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With adulthood comes tasteful homewares and while the kitchen is being touted as the hub of quiet luxury, the bathroom is one of the best places to add a touch of grown-up luxury to your home.
Alongside cheery trinkets brought back from holidays and luxurious body washes that make you smell like you’ve been to a spa – the luxury bath towel is a key marker in a sophisticated bathroom that won’t have your friends judging you.
While I spent many years suffering with crispy budget options that had to suffice during studenthood, I’ve now embraced the quiet luxury of a good bath towel.
To find the perfect towels to complete my sophisticated new bathroom, a five month long quest was undertaken to discover all the best options to hand – from high absorbency towels to the sublimely soft – all of which wash well (yes, I tested that too).
I tried a selection of 15+ bathroom towels, from high street favourites to eco-conscious options. Below you’ll find links to the top picks or read on for my full bath towel reviews.
Best luxury towel: Quick list
Each towel was used fresh out the pack as well as after one time through the wash to see how they would fare when they were no longer ‘box fresh’
The best bath towels to buy now
Secret Linen Luxury Organic Cotton Towel
Product Specs
- Material100% cotton
- Other sizes availableYes
What we love
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TextureIncredibly soft
-
ColoursLots of variety
This was a secret indeed. Not often high on the high street radar for luxury but this towel surpassed any and all expectations. It was slightly rougher to touch than the John Lewis I tested but felt outrageously soft nonetheless.
With a few quick swipes, I was dry and my skin was left feeling fluffy. Special mention goes to the trimming along the edge. The only issue would perhaps be the proportions. It was the perfect length but could have been a few inches wider to have maximum wrappage.
The colour choice is good too, with lots of quaint, pastel varieties for the ultimate relaxing bathroom experience. On top of this, you can buy a whole set which includes a face cloth, hand towel (the waffle texture is charming), bath towel, bath sheet, jumbo bath sheet and bath mat for the ultimate luxury bath experience.
John Lewis Organic Towel
Product Specs
- Material700gsm cotton
- Other sizes availableYes
At just £28 for a Bath Sheet, the John Lewis organic cotton towel is definitely one of the cheaper options on this list. Thankfully though, you are not sacrificing all quality for cost. It certainly was not the softest towel that I tested, but it still maintained a very comforting softness that was pleasant to use after showering.
The variety of colours was also very welcome and allows you to add a touch of personality to your bathroom. These towels also held up well with a wash cycle, retaining their softness.
It’s a classic bath towel and you know what you’re getting will deliver, as is the John Lewis reputation. For a budget option without cutting any corners, this is the one for you.
Tielle Luxury Hotel White Towels
Product Specs
- Material650gsm cotton
- Other sizes availableYes
This was sumptuous – soft and smooth, there was no scratching on the skin of a rough towel gone stiff hanging on the clothes horse.
In terms of variety, you are limited as the only option available is a white, but for me this is part of the hotel experience. You really do get that luxury hotel feel to the towels. It comes as no surprise that these Turkish towels are so cosy, as they are made with extra fine yarn and are often supplied to luxury hotels.
Tielle also offer a Standard Towel bale for £60, as well as a Jumbo Towel Bale for £115. While this might not seem all that cheap if you are trying to save money, the bundles offer really good value due to the amount of products included.
M&S Egyptian Cotton Towel
Product Specs
- Material650gsm cotton
- Other sizes availableYes
If you were looking for an affordable towel that dries quickly but doesn’t necessarily have the luxury feel of a hotel towel, this is it. These M&S bath towels feel sturdy and durable, while maintaining a good level of softness for the price.
The towel was also very quick to dry, which may not be something you immediately think of when looking for a good bath towel. It also washed well. M&S says this is down to its Stay Fresh tech – while I can’t prove that, I can confirm it did indeed go through the wash nicely.
This bath sheet is also only £22, making it an affordable choice, and with the frankly outrageous range of colours (they have 35 choices) it makes it perfect for someone who wants to have a bit of originality or personality in their home.
5. Best eco friendly bath towels: Panda bamboo
Panda Bamboo Towel
Product Specs
- MaterialCotton & bamboo blend
- Other sizes availableYes
What we love
-
PirceGood value
-
TextureLovely and soft
Bamboo based and ‘eco-friendly’, my skepticism over the luxuriousness and absorbency of this towel was rife. But to my great surprise, this nailed both. It had the same smoothness as the Scooms towel but I came away feeling much drier.
For ultimate luxury, the bath sheet is recommended, covering great length and width (150×100). It is also hypoallergenic, so is a great option for anyone with sensitive skin. Colour-wise, it’s not so adventurous, sticking with pink, pure white and urban grey.
The knowledge that the towel is made with a blend of bamboo and long staple cotton is even more cause for jubilation. The world is better off and you feel like a star – a rare win for the eco-conscious and for materialists.
Scooms Egyptian Cotton Bath Towel
Product Specs
- Material720gsm cotton
- Other sizes availableYes
What we love
-
TextureIncredibly soft
-
SizeGood range of sizes
Wow! An outrageously soft hug awaits you with this towel, that is both thick and fluffy. Scooms boast this Egyptian cotton is woven in a luxury 720gsm.
However, when you step out of the shower and wrap it around you, it is almost too soft to be effective. Scooms has swapped softness for absorbency, which sort of defeats the point for a lot of people – heavy on the luxury, not so much on the towel.
It had a slight synthetic odour as well when first unpacked, which was not the luxury experience one would hope – but this disappears after one wash. There are four colours to choose from, though I wish there were more. At £55 for two towels though, it’s a good deal – just a shame about the absorbency.
The bath towels that didn’t make the cut
We further tested towels from Hampton & Astley, Soak & Sleep, Pottery Barn, West Elm and The Towel Shop but they didn’t make it to the exclusive top spots. This was largely down to texture, with some of them having a thinner, starchier feel than was ideal.
They are not ones I would particularly want to use every day but they would still make a great fit for a guest bathroom.
Our verdict
It was tricky to choose from the top towels but there were a couple that just scored highly across the board. The best overall was the luxury bath towel from Secret Linen. It was a great all rounder that would be suited to most people. It’s soft, fluffy, washed well and was generally a pleasure to use.
My personal favourite though and the one that had the added bonus of being (probably) better for the planet was the Panda London Bamboo Towel.
It was gorgeous to touch and did the actual job of drying me with no faults. It held its fluffiness even after a wash and retained a good bounce that was surprising. Knowing that it has some ecological benefits also helped this one push it over the edge.
How we test and why trust us
Our expert team has been testing products and writing reviews for many years, covering a wide range of lifestyle products. This includes everything from coffee machines to vacuum cleaners.
Each towel was used fresh out the pack and after going through the wash to see how it would fare when it was no longer ‘box fresh’. They were only used for a daily body wash, rather than for my hair (all curly hair people know you shouldn’t be using cotton towels after all!).
Softness, absorbency and design were all factors that were taken in to consideration when reviewing the towels, finding a sweet spot in between all three for maximum luxury.
Tielle’s Luxury Hotel White Towels was a winner when it came to packaging, with the towel bale arriving in a classy cloth bag
Colour options and varieties were also on the radar, and while it’s not imperative, knowledge about how it was manufactured and its environmental impact were also taken into account. Combining all of this, money was another key feature that was taken into account, as we investigated how would your pennies stand up to per square metre of towel.
Read more about how we test home products for more details.
How often should I wash my bath towels?
It can be a divisive topic how regular you need to wash certain items but a clean towel tends to be one we can all agree on.
Regular washing is obvious to not cause a build-up of dirt and bacteria. Having said that, some might be surprised to learn that a towel needs to be washed after three or four uses, or at least once a week, rather than after every use.
How many towels do I need?
If you are sticking to general towel etiquette and wash your towels every three to four uses – or once a week at a minimum – having at least two bath towels per person is a safe bet, giving you one ready at hand when you need to pop your used one in the washing machine.
If you are particularly active and need to use more towels more frequently, upwards of three might make more sense for you. Having a couple of spares in case a guest needs a shower is also a good idea.
What the experts say
Interiors expert Todd Harmon, who is the Principal Designer and CEO of BathGems and Aura Modern Home told the Daily Mail that ‘even the smallest elements have the greatest impact’.
He said: ‘The towel might just be another accessory for a bathroom, but it can easily transform the entire atmosphere of the room.
When you touch something your mind starts associating your routine activity with luxury
‘Bathrooms are sometimes cold spaces due to the abundance of hard materials used in their construction. A luxurious towel makes a bathroom warm and comfortable. You can use thick fabrics to make the room layered. Most times, I prefer using the fabric to add layering when dealing with a shiny surface like marble tiles and sleek fixtures.
‘Luxurious towels can be used to complement the overall theme in the room. For example, if the bathroom is decorated with gold fittings, you can incorporate towels such as beige or cream for warmth and elegance. If it is a modern room in black and white, then towels in charcoal and white colors can bring the elegance of the accessories.
‘While a towel fulfills an essential role, it can be used for decorating the room as well. Folded towels on shelves will give a neat look to the interior. Rolls of towels placed in baskets will give a sense of a relaxing atmosphere. Draped towels on towel racks will help to give the room a softer look.
‘When clients spend money on a luxurious bathroom renovation, they usually emphasise on big purchases such as bathtubs, vanities, and tiles. However, the small details help the customer achieve their dream. For instance, a luxury towel could be the final touch that will help you transform your bathroom into a professionally styled space.
‘Design does not only depend on your vision. It also depends on your feeling when being in a particular space. Quality towels make one’s experience of staying in the bathroom more luxurious. When you touch something your mind starts associating your routine activity with luxury.’
