What are Sleep Sheets?

The places you are staying will provide bedding.

Many hostels provide sheets free of charge. Others impose a rental fee. People who bring their own sleep sheets don't have to pay a rental fee (if there is one). And some people prefer their own sheets over what the hostel provides.

Another purpose of sleep sheets is to avoid bed bugs. That's why most hostels do not allow sleeping bags.

Kathy, some places, especially some hostels, will charge extra for sheets. Basically you get what you pay for. And depending on the country or the city or the location within the city, you wouldn't want to sleep in those sheets anyway.

Also, I sometimes have the issue that hotels use detergent that is very hard on my skin. I get small itchy sores like mosquito bites from the detergent that is on the sheets. I've heard of others having this same issue.

To solve these issues, some companies sell a "sleep sack". It's basically a sleeping bag made out of a top sheet. You can sew one yourself if you'd like. Just take a cheap queen-sized top sheet from a retailer like Marshall's or TJ Maxx, fold it in half, and sew one short end and the other long end together.

Otherwise, some people sell smaller, lighter-weight silk sleep sacks. It all depends on how you'd like to pack, where you're going, and how paranoid you want to be. I don't like paranoia, personally.

The only place you would need a sleep sheet would be in a hostel, and many if not most hostels currently include bedding.

We took a trip with our family recently that included hostels, pensions and hotels. We brought sleep sheets and used them once. The one we used them at provided bedding and we're surprised when I told them we had our own.

Sleep sheets DO NOT prevent you from getting bed bug bites. If the bugs are already in the mattress, they are going to get inside your sleep sheets. The only way to avoid bed bugs is to perform a good inspection immediately upon check-in (this isn't just for European hostels - even name-brand hotels in America can have periodic infestations). Pull back the fitted sheet from your mattress and look carefully (especially around the seams)-if there are brown or dark red specks, this could be a sign of bed bugs that had previously been feeding. Check around the box spring and headboard (especially if it's a fabric covered headboard). Keep your luggage and clothing off the floor of your hotel/hostel room.

Most all Pensiones, B&Bs, hostels and budget hotels in Europe give you free sheets and don't want travelers using their own bedding. And the places that do charge for sheets or blankets don't seem to charge more than a couple Euros a night.