | 3 | 4 |
For single rooms you can use one of each towel per set. For suites, family rooms and rooms with two bathrooms, count sets per bathroom and per guest.
Worked example: a 50-room hotel at 3 par
Here is how the numbers work for a 50-room property with double-occupancy rooms, using our Core Hotel towel line as an example:
| Item | Towels needed | Dozens | Case pack | Cases to order |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Core Hotel Bath Towel 27 × 54 | 50 × 2 × 3 = 300 | 25 | 2.5 dozen | 10 |
| Core Hotel Hand Towel 16 × 30 | 300 | 25 | 10 dozen | 3 (30 dozen) |
| Core Hotel Wash Cloth 13 × 13 | 300 | 25 | 15 dozen | 2 (30 dozen) |
| Core Hotel Bath Mat 20 × 30 | 50 × 1 × 3 = 150 | 12.5 | 4 dozen | 4 (16 dozen) |
Because towels are sold in full cases, round up to the next case. The extra few dozen become your spare stock for replacements.
How to work out your own par
- Count your rooms and how many guests each room sleeps.
- Decide your towel set per room (for example 2-2-2-1 for a double room).
- Pick a par level: 3 for on-site laundry, 4 to 5 for outsourced laundry or very high occupancy.
- Multiply rooms × towels per set × par for each item.
- Divide by 12 to get dozens, then round up to full cases using the case pack on each product page.
- Add pool, spa and gym towels separately. These depend on how many guests use those areas each day.
Plan for replacement
Towels wear out, get stained or go missing, so it pays to reorder before you drop below par. Keeping every room in one towel line makes reorders simple, because new towels match the old ones. Read how to wash hotel towels so they last longer for laundry tips that extend towel life.
Need help sizing your order?
Compare all six lines on our wholesale hotel towels page, see the hotel towel buying guide, or send us your room count and par level through our quote form. You can also call +1 864-659-0017 or email info@poltexint.com. Orders of $999 or more ship free within the Lower 48 States and Washington, DC.