Our guide to the best cheap mattresses we've tested has budget-friendly picks for spare rooms.
Grumpy guests are the quickest way to ruin Christmas and nothing leaves you in a worse mood than a bad night's sleep. So how's your spare room looking?
Don't worry, there's still time to avert disaster, with a budget mattress upgrade ready for the arrival of your guests. And not any budget bed — these are two of the best mattresses we've tested.
I'm here to act as your holiday savior, like the stranger who appears in the third act of a Hallmark movie to remind you what Christmas is really about...
I've tested two of Amazon's best selling cheap mattresses, the Zinus Green Tea and the Siena Signature, to help you choose a spare bed that would get even the Grinch smiling.
Why the Siena Signature is your guest room savior
The Siena Signature isn't just good for a guest room — I've been sleeping on this mattress for a couple of months now and I'm happy to use it night after night. It's one of the best memory foam mattresses I've ever tested.
But the price, particularly in the current Amazon sale, puts the Siena into the 'guest room' bracket. A queen is currently only $244 at Amazon, and I think it's the best thing you can treat your guests to this Christmas. Here's why...
Head-to-toe, edge-to-edge support
The Siena Signature is among the most supportive mattresses I've tested. It holds the body flat and even, straightening the spine to prevent lower back ache. That's why it earned a place among the best mattresses for back pain we've tested.
Of course, I can't guarantee a pain-free morning for your guests. However, the Siena's all-round support reduces the likelihood your cousin will use an aching back to beg off helping out in the kitchen.
The strong edge support also allows your guests to make full use of the sleep surface. So if, for example, you're asking your aunt and uncle to ditch their split king to snuggle up on a full, they'll have every inch of the bed to stretch out.
Top-notch motion isolation
Speaking of bed sharers: the Siena has exceptional motion isolation, outperforming mattresses even four times the price during our recent Sleep Lab tests.
The foams dampen movement, ensuring someone tossing on one side of the bed won't disturb a person sleeping on the other.
So one guest can stay up for a nightcap while the other enjoys an early night waiting for Santa to arrive.
Comfort for most sleep positions
I primarily sleep on my front and I found the Siena to be one of the best mattresses for stomach sleepers. It's also good for back sleepers, with both positions benefiting from the even support that reduces strain on the spine.
For side sleepers, the Siena mattress has a slight squishiness from comfort layers of memory foam, to help reduce pressure build-up at the shoulders and hips.
However...
What I don't like about the Siena Signature
After a few nights of side sleeping on the Siena Signature mattress, I did start to wake up with aching shoulders. I suspect lightweight side sleepers (weighing under 130lbs) will find the problem develops sooner.
However, the memory foam comfort layer of the Siena does provide some body contouring to distribute weight evenly. As a result, I predict overnight guests, even dedicated side sleepers, should be relatively comfortable on the Siena for the duration of their visit.
How does the Zinus Green Tea hold up in comparison?
The Siena's major drawback is the biggest strength of the Zinus: it's one of the best mattresses for side sleepers we've tested.
The Zinus mattress is significantly softer than the Siena Signature mattress. You sink into the foams, creating a body-hugging feel that cushions the shoulders, hips and knees.
And at just $233.99 for a queen on Amazon, the Zinus delivers the kind of gooey pressure relief we expect from much pricier mattresses.
Like the Siena, the Zinus also excels at motion isolation. The slow-moving foams deadens vibrations and disruption, so your partner can toss and turn all night long without ruining your sleep.
What I didn't like about it
As a stomach sleeper, the Zinus is simply too soft for me. I also struggled to lie comfortably on my back — my hips sank too far into the foams, meaning I tended to wake up with aches and pains.
The cozy 'hug' of the Zinus foams can also feel stifling, both literally and figuratively. The Zinus has a tendency to trap heat (while the Siena isn't cooling, it has better temperature control) and when you're wrapped up in its layers, changing position can be a fight.
The Zinus Green Tea Memory Foam Mattress also lacks the edge support of the Siena. I found myself slipping off one morning when I went to retrieve my phone after accidentally knocking it on the floor. If your guests are sharing a smaller bed size, they might find themselves clinging to each other to avoid going overboard.
The mattress I'd buy for my guest room...
After extensive testing — including my hands-on experience — I agree that the Siena is one of the best mattresses in a box you can buy in 2025. It has the support and motion isolation of a more expensive mattress, while the feel is comfortable for most sleep styles.
The Siena is one of the best mattresses in a box you can buy in 2025
However, if you know your guests are dedicated side sleepers, in particular side sleepers with lighter builds, the Zinus mattress has better cushioning at the hips and shoulders.
But let's be clear: you don't have long to make your decision. We're ticking closer and closer to Christmas and while Amazon promises speedy delivery on both these mattresses, you only have a few days left to order.
Here's why you should add the Siena mattress to the "nice" list:
Exceptional edge support: You can lie right up the edge of the Siena mattress without sliding off, giving couples more space to stretch out.
Absorbs movement: For guests with different bed times, the Siena's motion absorption means minimal disruption.
Supports most sleep styles: While some side sleepers will want a softer bed long-term, the Siena's support should satisfy most visitors.
And who Santa should leave a Zinus mattress under the tree for:
Dedicated side sleepers: The Zinus has soft cushioning to soothe aches and pains at the shoulders and hips, meaning most of your side sleeping guests will love it.
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