What is a French bed / French size bed?
 

I'm looking for a cheap airport hotel for 4 people in Frankfurt, and I am coming across rooms that have "french size bed". What the heck is that!?

A double bed. Though some insist that there is a "slightly-narrower-than-a-standard-double" that gets called a "French" bed, I think this must be very rare.

When in doubt, ask for the dimensions of the bed. Hoteliers are very accustomed to giving this information. They know it off the top of their heads, and will not have to "go measure".

Best wishes,

Rex

... and they'll probably give you the size in metres, so be prepared to convert.

If it is indeed smaller than a double which is 54" wide, it might be what is considered a 3/4-bed* in the States at 46" wide.

*rarely found except some hotels in the States; for home use on special order.

My understanding of it is that the bed is close to that of what I call a double bed.
That is, one smaller by several inches in width than a queen bed.

To be on the surer side, I normally ask for a twin. Two single beds. We are both tall and tend to sprawl so that one of those normal double beds is too small for comfort. I guess if I were being shot at in Iraq I would think it was pure luxury.

Not wanting to stir up a fight, but our guys over there don't have it easy.

If you get metric measurements:
140 cm. wide is a double bed (OK but not at all roomy)
160 cm wide is a queen
180 cm wide is a king

190 cm long is too short if you're over 5'11 tall (says DH)
200 cm long is fine if you're under 6'2
210 cm long is recommended if you're taller (these are hard to find, though!)

Hi W,

A hotel recently sent me this information

"...a French queen size (140/185cm),.."

((I))

I would also ask specific dimensions in that case if you intend this bed for two people. My impression from hotel info and other rentals I've read is also that it is usually smaller than a regular double-sized bed (which is about 6" smaller than a queen--double and queen beds are about 54" vs. 60"). I've sen that term used by German, Austrian or Swiss hoteliers, mostly. I've never seen that term used in France, actually, although I think someone on here recently said a French hotel talked about a French-size bed -- I wondered if that could have been a hotel that was owned by another nationality, though. I think it's a term used by hotels meant to make a small bed sound better or to fool people, but when size was quoted, I've seen anything between 115 cm to 140 cm called a French-sized bed. 120 cm would be pretty small for two people (about 47 inches).

I was under the impression that the term indicated something about the split-bed orientation (like two singles shoved together). Don't know where I picked up that info, maybe in a dream. Feel free to ignore or inform. J.

A french size bed in France is comfortable for 1 person. We always ask for 2 beds, and even sometimes have to take 2 rooms. It's about 1,40 or, if big 1,50 meters wide. They are terrible.