Best Luxury Bath Towels

The best luxury bath towels begin with 100% cotton

When it comes to finding the best luxury bath towels you’ve gotta start with 100% cotton. Afterall, when it comes to high end bath towels and luxurious bath towels 100% cotton is really your only logical choice. Microfiber towels are simply too thin and cheap feeling. Towels with blended materials (ex. 50% cotton, 50% polyester) lack both the density, absorption, and plush feel of 100% cotton.

The only real trick in making a purchase is to read the label. If it doesn’t say it’s made with 100% cotton, move on!

What type of cotton makes the best luxury bath towels?

The world of 100% cotton towels is dominated by 3 premier cotton types:

Egyptian Cotton

Egyptian cotton is absolutely divine in terms of the dense, thick cotton towels it creates. If you’re looking for that spa or luxury hotel feel, 100% Egyptian cotton towels will absolutely get the job done every time.

Our ‘Best of the Best’ recommendation is below. Before you jump right in and make a purchase, however, you may want to review our full write up on the pros and cons of Egyptian bath towels. If luxury is your ONLY consideration, Egyptian cotton is probably a no-brainer. That said, when you consider the bigger picture of drying time, absorption rates, etc. you could find that either Turkish cotton towels or Pima / Supima cotton towels are a better fit.

Turkish Cotton

While considered by many to be clearly in 2nd place when it comes to the quality of the cotton and, thus, the quality of the cotton towels it produces, Turkish cotton cannot be ignored in this exploration.

Don’t get the wrong idea, Turkish cotton is amazing and it makes fantastic cotton towels. Those towels are typically a little less dense and luxurious that Egyptian cotton produces, but there are some trade-offs that must be considered related to drying time, absorption rates, etc. For all the details read our full write-up on Turkish cotton towels.

If you know 100% Turkish cotton towels are for you, here’s our ‘Best of the Best’ recommendation: 

Pima (or Supima) Cotton

Sure, Egyptian cotton and Turkish cotton sound exotic (and they are!), don’t go to sleep on Pima / Supima cotton!

Pima cotton is nothing more (or less) than Egyptian cotton grown in the Southwestern United States. Many equate Pima cotton to Egyptian. Same plant, same cotton, right? It depends on who you ask. Different soil and a different climate may not product exactly the same cotton (think grapes grown in Italy vs France for wine making) therefore the end product, in this case 100% cotton towels, may wind up inferior. Read our full write-up on Pima / Supima cotton towels for help in understanding the nuances.

Supima cotton is simply a brand name for 100% Pima cotton towels. It is worth noting that when shopping for Pima towels you should always looks for the Supima mark. Without that stamp on the towel you’re likely purchasing a towel made up of a blend of Pima and polyester - and that’s a non-started when you’re looking for the best luxury bath towels.

If you’re ready to dive in and shop for the best of the best 100% Pima cotton towels, here’s our top pick:

Additional resources to help you choose the best luxury bath towels

If the debate rages on in your head on which direction you should go, take a few minutes and read our full write-ups for each of the various cotton types you should consider when searching for the best luxury bath towels: