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This article has been researched and reviewed by Stephanie Abi Zeid (Embryologist, Andrologist, B.S, MSc) for factual accuracy.
If you’ve ever slept on a hotel bed, then you’ve probably noticed how comfortable the mattress is.
But why are hotel mattresses so comfortable?
Hotel mattresses are comfortable because they use high-quality hybrid spring memory foam or latex foam designs for exceptional pressure relief and support; along with mattress toppers, soft sheets, fluffy comforters, down pillows, and pristine room décor to create a comfortable ambiance.
The rest of this article goes into more detail to explain how hotels make their mattresses so comfortable, how you can make your own mattress as comfortable as a hotel mattress, and the exact mattress brands that hotels use in their rooms.
Looking for hotel-level comfort? Then I personally recommend the Puffy Lux Hybrid mattress (click here for my personal review and to save $300) because it contours to the shape of your body for outstanding pressure relief and postural support.
What Makes Hotel Mattresses so Comfortable?
Below are the 6 reasons why hotel mattresses are so comfortable:
1: High-Quality Design Provides Pressure Relief and Support
The top-rated hotels invest in top-quality mattress designs that typically fall in the medium-firm range and can regulate your temperature, relieve pressure points, isolate movement, and last long enough to accommodate a large volume of guests throughout the year.
Hybrid, innerspring, and memory foam mattresses are found most frequently in hotel rooms because they promote high levels of comfort and support.
Innerspring mattresses use a series of coils to provide support, bounce, and proper ventilation so that you sleep cool throughout the night.
Memory foam mattresses conform to the shape of your body, relieve pressure points, and absorb motion so that you can sleep without disturbances from your sleeping partner.
However, memory foam mattresses can retain heat, and cause you to sleep hot and sweaty throughout the night unless they feature some type of temperature-regulating features like gel beads or perforated foams.
Therefore, hotels favor hybrid mattresses with a combination of foam and coils because they allow for the maximum amount of heat dissipation and ventilation to help regulate your temperature.
Hotels often choose medium-firm mattresses because this tends to be the level of firmness that suits the widest range of sleeping styles and may help to alleviate back pain in some individuals.
Other mattresses made of feather, down, and polyester fiber fills are not commonly found in hotel rooms because they provide so little support and are often cheap and flimsy.
2: Mattress Toppers Increase Cushioning
Some hotels add a mattress topper on top of the regular mattress to offer an extra layer of cushioning and comfort.
Mattress toppers can adjust the firmness level of a mattress and protect the mattress from wearing out prematurely.
Some mattress toppers are even designed to be placed on just one side of the bed when two sleeping partners have different firmness preferences.
3: Soft Sheets Feel Good On Your Skin
Hotels usually opt for light, breathable, and crisp sheets such as long-staple cotton with a thread count of around 300 – the higher the thread count, the softer the sheets (as a general rule).
The sheets in hotels are not only soft and comfortable on the skin, but they also smell good due to special cleaners, detergents, and fabric softeners that are used to wash the sheets regularly.
The pleasant scent of the sheets gives a serene feeling that helps you fall asleep peacefully.
In addition to cleanliness, hotels use flat sheets that are ironed, stretched, and tucked underneath the mattress in a very tidy way.
4: Fluffy Comforters Keep You Warm and Cozy
Most hotels incorporate down-filled comforters on top of the sheets and mattresses to provide a fluffy and comfortable feel.
Comforters have insulation properties, which can help you to stay warm throughout the night.
Hotels usually buy comforters that are wider and longer in comparison with the ones you use at home so that the bed looks more luxurious.
Some comforters come with ‘baffles’ – which prevent the down filling from clumping together whilst improving breathability.
5: Different Pillow Sets Provide Head Support
Hotels use a variety of pillows to accommodate the needs of the widest number of guests to provide support for your head and neck.
You may generally find two soft and two firm down pillows on the bed because down pillows are light, soft, and durable.
Hotels make sure the pillows are properly stuffed so that they don’t flatten out after a few nights.
6: Pristine Room Arrangements Are Calming
Most hotels opt for white to paint their walls and for their luxury bedding because an all-white decor makes the room look hygienic, luxurious, and recently renovated.
White sheets offer the guests a sense of calming well-being and are easier for hotels to clean.
Furthermore, hotel rooms provide a tidy and clutter-free space to unwind your body and mind (some hotels may even follow the principles of Feng Shui to help balance the energy in your hotel room for a more relaxing experience).
Hotels often use ‘hospital corners’ to make their bed – this involves tucking the sheets neatly underneath the mattress using overlapping folds at the corners of the bed [1].
The professionally made appearance of the bed can create a comforting allure.
How to Make Your Mattress Feel Like a Hotel Mattress
Follow the 6 steps below to make your own mattress feel as comfortable as a hotel mattress without leaving your own home:
1: Invest in a New Luxury Mattress
Upgrading your old mattress is key to a good night’s sleep.
Because if your current mattress is more than 5-7 years old and/or is sagging then this could be contributing to back pain and restlessness.
If you are into traditional mattresses, then choose a thick innerspring mattress with a box spring underneath, which provides a steady surface for mattress support.
Box springs are known to increase the height of the mattress – making it look sumptuous and easier to get in and out of the bed.
However, there are plenty of comfortable mattresses that don’t require a box spring that you can buy.
For the maximum level of comfort, you should go for a hybrid spring mattress topped with either latex or memory foam, in the firmness that best suits your physical characteristics and sleeping style.
I personally recommend the Puffy Lux Hybrid – it’s the mattress that I sleep on and I love how it makes my shoulders and hips feel comfy when I sleep on my side (click here to learn more in my hands-on review).
2: Use a Mattress Topper
Investing in a mattress topper can adjust the firmness of your mattress and enhance how it performs without going to the expense of buying a new mattress.
A mattress topper is an extra cushioning layer that sits on top of your old mattress and increases its level of comfort.
It cradles your body and relieves the pressure points on your hips, shoulders, and knees.
Opt for memory foam or latex models to absorb motion so that you can sleep without disturbances from your sleeping partner.
If you want to spend less money and sleep cooler throughout the night, then pick a featherbed instead of a mattress topper because it provides a very soft and fluffy sleeping surface that regulates body temperature and alleviates body aches.
3: Leverage Plush Pillows
Piling on two to four big fluffy pillows on the bed generates a ‘sleeping on a cloud’ feeling.
Opt for down fill pillows or down alternative pillows – they give the bed a luxurious appearance and a plush environment to sleep on.
You can let your head sink into them peacefully, use them as body pillows to relieve your pressure points, or lean your back against them while sitting in bed to read or to watch TV (although an adjustable bed is generally better for helping you to sit up comfortably).
4: Choose Flat White Sheets
Putting crisp flat white sheets over your mattress provides a hotel-like look and feel.
Choose flat sheets instead of fitted sheets to avoid loose overstretched elastic corners and to create a smooth and wrinkle-free fit.
Go for cotton percale sheets because they have around 200+ thread count, whilst promoting more softness and breathability in comparison to other fabrics – plus they last longer.
Choose white sheets to bring freshness and a sense of tranquility to the room, as this is the color scheme that is used in hotel rooms.
5: Clean Your Sheets Regularly
Replacing and cleaning the sheets on a regular basis is essential to sleep better and to stay healthy.
So wash your sheets at least once a week to get rid of dust mites and use a fabric softener to give your sheets a light fragrance while keeping them soft and wrinkle-free.
In a study run by the National Sleep Foundation, 75% of the sleepers have reported sleeping better on sheets that smell good [2].
Therefore, use a laundry detergent with a pleasant scent, or spray essential oils and water on the sheets to make your mattress more inviting to sleep on – just like in hotel rooms.
6: Use Hospital Corner Folds
Making the bed by folding ‘hospital corners’ creates a crisp and elegant ambiance.
To create a hospital corner, lay a flat sheet on the bed and tuck the four corners underneath the mattress, then pull up the leftover of the sheets on top of the mattress creating a triangle.
Finally, pull down the remaining portion of sheet and tuck it firmly underneath the mattress.
Keep the sheets and covers neat and smooth by ironing them or by spraying them with water and smoothing them with your hands – this gives your bed a comfortable appearance and feels just like a hotel mattress.
See the video below for a visual demonstration on how to fold a hospital corner:
What Mattresses Do Hotels Use?
Whilst some hotels keep the brands of their mattresses confidential, other big hotel chains sell their beds on their websites and in shops – with some of the brands being household names.
Below is a list of the 3 mattress brands that hotels mostly use with a description of each:
1: Simmons Beautyrest
Simmons bedding company is a well-established company with a great reputation in the sleep industry because of its high-end products.
Their top-of-the-line mattress brand is Beautyrest, with their models being engineered to ensure that your body is well supported and your weight is evenly distributed whilst your spine stays aligned for great posture and comfort all night.
Top-rated hotels including The Four Seasons, The Peninsula, and W Hotel customize their own mattresses in collaboration with Simmons.
At The Four Seasons hotels, the mattresses are equipped with pocket coils to offer extra support in comparison to innerspring mattresses and some temperature regulating technology to absorb heat.
They also isolate movement to make you sleep better throughout the night.
If you happen to stay at any of the Four Seasons hotels, then you can buy a mattress directly from the hotel.
Similarly, The Peninsula and W Hotel chains use Simmons mattresses that are plush and comfortable.
The mattresses are kitted out with quilted mattress toppers, which provide an extra cushioning layer to enhance how the mattress performs.
2: Serta
Serta is known for manufacturing comfortable mattresses that are found in high-end hotels such as The Hilton Hotel.
Their mattresses have pocketed coils to ensure a reduction in motion transfer, an even weight distribution, and support to all body types – plus a high level of comfort for all sleeping positions.
Serta mattresses also have reinforced edges to guard against sagging and roll-off.
The Hilton hotel created a mattress known as ‘The Serenity Mattress’ – which you can purchase from their website along with other bedding products.
3: Sealy
Sealy is a long-standing name in the sleep industry known for making high-quality mattresses.
Their mattresses are tremendously durable and equipped with a pillow top that provides extra comfort.
Sealy mattresses are made of dense memory foam, which relieves pressure points and provides body contouring and support whilst maintaining a neutral spine alignment.
They also have a cooling technology for hot sleepers.
You can find Sealy mattresses at Fairmont Hotels and at Ritz-Carlton hotels.
Give Your Mattress That Luxury Hotel Feel
If you’d like to replicate the comfort of a hotel mattress in your own home then you should look to buy a new mattress made from luxurious materials – using a mattress topper if desired, selecting soft sheets, using a fluffy comforter, buying plush pillows, and using hospital corner folds for the sheets.
If you’re ready to buy a new mattress then click the button below to see my #1 recommendations now – as personally tested by myself.
Sources and References
[1] Apartment Therapy – How To Fold Hospital Corners. Accessed 20/11/20.
[2] Sleep Foundation – Fresh Sheets for a Better Sleep. Accessed 20/11/20.
Image Attribution and Licencing
Main image – ‘Bathrobe on Hotel Bed’ by Jupiter Images (From Photo Images), used with permission under Canva’s One Design Use License Agreement.
Dan is the founder and head content creator at Bedroom Style Reviews.
He has been working as a professional online product reviewer since 2015 and was inspired to start this website when he ended up sleeping on a memory foam mattress that was too soft and gave him backache.
Through in-depth research and analysis, Dan’s goal with this website is to help others avoid such pitfalls by creating the best online resource for helping you find your ideal mattress, bedding, and bedroom furniture.
Dan is a qualified NVQ Level 2 Fitness Instructor with 6 years’ experience helping clients improve their health through diet, exercise, and proper sleep hygiene.
He also holds several college and university-level qualifications in health sciences, psychology, mathematics, art, and digital media creation – which helps him to publish well researched and informative product reviews as well as articles on sleep, health, wellbeing, and home decor.
Dan also has direct personal experience with insomnia, anxiety, misophonia (hypersensitivity to sounds), and pain from both acute and long-standing sporting injuries – he enjoys writing insightful articles around these subjects to help fellow sufferers of such conditions.
Learn more about Dan here.