The Guava Lotus is an incredibly popular pack-and-play option. It has nearly 2,000 reviews on Amazon, of which almost all are 5-star (average, at the time of publishing is 4.8). The major selling point in my eyes is that it has a huge opening, via zipper, on one of the sides which means it works incredibly well when you want to put baby down without waking him or her or “breaking” your back (this unique zipper is also key if you’re nursing to sleep). Plus, it folds up into a backpack (you can also hold it like a traditional duffel-style bag as well) making it ideal if you’re tight on space. As for the set-up, it’s so easy you won’t need the instruction manual.
I’ve used this both as a sleep (it has a safe, firm, non-toxic mattress made without flame retardants) and play space (the top is wide making it great for this) and it works wonderfully for both. On top of it all, it’s sturdy, doesn’t take up too much space (can be used as travel carry-on) and slightly older kids will love running in and out of the zippered opening!
