Written by Pam Moore
Image by @Melissaswardrobe
There is nothing like the cosy, luxurious feeling of sinking into a hotel bed for a good nights sleep. From the plump, fluffy pillows to the crisp white sheets, if you’ve ever wondered how to re-create that hotel bed experience, then these helpful tips would make even Goldilocks feel jealous.
Mattress:
First things first your mattress! A good mattress is an essential element for upgrading your sleep experience. If a new mattress isn’t on the cards, then a mattress topper not only provides added comfort but also protects your mattress from any accidents and extends its life (although this is not its primary function).
When choosing a mattress topper, I really recommend goose feather and down to recreate that cushioned feeling or a synthetic filling that mimics the feel of feather and down if you have allergies or lifestyle objections.
Pillows:
The 2s company, 3s a crowd rule does not apply with pillows, in fact, the more the merrier. For a double to kingsize bed, anywhere between 4-6 pillows will make sure you are cosy from head to toe.
Not all of these pillows will be used for sleeping. I would use two of these pillows for sitting up and reading a book or perhaps having breakfast in bed. For this, you want to choose a firm square feather pillow.
For the other four, I would opt for two soft and two firm down pillows. Siberian and Hungarian goose down is the filling of choice. Not only are they breathable and regulate your body’s temperature, but it also creates that sleeping on clouds feeling we all long for.
Again, if you object to down pillows there are some amazing alternatives on the market.
Duvet:
Just like your pillows, a down-filled (or ‘synthetic down’) duvet is a hotel best kept secret until now. The key things to look for when choosing a duvet are:
- TOG Rating: The tog ratings measure how good your duvet is at trapping heat. Essentially, the higher the tog, the warmer your duvet will be. Tog ratings can range from 2.5 to 15 but the most common ratings in the UK are 4.5-13.5. Hotels in the UK typically use the 13.5 rating to ensure they keep guests warm in cold weather.
Photo credit: https://www.pondenhome.co.uk/duvet-guide
– Fill Power (Loft): In simpler terms, loft or fill power measures the fluffiness of the down fibres in a duvet. It ranges from 450 to 900 cubic inches per ounce, and you want to ensure that your duvet has at least 550 cubic inches. Duvets with a high fill power rating means a light, fluffy duvet that will keep you warm and last longer.
– Construction: How a duvet is made or sewn is equally important as the loft and tog. Why you ask? Because you want to make sure that the filling stays equally distributed whilst you sleep, so you’re not left with any cold areas. For this, I recommend shopping for a baffle box construction, so that the fibres don’t clump together or move around as the pockets are sewn shut.
– Size: Aside from making sure you buy the right size duvet for your bed, some additional points you may want to consider are:
– A larger size duvet can enhance your bed aesthetics as it will drape over the edge of the bed and make it look fuller.
– If you share the bed with your partner, a larger duvet will make sure you aren’t left in the cold if/when they rollover
Sheets:
Last but by no means least, sheets. When it comes to purchasing sheets, only cotton will do – specifically Egyptian cotton or Pima if you’re feeling extra fancy. Not only are they breathable, but they will help you stay cool at night.
Another important factor to remember is the thread count. Thread count measures the number of threads in a square inch of fabric. The higher the thread count, the softer the sheets. Since we’re going for hotel standard, at a minimum, opt for sheets with a 300 thread count. Anything lower than this won’t be as soft and will fall short of our hotel sleeping experience.
So there you have it, everything you need to add a touch of hotel luxury to your bed and have a five-star snooze.
