In the context of bathrooms and cabins, 'Heads and Beds' refers to the number of individual sleeping accommodations (beds) and sanitary facilities (heads) available in a particular setting, typically used in the hospitality industry. It is a measure to assess the capacity of a camping cabin or vacation rental to accommodate guests. The 'head' is a nautical term for bathroom, originating from the maritime practice of designating the front or 'head' of the ship for bathroom facilities. Meanwhile, 'beds' refers to sleeping accommodations, whether these are single beds, bunk beds, king or queen size beds etc. Therefore, the phrase 'heads and beds' is used to describe the sleeping and bathroom amenities offered in a lodging establishment.
Example
1. A resort that focuses on maximum occupation efficiency. They have 200 heads and beds, meaning they can accommodate 200 people with each having their own bed and bathroom.
2. A large cabin in the mountains may advertise as having "10 heads and beds," indicating that it has 10 bedrooms and 10 bathrooms, accommodating up to 10 people comfortably.
3. A cruise ship may offer packages based on "heads and beds". For instance, a family suite may have a capacity of 4 "heads and beds", meaning it has lodging and bathroom facilities for four people.
4. In a context where there is a large family reunion happening, the family's patriarch could say, "We'll need a lodge with at least 30 heads and beds to accommodate all of us." Here, he is referring to the bathrooms and sleeping arrangements.
5. For folks traveling across country in an RV, the term "heads and beds" could refer to their setup inside the vehicle. If they mention, "our RV offers 6 heads and beds", it simply implies that the RV has sleeping and bathroom provisions for six individuals.
Interesting fact
Fun Fact: In the context of bathrooms and cabins, "heads" and "beds" carries nautical connotations. On a ship, the term "head" traditionally refers to the bathroom as early sailing ships had a designated part of the ship where crew could go to relieve themselves, located at the "head" or front of the ship. "Beds", on the other hand, refers to the sleeping quarters or cabins of the crew. Today, this terminology is still used in modern seafaring vessels, and can also be found in use within cabin layouts in locations such as lakeside retreats and other vacation getaways that bring a touch of the nautical lifestyle to land.