I prefer rods. To me, hooks look messy.

Rods since the towels have more exposure to the air.

We're having some work done on our master bath, so we're currently all sharing the hall bath -- don't feel too badly for us; it's just me, hubby and one college daughter. Anyway, to the point:

We didn't have enough towel rods in the hall bathroom, so I popped a couple large Command hooks on the back of the linen closet door, and they are NOT working out as towel hooks. Why? The towels don't dry as fast as they do rods (because they're bunched up instead of spread out) -- but worse, after a couple weeks we started seeing a small bit of dark stuff, which I take to be the start of mold, where the towel touches the door.

I'm the one using the Command hook for my towel, so I've been wiping down the door every couple days. And I've started making a point of "spreading out" the towel and hanging the dryest end (not the end that I used to dry my hair) on the top.

I'm glad this is a temporary thing.

Perhaps this wouldn't be an issue with a better hook that "stands away" more from the door /wall.

Hooks remind me of a locker Room at the gym.

We have both in our master bath. I use the rod and DH uses the hook. Hands down, the rod dries the towel faster. It helps the air circulate through the towel and there’s no mustiness.

Actually we have a double rod, but I didn’t even ask DH if he’d use the other rod instead of the hook. I know he wouldn’t. Too much trouble.

Hooks will also eventually wear holes into the spots on the towel you hang it from

Theres was a houzz survey done on this a while back. https://www.houzz.com/discussions/3160544/poll-towel-bar-or-towel-hooks#n=120

A towel hung on anything behind a door will take longer to dry than one hung on the wall where there is more air circulation. We have both hooks and towel bars. If we hang the towels on the hooks at the short end of the towel instead of the middle, they dry almost as fast as one hung on the bar. I wish towels came with a hanging loop on one end.

I can't imagine giving bath towels the opportunity to get musty. A couple of baths or showers, then to the laundry the towels go. Bar or hooks work equally well for the in between.

I feel like I'm missing something here . . . what is it?

I hang the towels on hooks in the hall bath....BUT the hooks are placed on a board with molding that holds the base of the hook at least 2 inches our form the wall, allowing for air circulation. They dry even faster than a towel placed folded over a rod.