Get a vacation-worthy night’s sleep every night.
There’s nothing like falling into a fluffy hotel bed. The sumptuous sheets, heavy comforters, and surplus of pillows make hotel beds so much better than our beds at home.
People spend considerable time and money trying to recreate that perfectly blissful feeling of waking up in a five-star hotel bed, but it turns out there are specific tricks the best hotels use to create that one-of-a-kind experience.
Before you waste any more time feeling like Goldilocks, there are several ways you can transform your bed at home to make it feel like you’re sinking into a feather top at the Savoy every night.
Stick to White Linens
You may have noticed the lack of color in most upscale hotels; this gives a room the feeling of newness and cleanliness. “The all-white bed created this halo effect. People thought a room had been renovated, even if it was just the bed that had been changed. It had a huge impact,” Erin Hoover, former vice president of design for Westin and Sheraton, told HuffPost.
Always Go with the Highest Thread Count Possible
The higher your thread count, the softer the sheet. Generally speaking, most luxury sheets are made with cotton (usually Egyptian cotton) with a thread count around 300 or more.
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Don’t Use a Fitted Sheet
Check around your hotel bed and you might notice something is missing: elastic. Many hotels use an oversized flat sheet in place of a fitted sheet for the smoothest sleeping surface possible. Here’s a video on how to tuck them properly.
Use a Down Comforter with a Cotton Duvet
Stuffing a duvet is tricky, but once it’s done you’ll wonder how you ever slept without it. A nice, heavy down comforter (as long as you’re not allergic) with a breathable cotton duvet is one of the many secrets to a perfect hotel-night’s sleep. A duvet that’s a few inches longer on each side adds some extra fluffiness.
More is More When It Comes to Pillows
When they said less is more, they were not talking about pillows. The best hotels are normally equipped with two to four down pillows (again, check and see if you have an allergy), about two fiber-filled pillows, and perhaps a few decorative ones as well.
Go with a Featherbed
Even if your mattress is firm, you could also use a bit of fluff to lull you into dreamland. Add a feather mattress topper to really mimic the dreamy, fluffy hotel bed feel.
Sleep on a Quality Mattress
When it comes to mattresses, you really get what you pay for. Many hotels invest in custom mattresses exclusively made for their hotels. While you may not get the same treatment, investing in the best mattress for your body will make a world of difference in your sleep.
Warm Up Your Lighting
The right lighting can help give you the best setting for sleep. Many hotels use lots of lamps and sconces with warm-colored bulbs in lower wattage to keep the room cozy. This kind of lighting is also great for helping the brain relax at the end of the day so you can snooze soundly through the night.
Treat Your Feet to a Fluffy Rug
Your bed is so much more than your mattress. A fluffy rug to hug your feet as you get out of bed in the morning is like the cherry on top of a good night’s sleep. Not only have you been resting in the best bed imaginable, but your feet get a little extra TLC, too.
Make Your Bedside Table an Oasis
Hotels have mastered the bedside table with all the essentials: a lamp, an alarm clock, and maybe a bit of decor. Your bedside table should strike the balance between minimal and maximal, holding your essentials for your nighttime ritual while also looking like a beautiful accent for the room. To do this, take away any clutter and keep whatever you might need (your clock, your lamp, etc.). Then, as a final touch, add one more decorative piece such as flowers, a candle, or a small piece of art.
Make Going to Bed a Ritual
While you may not have access to a hotel turn-down service at home, you can recreate the experience by devising your own bedtime ritual. The best thing for sleep is to unwind at the end of the day by dimming the lights, listening to music, pulling back your sheets, and making your bedtime feel special.
