When you've got the perfect mattress to look forward to, heading back to the hotel can be the best part of a vacation. Hotel mattresses somehow manage to combine optimum support with just right cushioning, but how do they do it?
Choosing the best mattress for your sleep style can be a tough task, so it seems like a miracle that hotels seem to get the bed right every time. But the mattresses used in hotels are actually the result of some serious research and testing (with a little help from a rigorous cleaning schedule).
While we can't guarantee all the vacation perks at home, with this guide we aim to explain just why hotel mattresses are so comfortable, plus provide some tips and tricks for recreating a hotel bed in your own home.
Why are hotel mattresses so comfortable?
1. They appeal to all types of sleepers
The best hotel mattresses are the Goldilocks of beds – they’re just right for everyone. Designed to appeal to every guest in the hotel, these mattresses typically feature a firm supportive core followed by softer cushioned comfort layers.
This often translates to an innerspring or hybrid mattress with a pillow-top finish and a medium-firm feel. For example, the Westin Hotel Heavenly Bed is a 14-inch tall mattress with an innerspring base and a pillow-top surface, and the mattress used in the Ritz-Carlton has a similar design.
The Four Seasons Hotel mattress is slightly different in that it comes in three different finishes, allowing you to select the feel you prefer. But no matter what firmness you opt for, the base design remains an innerspring and memory foam mattress.
Unusually for a hotel bed, the Marriott hotel mattress is an all-foam build. Crafted with high-density soy foams, it features a quick response, strong support, and none of the 'sinking' effect you can get from softer foam beds. So, what we'd expect from a hotel mattress.
2. They're well cared for
From regular cleaning to using the best mattress protectors to being placed on the perfect bed frame or platform, hotel mattresses are well-maintained – and it shows in their comfort level.
Frequent mattress cleaning is essential to keeping your bed in tip-top condition. Not only does it banish mold and bed bugs, it also helps the interior materials maintain quality for longer. Plus, it ensures the bed looks good. Don't we all appreciate the inviting appeal of freshly cleaned sheets?
Some hotel mattresses feature specialist cleaning technology – like the silver fibers that can be found in the new Westin Heavenly Bed – but let's not overlook the importance of a good mattress protector. This simple fitted layer wraps around the bed to provide easy cleaning for spills and stains.
A good hotel mattress is considered from heat to toe, so it's important to consider the base. A hotel bed pairs a quality mattress with the best bed frame for the mattress type. Many hotels use box springs (which are often sold with the mattress) to enhance the feel of the bed itself while maintaining the supportive core materials.
3. Hotel beds are often bigger
Hotel mattresses typically have plenty of room to spread out – it's much easier to relax when you aren't fighting over the sheets. You'll often find yourself bedding down on a king when visiting a luxury hotel, compared to the queen size mattress you might have at home.
There are good reasons to choose a king mattress if you share a bed. The ample space allows you to get comfortable on your own terms, without resorting to a sleep divorce (or the last drastic Scandinavian Sleep method).
But if you don't have the room for a king, it isn't just width and length where hotel mattresses excel. Many hotel beds have enhanced comfort thanks to their thicker mattress build. Standard mattresses typically measure between 10 and 12 inches high but the Westin Heavenly Bed, for example, is 14 inches tall.
This extra mattress height gives the bed a plushness that's comfortable for many sleep styles, as well as more supportive for larger bodies. As thicker mattresses also tend to have enhanced weight capacities, they're also good for couples.
How to recreate your 5-star hotel mattress at home
If you've just returned from vacation and now your sleep set-up feels a little lackluster, there are steps you can take to add a little luxe to your bed.
(Not sure why we're raving about hotel mattresses when you sleep so badly out of the house? Our guide to the first night effect can help you sleep comfortably when traveling, so you can really appreciate that luxury bed.)
1. Treat yourself to a pillow-top mattress topper
The pillow-top mattresses typically found in hotels are premium buys, so if you don't have the budget for an upgrade, consider a pillow-top mattress topper instead. The best mattress toppers transform the overall feel of your bed. They can bring that lush cushioning you'd expect from a pillow-top mattress at a much smaller price.
Alternatively, invest in a featherbed. These down-filled mattress toppers are popular among luxury hotels, recreating the feel of a feather pillow for your entire body. The signature Ritz-Carlton Featherbed will set you back $480 for a queen at the Ritz-Carlton shop.
2. Upgrade your bedding
A classic hotel mattress uses crisp white sheets to enhance the overall appeal of the bed. Follow in the footsteps of the Westin Hotel and opt for a 250 thread count sheet – that's fine enough to be delicately soft, but not so fine to fall apart with regular washing. (But as you're probably not following the rigorous washing regime of a hotel, you can opt for a higher thread count.)
And it's not just quality but quantity as well. Westin uses a three sheet system, combining a flat sheet with a fitted sheet and middle sheet, for the ultimate in comfort. Consider the Luxe Sateen Core Sheet Set now 15% off at Brooklinen – but don't forget to add the middle sheet, to complete the look.
3. Add more pillows (and then more)
A few simple purchases can transform your mattress into a 5-star hotel bed, and the majority of those purchases are going to be pillows. Multiple pillows give a mattress bed that 'lets dive in' appeal, and they're ideal to prop you up as you enjoy breakfast in bed. Emulate the Westin Heavenly Bed with a multi-pillow set-up featuring a feather and down pillow, a down alternative pillow, and a boudoir pillow.
Our best pillow guide has multiple options to suit every sleep style, but for hotel opulence, opt for down or down alternative. The Boll & Branch Down Chamber Pillow comes in three different firmness levels so you can pick the perfect comfort for you, and there's 20% off in the Boll & Branch summer sale
