Although sleeping in your own bed is often the most emotionally comfortable place to get a good night’s sleep, there is something to be said about how physically comfortable many beds are in upscale hotels. Many of the nicer hotels use top-of-the-line mattresses to help ensure that every guest has the best sleep possible away from home.
After all, the business model for hotels is based on getting customers to come again, and if the beds are comfortable enough to compensate for the stress and change of sleeping in a bed that’s not your own, then paying guests are more likely to return time and time again and recommend the hotel to their friends and loved ones.
So, why are hotel beds and hotel mattresses so comfortable? What kind of mattresses do the best hotels use? Can you buy the same mattresses hotels use for your own bed at home? Keep reading to find out.
What mattresses do hotels use?
Five-star hotels will do anything they can to enhance your comfort at night, so they tend to invest in luxury mattresses. The specific brand and model of the mattress depends on the hotel chain, and while you might not be able to find the exact mattresses your favorite hotel uses, most are commercially available, which means you can replicate these premium home-away-from-home beds in your own home. For example, the W and Davenport use the Helix Dawn Luxe mattress.
Some hotels that use proprietary or custom mattresses also sell this bedding directly to consumers. For example, you can buy the Ritz Carlton’s luxury Sealy Posturepedic mattresses or Four Seasons’ bedding. You can also buy a Kimpton mattress or any of the bedding used at Marriott hotels. Mattresses from other hotel chains may also be available on Amazon, such as the Sheraton hotel’s mattress.
Finally, most upscale hotels will disclose the specific type of mattress they use, so you can call them up and then get your search underway.
Why are hotel mattresses so comfortable?
In addition to creating an ambiance of comfort and luxury through white bedding—deemed the “halo effect”—hotels rely on high-quality mattresses to provide the perfect level of comfort, support, and pressure relief to help guests have an excellent sleep. Upscale hotels usually use luxury mattresses that are either hybrid, traditional innerspring, or memory foam. Hybrid mattresses are becoming particularly commonplace, as they strike the balance between supportive innerspring coals and body-cradling memory foam.
These mattresses provide targeted support to the lower back and reduce pressure buildup under the shoulders and hips for side sleepers. They are also designed to minimize motion transfer, which allows guests to sleep peacefully without getting disturbed by a potential bed partner. Using special materials like breathable fibers and copper innerspring, high-quality hotel mattresses also help regulate temperature and promote air circulation to keep your body cool as you sleep.
The majority of luxury hotel beds also have plush mattress toppers on their mattresses. Often made of memory foam or latex, these mattress toppers further cradle the body and conform to your every contour for a delightfully comfortable yet supportive feeling.
Do hotels use soft or firm mattresses?
Most hotel beds have medium-firm mattresses, which fall roughly in the 5-8 range on the 1-10 mattress firmness scale. Medium-firm mattresses often strike the optimal balance of support and pressure relief for back sleepers, side sleepers, and stomach sleepers alike, which is why they’re an ideal choice for a hotel with a constantly rotating clientele. Back and stomach sleepers still get the firmness they crave, while side sleepers can get the body contouring and give necessary to accommodate bony shoulders and hips digging into the mattress.
Most hotels replace their mattresses every three to five years, though the specific timetable varies between establishments based on volume, usage, budget, type of mattress, and mattress brand. Most mattresses are designed to last upwards of 7-10 years or more, but hotel mattresses are typically replaced more frequently because comfort and support of the mattress is paramount to their business and their mattresses often get heavy use.
Why should I buy a hotel mattress?
While there are certainly cheaper options on the market, investing in a good mattress can be invaluable in helping you get a good night’s sleep. And that’s where buying a hotel mattress either directly from the hotel or online can help.
According to Hotel Chantelle, a travel information website and blog, hotel mattresses are generally of higher quality, with better support and comfort than the ones you find at most big-box mattress stores. However, this can also come with a higher price tag. Hotel Chantelle reported that a hotel mattress could cost up to $5,000 for a high-end model used by luxury hotel chains.
Because they are designed to be used by large numbers of guests, all of varying sizes and with different sleeping styles, hotel mattresses generally last longer than regular mattresses, as they are usually made with higher-quality materials. And because they are made to accommodate so many different sleeping styles, a hotel mattress is usually good for couples with different mattress needs.
Although the price can be higher, having a durable, comfortable, top-of-the-line hotel mattress can pay for itself in the form of relaxing and restful sleep for years.
And isn’t a good night’s sleep worth it?
