Guava Lotus Travel Crib
A travel crib that carries like a backpack, sets up in fifteen seconds and has a zip-open side door so you can settle a baby without lifting them over a rail.
Last reviewed: September 17, 2026
Why this one
Most 'portable' cribs are portable the way a folded tent is: technically. The Lotus is 13 pounds in a backpack case with straps, so one parent carries it through an airport hands-free — and the frame pops open in seconds with no assembly, because the mattress is the floor and there is nothing to attach.
The detail that wins it for families who actually travel: the side zipper. You can lie next to the crib in a hotel room and pat a baby to sleep through the open door, or let a toddler climb in themselves, instead of lowering a sleeping child over a 30-inch rail. It's GREENGUARD Gold certified, which matters when the crib is the only sleep surface for two weeks.
Owning a travel crib the baby recognizes means the same sleep environment in every grandparent's spare room, every rental and every hotel — the single biggest predictor of whether a trip's nights go well. It doubles as the playpen at home.
What we considered and rejected
BabyBjörn Travel Crib Light
The other excellent one: a touch lighter to set up, no side door, and a case without straps.
Still a good pick for: Families who never carry it far from the car.
Graco Pack 'n Play
Half the price and everywhere; twice the weight, a slow fold, and a thin mattress that makes for hard nights.
Still a good pick for: Occasional use at one grandparent's house.
Where to buy
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