If I Had to Do It All Over, I’d Buy This Travel Crib Again In a Heartbeat (It’s Totally Worth It)

I didn’t love the travel crib I bought for my first baby. Sure, it did the job, but it never seemed comfortable and I didn’t like the way the mattress had a tendency to bunch up. When I found out I was expecting twins, I did a lot of research to find a better travel crib. I wanted something that was functional, easy to transport, and safe. 

I ended up absolutely loving the product I landed on: The Guava Lotus Travel Crib, which is also a 2024 Cubby Nursery Award winner because it’s beloved by many parents besides me. After using this crib exclusively for over a year, I really got a feel for what it’s like. If I could do it all again, I’d pick the Guava Lotus every time. Here’s my review.

The best travel crib makes life with babies and toddlers easier. Here’s what I look for when shopping for a travel crib: 

• It has to be a safe sleep space. The crib needs to have a flat sleep surface that doesn’t bunch up and doesn’t leave gaps between the mattress and the walls of the crib. I also prefer mesh walls to improve breathability. It’s a major bonus when a travel crib also has clips to help keep the mattress in place. 
• I need to be able to set it up easily. When traveling with babies and toddlers, setting up a travel crib is just one of the many extra things I need to do when I arrive at my destination. Often on big travel days, we arrive after bedtime, and getting my kids’ beds set up quickly is important. I don’t want to have to fuss with directions or finicky pieces that are hard to set up. 
• It has to be lightweight and portable. Whether I’m traveling by plane or car, I want a travel crib that’s lightweight and easy to carry. It’s a bonus if it can fold up extra small so it doesn’t take up too much trunk space and if it has a carrying bag with straps. 
• I prefer when the crib has extended use. Many travel cribs have a weight limit that is surprisingly low. When toddlers surpass that weight limit but aren’t yet ready for a regular bed, this leaves me stuck in the middle. I prefer travel cribs that have no maximum weight limit because the mattress rests on the floor. 

• Name: Lotus Travel Crib
• Dimensions: 24″ L x 12″ W x 8″ H when folded | 45.5″ L x 31.5″ W x 25.5 H when fully set up
• Weight: 5 lbs/6.8 kg (including carry bag)
• Price: $229.95

I used the Guava Lotus Travel Crib with my twins from the time they were born until they stopped sleeping in cribs around age 2. In fact, they liked sleeping in the crib so much that I used it as a main crib for about a year. It definitely saw some heavy use. 

The Guava Lotus Travel Crib has a mattress that rests on the floor, and the mesh sides have a size to make it easier to get kids in and out. The mesh side and mattress sheet are both machine washable, so it’s easy to take care of any major messes.

Here are a few standout features of the Guava Lotus Travel Crib: 

• Safe and comfortable sleep surface: The crib has a firm, flat mattress that never bunched up when I used it. There are buckles to strap the mattress to the frame to prevent it from moving, and the fitted sheet even has holes to allow for the straps. My twins felt cozy in the crib, especially because of the soft mesh walls. 
• Easy to use: Once I knew what I was doing, I could set this crib up or break it down in just a few minutes. I also like that it has a side zipper so I didn’t have to lean over the top to get my kids in and out. 
• Designed for travel: The crib folds up into a compact size (24 x 12 x 8 inches), and it also comes with a backpack to make it easier to carry the crib. 
• Greenguard Gold Certified: Babies spend a lot of time in their beds, so I like that the crib is Greenguard Gold Certified. This means that the crib emits very low levels of VOCs,  which contributes to cleaner indoor air. 
• No weight limit: Because the mattress rests on the floor, there is no weight limit. This allowed me to use this crib for much longer than others that have weight limits (which is often only 30 pounds). Instead, I was able to keep using it until my kids began trying to climb out. 

For more reasons why the Guava Lotus Travel crib is so beloved, check out Cubby’s post about it: We Asked 1,000 Parents to Tell Us What Travel Crib or Pack and Play to Buy, and 2 Products Came Up Again and Again

I’ll be honest: as much as I love the Guava Lotus, I did have one issue. After months (and months and months) of pretty heavy use, the mesh sides started to come apart at the seams. More than anything, this was probably due to my toddlers smashing their faces to the side of the mesh for fun, but nonetheless, it did present a safety concern. 

As soon as I noticed the hole, I contacted Guava’s customer service. After seeing a picture of the hole, they promptly sent me the necessary replacement part. This can serve as a good lesson to all of us: as much as you may love and trust a product, don’t forget to do regular safety checks to ensure the product is still functioning as it should!

Buy it: Lotus Travel Crib, $229 from Guava