Best Blackout Blinds for Holiday Stays: How to Guarantee Darkness Wherever You Sleep

The travel-friendly solutions parents swear by for better sleep in unfamiliar spaces.

If you’ve ever unpacked at an Airbnb only to discover thin curtains, bright streetlights, early sunrise or a skylight that’s basically a spotlight - welcome to the club.
One of the biggest challenges parents face when travelling is light. Babies and toddlers are creatures of habit, and if your home nursery is dark but your Airbnb, villa or hotel is not… sleep can unravel quickly.

Thankfully, portable blackout blinds make it easy to create a dark, familiar sleeping environment anywhere - without needing tools, adhesives that damage walls, or the host’s permission.

This guide breaks down the best blackout blinds for holiday and Airbnb stays - what works, what doesn’t, and what truly helps little ones settle in unfamiliar rooms.

Why You Need Blackout Blinds for Airbnb Travel

Airbnbs and holiday accommodation are unpredictable. Even listings with “blackout curtains” often have:

• Light leaking around the sides

• Sheer blinds layered underneath

• Skylights with no coverings

• Bright security lighting outside

• East-facing windows with early sunrise

For babies and toddlers used to a dark nursery, this can mean:

• Early morning wake-ups

• Overtired meltdowns

• Difficulty settling

• Short, broken naps

• Bedtime battles in new environments

Portable blackout blinds solve all of this in seconds.

The Best Blackout Blind Options for Holiday Accommodation and Airbnb Stays

Below is an expert breakdown of the top-performing portable options—and what to look for.

Suction-Cup Portable Blackout Blinds (Best Overall for Travel)

These are the most travel-friendly blinds and the top recommendation for holidays and Airbnb stays.

How they work:

• Press large suction cups onto the glass

• Adjust the fabric to cover the window fully

• Remove when you leave - no marks, no damage

Why they’re perfect for Hoilday and Airbnbs:

✔ Install in seconds
✔ Zero damage to windows
✔ No tools, no adhesive
✔ Works on most window shapes
✔ Folds into a compact travel bag
✔ Easy to swap between rooms (great for multi-bed Airbnbs)

Porta Fox advantage:

Porta Fox suction-cup blackout blinds offer full blackout performance plus gorgeous, design-led patterns that don’t scream “temporary travel hack.”
Unlike generic Temu and Amazon options, the fabric is thicker and the suction cups are stronger.

Perfect for:
✔ Short stays
✔ Multi-location trips
✔ Windows with existing curtains you can layer behind

Cut-to-Size Blackout Blinds (Best for Longer Stays or Repeated Travel)

If you frequently return to the same Airbnb (or stay somewhere longer-term), cut-to-size blinds offer unmatched blackout performance.

How they work:

• Trim to your exact window size

• Attach using removable hook-and-loop (Velcro-style) strips

• Creates a custom blackout fit with zero light leaks

Why they’re great for longer stays:

✔ “Home-quality” blackout in a rental
✔ No drilling or tools
✔ Easy to take down cleanly
✔ Reusable for future trips - just purchase additional adhesive
✔ Ideal for windows with large gaps or blinds that leak light

Porta Fox advantage:

Porta Fox cut-to-size blinds a give you the same blackout performance as a nursery at home- ideal for longer Airbnb holidays that require routine and consistent sleep.

Perfect for:
✔ 1–4 week Airbnb holidays
✔ “Base camp” family holidays
✔ Families needing full blackout for both naps and nights

Static-Cling Blackout Film (Best Lightweight Supplement)

A minimalist option that sticks directly to the glass using static—not glue.

Pros:

✔ Lightweight for travel
✔ No adhesive residue
✔ Suitable for smaller windows

Cons:

✘ Doesn’t work well on textured or dirty glass
✘ Can bubble
✘ Removes all natural light (no daytime visibility)
✘ Not ideal for big windows or skylights

Works fine in a pinch but is less flexible than portable blinds.

DIY Blackout Fabric with Tape (Emergency-Only Solution)

Some parents resort to gaffer tape and blackout fabric when travelling.
It can work—but it’s inconvenient, wasteful and often not Airbnb-safe.

Downsides:

✘ Tape can damage walls
✘ Hard to remove
✘ Messy to transport
✘ Not reliable on all surfaces

Not recommended unless you’re desperate.

What to Look for in the Best Holiday and Airbnb Blackout Blind

When choosing the right travel blackout solution, prioritise:

✓ True blackout performance

Fabric should block 100% of light - not just dim it.

✓ No-damage installation

Crucial for Airbnb hosts and your review score.

✓ Portability

Folds small, fits in a suitcase, lightweight.

✓ Easy setup

You don’t want fiddly instructions at 8pm when your baby is overtired.

✓ Works on different window types

Airbnbs come with:

• Sliding windows

• Old sash windows

• Tilt windows

• Glass doors

• Floor-to-ceiling panes

A flexible blind matters.

✓ Aesthetics (often overlooked!)

Stylish, child-friendly patterns can make unfamiliar rooms feel comforting and consistent—great for sleep associations.

Why Porta Fox Is a Favourite for Airbnb-Going Families

Parents consistently choose Porta Fox for travel because:

✓ It’s Australian-owned and designed by mums

Real families creating solutions for real sleep struggles.

✓ The designs are unique and on-trend

Airbnb rooms often have minimal decor- Porta Fox blinds make the space feel more “home-like.”

✓ Stronger suction cups & thicker blackout fabric

Meaning fewer light leaks and more reliable naps.

✓ Easy to fold, pack and switch between rooms

Perfect for hopping between living room naps, bedrooms and travel cots.

✓ No damage to windows or walls

So you never risk rental or Airbnb penalties or awkward host conversations.

Final Recommendation: The Best Blackout Blind for Airbnb Travel

If you’re choosing just one solution to travel with, the clear winner is:

⭐ Portable suction-cup blackout blinds

Light, reliable, fast to install and completely Airbnb-safe.

For longer stays or families committed to routine and darkness:

⭐ Cut-to-size blackout blinds

Turn any Airbnb into a near-nursery replicate.

Most families benefit from having both depending on the style of accommodation.

Final Thoughts

Holiday stays should feel fun and restorative- not overtired and chaotic. With the right portable blackout blinds, you can recreate your baby’s sleep environment anywhere in the world.

Whether you’re travelling for a weekend or a month, having dependable blackout blinds on hand is one of the easiest ways to keep naps consistent, nights calmer and mornings blissfully later.