Sure, you can grab a paper napkin or even rip a paper-towel sheet from the roll on your way to the dinner table. Both are adequate ways to keep your hands and face tidy while dining. It could be the way soft linen draped across your lap feels intentional and comforting.
For some, setting a table with thoughtfully selected napkins is simply a way to express their personal aesthetic. Practically speaking, cloth napkins are just better than their disposable paper counterparts.
And we think all of these pros far outweigh the small chore of laundering and folding them. These soft, absorbent dinner napkins are finished with deep hems and clean stitching. They withstand repeated laundering without excessively shrinking or becoming misshapen, and their deep hems with mitered corners press flat, with minimal puckering.
But we think the bright white version is the platonic ideal of understated elegance. It just might be our favorite white napkin among all of our picks. Williams Sonoma also sells the coordinating Hotel Tablecloth in a healthy variety of shapes and sizes to suit your needs. The one downside to the Hotel Dinner Napkins is you can purchase them in a set of 12 only. This might be a lot for some people.
But if you do have a place to stash those extra napkins, they can be backups for larger gatherings. Even though these napkins are a big investment, with proper care and storage, they will likely last a lifetime and beyond.
