The imminent arrival of summer also signals the arrival of house guests—a good time to stock up on basic towels. Here are our personal favorites. N.B.: Prices listed are for standard bath size towels, unless otherwise noted.

Above: Francesca stocks Pottery Barn Classic 820-Gram Weight Bath Towels made of Turkish cotton terry in her linen closets. "We go through a lot of towels between three kids, guests, and an in-law apartment. These towels are always in stock and arrive within a day or two of ordering.' The towels are available in 12 colors, including white, from Pottery Barn; $24.

Above: Sarah favors the Lexus Three-Piece Bath Towel Set ($70 for three) from the Turkish Towel Company. Weighing in at 1.29 pounds each, these towels feature exceptional absorbency and softness.

Above: Janet's splurge: The oversized (31 by 63 inches) Riviera Bath Towel features a convenient hanging loop and is made of Turkish cotton; $75 at Matteo Home.

Above: Christine's current favorite is the Anatolian Striped Bath Towel from Toast: "I am always looking for white towels with trim so I can assign them to individual members of the family (or guests)." Another option is the Ticking Trim Bath Towel; £49 each at Toast.

Above: Julie's staple towels are Coyuchi Organic Cotton from the Point Reyes, California, company; $36 each through Amazon.

Above: Janet's linen closet basics include the white Signature Towels in Egyptian cotton terry; $24 each at Garnet Hill.

Above: Julie's favorite towels are from Forza & Home, an importer of 100 percent organic cotton handmade Turkish towels. The Forza Waffle Organic Towels (and other Forza towel lines) are available through Eden Home; $70 (currently on sale for $45.50).

Above: Macy's Hotel Collection Bath Towels are highly rated and are currently on sale for $39.99 (down from $45).

Above: Hotel towels are noted for their plushness, and the W Super Plush Hotel Towels are no exception; $24 from the W Hotel Shop.

Above: On our wish list—the Waterworks Greenway Towels, available in three subtle natural shades (featuring nonreactive dyes): white, muslin, and oatmeal; $70 each at Waterworks.

Above: A good budget choice is the Frajen Bath Towel, made from a waffle-weave cotton terry (Janet swears by the Frajen washcloth); comes with a convenient hanging twill tab; $5.99 each at Ikea.