Every parent has that one baby product they unabashedly recommend to everyone who asks. For our family, the Guava Lots Travel Crib and Bassinet is the ultimate if-I-could-buy-this-for-all-my-friends-I-would piece of baby gear.
With three kids and a love for travel, we have cycled through a good amount of baby gear in the quest to find the perfect baby travel products for our family. We have been through a handful of strollers, wagons, baby carriers, and car seats, but through 15 countries and 3 kids over the last 5 years, the one baby item we have never wanted or needed to replace has been the Guava Lotus Travel Crib. It has truly stood the test of time and been the only travel crib we need!
The Guava Lotus crib is a lightweight and compact travel crib designed for easy travel with a baby or toddler.
This product is perfect for parents who are always on-the-go and do not want to carry around a bulky full-sized crib or pack and play. In this review, we will discuss the features and benefits of the Guava Lotus Travel Crib and why we think it is the best baby travel crib that is well worth the money!
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Why Choose the Guava Family Lotus Travel Crib
Finding the perfect travel crib can be a challenge. Wanting a bassinet option makes it even more difficult! There are hundreds of options on the market and it can seem overwhelming trying to decide what will work best for your family.
We quickly narrowed our search down from more traditional “pack n play” products to travel cribs and bassinets made specifically for parents on-the-go. As a family who loves to travel, and moves frequently for work, we were looking for something to make our family trips as stress free and comfortable as possible. We also wanted a product that could multitask as a bassinet in the first few months when baby was sleeping in our room. With the Guava bassinet it would also make an ideal travel crib for newborn babies.
We already had a full-sized crib at home and did not need another one that would be bulky and difficult to travel with! The Guava Lotus Travel Crib with the Bassinet Kit checked all of these boxes and has quickly earned a spot as our favorite baby product!
Whether it is on a longer international vacation, a short roadtrip, or just a safe place to nap while at a friend’s house, the Guava Lotus crib has proven to be a game-changer. This lightweight travel crib is easy to pack and carry, making it perfect for any level of travel.
We have used it as a crib in a hotel room, as travel bassinet for newborns, in a shady spot for outdoor play, or at the airport for a layover snooze. It fits both under a car seat in the car or in the overhead compartment on an airplane, and the optional backpack straps on the carry bag make it easy to carry while keeping your hands free.
Our little ones have used this travel crib from the newborn stage to toddlerhood. Whether you are looking for a travel crib for newborns or a toddler travel crib, this one has worked well for all stages, despite our toddlers being very tall.
Guava Family Lotus Travel Crib Features
The Guava Lotus Travel Crib Design is what really sets it apart from other play yards or travel cribs. If you are new to the Lotus travel crib or just starting your research on which is the best to buy, here are some of the key considerations to look for in travel crib reviews:
- Quality & Durability
- Comfort
- Design
- Bassinet
- Overall size
- Folded dimensions (vs carry-on size)
- Weight
- Weight limit
- Ease of use (including easy setup, packing and carrying)
- Washability
Let’s do a quick Guava Family Lotus travel crib review on each of those key considerations.
Quality & Durability
With GreenGuard Gold Standard Certification, you can trust that it is made with quality materials that aren’t harmful.
The lightweight construction makes it extra portable, while the attention to durability and reinforced hinges will ensure it can stand up to travel and use by your toddler!
Comfort
Typical for most portable crib designs, the mattress is on the floor and while it is an insulated mattress it won’t seem overly plush. The idea is that it needs to be a firm surface for safe sleeping. It also needs to be compact for packing.
While it won’t be as comfortable as your crib mattress, it will be comfortable enough for your baby or toddler.
Design
The Lotus crib meets the US Federal Standard for Play Yards and is safe for overnight sleep. With breathable mesh sides, an lightweight aluminum frame and washable fabrics, this portable crib is well designed!
The mesh sides help to keep the sleeping area well ventilated, they also allow parents to easily check on their sleeping baby. The side zipper door makes for easy access to your little one and makes it easy to put your baby down to sleep.
Bassinet
The Bassinet Conversion Kit for the The Guava Lotus Everywhere Travel Crib can be purchased as a bundle or on it’s own. To buy just the Bassinet Conversion Kit, it will cost $129.95 USD. You’ll save a little money by buying it as a bundle.
Because the Guava Bassinet is a conversion kit, it doesn’t add a lot of extra bulk to the overall size of the travel crib.
Overall Size
The overall size of the crib open is 45.5″ L x 31.5″ W x 25.5 H, which should make it easy to use in any hotel room.
Folded Dimensions
The folded dimensions of the Lotus Guava travel crib in 24″ L x 12″ W x 8″ H, compared to typical carry on size of 22″ L x 14″ W x 9″ H. While the folded crib dimensions don’t strictly meet these carry on dimensions, it’s so close that it should fit as carry-on for most airlines. At the very least, you can always gate check it, making it the best travel crib for flying.
Weight
The Guava Family Lotus Everywhere travel crib weighs 15 lbs including the carry bag.
Weight Limit
The Guava Family Lotus crib has a floor resting mattress, compared to a typical pack n play which are raised mattress cribs. Because the mattress sits on the floor, there is no upper weight limit on the Guava Family travel crib.
Ease of Use
The setup of the lotus crib is quick and easy. It has a convenient 3D fold to make packing it away equally easy. That with the convenient carry bag that can be used as a backpack carry case, leaving hands free, makes taking this portable crib on a trip a no-brainer.
Washability
Included is an insulated, waterproof mattress plus the machine washable fabrics make for easy clean up of any messes!
Our Experience With the Guava Lotus Travel Crib (PROS)
Lotus Bassinet Conversion Kit
We particularly loved the Lotus travel crib bassinet feature, which allowed us to use it when they were newborns, and then transition to the crib as they grew. When used as a newborn bassinet with the Lotus Bassinet Conversion Kit, it has the option to use rocking legs that can be used to help rock and settle baby. We really like this option, which made it the best infant travel crib option for our family.
Design
What initially drew us to the Guava Travel Crib is its lightweight design. Both the crib and bassinet are made of high-quality GreenGuard Certified materials that are built to last.
It is lightweight, weighing only 15 pounds, and comes with a carrying case that can be worn as a backpack. It is easy to carry for longer periods of time because of the comfortable backpack straps, and is small enough to carry on a flight or fit in a car without taking up too much trunk space. The backpack straps can even be zipped away to prevent them from being caught on airport machinery.
The folded size is 24” x 12” x 8” and the setup size is 45.5” x 31.5” x 25.5” for the crib, making it spacious enough for babies and toddlers to move around comfortably.
Take advantage of the extra nooks and crannies in the backpack carrying case between the folded parts to pack other baby travel essentials. We regularly pack the Guava Lotus travel crib sheet, a portable noise machine, and extra diapers in wipes – all which fit nicely in the carrying case.
We also loved the thoughtful design and use of materials. The Guava Family Lotus crib is made of breathable mesh fabric, which allows for safe air flow in warmer weather.
The crib also has a zipper side door, which makes it easy to access our little one without having to lift them out of the crib. Traveling often leads to overtired little ones, and the side zipper door access is perfect to soothe baby back to sleep in the middle of the night.
The design of the Lotus Everywhere travel crib allows for maximum versatility and it can be used as a crib, a bassinet, and a play yard, which is perfect for keeping your baby or toddler contained in one place while you are on vacation. If traveling or using outdoors, the sunshade and mosquito net accessories are a great addition.
We really love having a travel crib that can provide a familiar sleep environment no matter where we go, helping our baby sleep on vacation!
Durability
The Guava Lotus Travel Crib is also incredible durable. It is made from high-quality materials and has held up well to three kids and six years of constant in and out of the bag, collapsing and assembling, and tossed around by airport staff on trips. There are minimal signs of wear and tear, which is impressive considering the amount of use it has received.
This lotus portable crib comes with a removable and machine washable mattress cover that is easy to clean as needed.
Easy Setup
Another feature of the Guava Lotus Travel Crib that we absolutely loved is how incredibly easy it is to set up and pack up. Unlike bulkier bassinets that require you to disassemble in multiple parts, or those that pull up from the middle and frequently get stuck, the Guava Lotus z-folds in from the sides in one simple motion and then you simply fold the legs down and place in the backpack.
The Lotus Everywhere travel crib takes less than two minutes to assemble this portable crib, which is essential when you have a fussy little one who needs to nap after a long day of traveling! The easy setup is even convenient enough to set it up in the airport during a long layover!
What Could be Improved on the Lotus Travel Crib (CONS)
While the Guava Lotus Travel Crib has many great features, there are a few areas that could be improved.
The velcro tabs that attach the sheet to the bottom of this portable crib takes the most amount of time during set up. It is not necessary to attach them, but it helps keep the sheet on better and the mattress flush to the ground.
The velcro is on the bottom of the crib, which makes it tricky to reach. However, this is a minor issue and does not detract from the overall functionality of the product.
The mattress is also on the thinner side and might not be the most comfortable mattress for older toddlers used to sleeping on a thicker mattress. However, this is a common issue with travel cribs and you’ll often see complaints on it lacking a comfortable mattress on almost all travel crib reviews. It can be remedied by purchasing the plush quilt travel crib sheets also sold by Guava.
The only other downside of the Lotus Everywhere travel crib is that while it’s not the cheapest travel crib out there, you also need to purchase the bassinet separately as well as any sheets, which can add up quickly.
How Does the Lotus Crib Compare
Baby Bjorn vs Lotus Travel Crib
When comparing the Lotus Travel Crib vs Baby Bjorn Travel Crib, there are many similarities but also some key differences.
The Baby Bjorn travel cribs also meet safety standards, have no harsh materials and are safe for overnight sleep. Similar to the Lotus crib, the Baby Bjorn has mesh sides that are machine washable.
Where you’ll start to find some differences are on the folded dimensions. the bassinet, price and some extra features the Lotus has.
Missing Baby Bjorn Features
The two key features that the Lotus has that are missing with the Baby Bjorn is the side zipper door and the optional bassinet. While the Baby Bjorn can still be used for newborns, you won’t have the added benefit of a bassinet feature or the ability to easily access your baby through the size zip door.
Overall Size Comparison
The Baby Bjorn full set up size is 32 x 44 x 24 in compared to the Lotus travel crib dimensions at 45.5” x 31.5” x 25.5” . The difference is really negligible.
Folded Dimensions: The folded size in the carry bag of the BabyBjorn travel crib is 23.5″ x 19″ x 5.5″ compare to the folded size of the Lotus Guava at 24” x 12” x 8”.
The weight limit of Baby Bjorn vs Lotus Travel Crib is going to save you two extra pounds. While both options will get you a light travel crib, the BabyBjorn Travel Crib Light is 13 lbs compared to the Lotus Everywhere which is 15 lbs (both weights include the carrying case).
Price Comparison of Baby Bjorn vs Lotus travel cribs.
BabyBjorn travel crib is slightly more expensive than the Lotus travel crib by around $50. You can get bundles for each which include fitted crib sheets, which puts the price of both within $10 of each other.
Compare price to the Lotus on Guava Family or on Amazon.
Lotus Travel Crib vs Silver Cross Travel Crib
The Silver Cross travel crib is another good one to compare to the Lotus travel crib.
Design Silver Cross Slumber vs Lotus Travel Crib
The Silver Cross Slumber also has full mesh sides. It has a simple shake-open design plus a zip door on the side.
Size Comparison
It weighs 15.4 lbs, so similar to the Guava Lotus.
Lotus travel crib dimensions are 45.5” x 31.5” x 25.5” open and 24” x 12” x 8” folded. Compare this to the Slumber at 44″ x 31.5″ x 26.4″ open and 35″ x 13.4″ x 6.7″. While the open size is nearly identical, the Lotus folded dimensions are clearly better.
Bassinet
The Silver Cross Slumber comes with the bassinet at the base price of $299.99, so there’s not need to purchase any extra conversion kit. Compare this to the Lotus which costs $349.90 with the bassinet kit.
The Lotus bassinet weight limit is 18 lbs where babies should be moved out of the Silver Cross Slumber bassinet around 4-6 months when they start going up on knees.
Compare price to the Lotus on Guava Family or on Amazon.
Where to Buy Lotus Travel Crib
The two best places to purchase the Guava Lotus travel crib are directly on their site or on Amazon.
Lotus Travel Crib Accessories
There are 3 options for fitted travel crib sheets for the Lotus travel crib sold by the Guava Family:
Other accessories for the Guava Lotus travel crib are the Bassinet Conversion Kit, a sunshade and a mosquito net. You can also purchase bundles with a combination of travel crib sheets, the sunshade and the mosquito net.
Final Thoughts on the Lotus Crib
Overall, the Guava Lotus Travel Crib and Bassinet was worth the price for our family and would highly recommend it for families who love to travel with their little ones. It is well-designed, easy to use, and durable.
We consider the Lotus travel crib one of the best lightweight cribs and have not found any travel cribs that can match the quality and convenience of this one. While it is not the cheapest option on the market, it is definitely worth the investment for its versatility and long lasting use
Guava Lotus Travel Crib FAQs
Is Lotus Travel Crib sleep safe?
The Lotus Everywhere Crib is safe for overnight sleep and meets all required safety standards.
Is the Guava Lotus a pack n play?
No, the Guava Family Lotus Travel Crib is different than a traditional pack n’ play in that the construction and design has made it not only lightweight but less bulky to carry. It’s mattress rests on the floor unlike regular pack n’ plays where the mattress is lifted up off the floor.
Pack n’ plays often come with a bunch of extra features like bassinets, mobiles, changing tables and more. Though sturdy, they are also much heavier and bulkier than a travel crib.
Is the Guava Lotus travel crib carry-on size?
Typical carry-on size is 22″ L x 14″ W x 9″ H compared to the folded dimensions of the Guava travel crib at 24″ L x 12″ W x 8″ H. This should fit in the overhead bin for most airlines. At the very least, you can always gate check it.
Can newborn sleep in Lotus Travel Crib?
Yes, a newborn can sleep in the Lotus Travel Crib. You can also purchase a Bassinet Conversion Kit which will provide a bassinet up higher to make it easier to put your baby into the travel crib.
Is Guava Lotus worth it?
The Guava Lotus is considered on of the best travel cribs for babies. If you travel frequently and want to provide your baby with a familiar sleep environment, you’ll find it more than worth it.
Does Lotus Travel Crib fit in a suitcase?
The folded dimensions of the Lotus travel crib are 24″ L x 12″ W x 8″ H. Compare this to a standard large size suitcase with dimensions of 27″ x 18.5″ x 14″ and the Lotus travel crib will fit in a large suitcase.
How long can baby sleep in lotus bassinet?
Once your baby has reached 18lbs or is starting to push up on knees, it’s time to move your baby out of the Lotus bassinet.
Is the Lotus Travel Crib bigger than a pack n play?
The Lotus Travel Crib is smaller and lighter than a pack n play.
Does the Lotus Travel Crib come with a bassinet?
The Lotus Travel Crib has a Bassinet Conversion Kit that can be purchased along with the travel crib as a bundle.
What age is Lotus bassinet for?
The Lotus bassinet is for newborns up to 18lbs. The Lotus Everywhere Travel Crib can be used up until around 3 years old (or sooner if your toddler is showing signs of trying to crawl out).
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This post was written & edited by:
Katie McCarthy
Katie McCarthy is a stay at home mom and travel aficionado currently living in the Midwest with her husband, an officer in the United States Navy, and their three children.
Celine Brewer is the owner of Baby Can Travel. Not only does she have years of experience traveling with babies & toddlers, but she's helped millions of new parents travel with their babies and toddlers for over a decade. In addition to writing on her baby travel blog, she has shared her expertise on traveling with a baby or toddler by contributing to articles about traveling with a baby with the Washington Post, USA Today, the Lonely Planet magazine and Pregnancy & Newborn magazine.
Celine also writes about family travel on the site FamilyCanTravel.com, which she co-owns with her husband. Being from the Canadian Rockies, she shares her passion about her home and travel to Banff National Park and area on their site TravelBanffCanada.com.