When you lay your head down on a hotel pillow, you instantly recognize its quality. It’s fluffy but not too fluffy. It’s supportive but not too firm. It’s basically the Goldilocks of pillows.
When you lay your head down on a hotel pillow, you instantly recognize its quality. It’s fluffy but not too fluffy. It’s supportive but not too firm. It’s basically the Goldilocks of pillows. But perfect pillows aren’t exclusively for nice hotels. The same manufacturers that supply hotels with their cloud-like pillows also sell directly to shoppers, so you can sleep like a pampered guest in the comfort of your own home.
In this article, we’ll walk you through everything you need to know about where to find hotel-quality pillows and how to shop for them.
- What Pillows Do Hotels Use?
- Where Do Hotels Get Their Pillows?
- How to Shop for Hotel Quality Pillows
Hotel-Quality Pillows - What You Need to Know
It’s easy to buy hotel-quality pillows yourself, but first you must know what to look for. Before we delve into your shopping options, we’ll answer some common questions shoppers have about finding the best pillows.
What Pillows do Hotels Use?
Hotels have high criteria when it comes to pillows. They must provide guests with a perfect night’s sleep, accommodate a range of pillow preferences, and maintain pillow fluffiness despite constant use. That’s a tall order, but there are two types that fit the bill: down, and feather and down alternative. These filler types provide the highest quality, comfort, and durability.
Hotels are also careful to select pillows with the perfect blend of fluffiness and support. They look for pillows with medium firmness that have a three- to five-inch loft, which is the height of the pillow when it’s compressed. This provides enough versatility to accommodate most guests.
What Are the Best Pillows Materials?
Down and feather pillows are generally considered to be the best option on the market. They provide the perfect level of fluff, resist wear and tear, offer excellent temperature regulation, and get more comfortable with use.
While down is considered the best of the best, down alternative is a close runner up. Down alternative is a blend of fibers that closely resemble the features of down. They provide a great balance of softness and support, and they’re very durable. They also have the added benefit of being hypoallergenic.
Where Do Hotels Get Their Pillows?
Hotel pillows may seem like they come from a magical land of pillow perfection that only hotels can access, but it’s not true. These pillows come from name-brand suppliers that also sell directly to the public, so you can have hotel-quality pillows, too.
Your favorite luxury hotel may offer pillows for sale on their website, but they purchase these from a supplier, brand them, and then sell them at a markup. You can find the same hotel-quality pillows for less directly from brands such as FluffCo.
Now that you know where to look for hotel-quality pillows, the next step is learning how to choose the best pillows for your home.
How to Shop for Hotel-Quality Pillows
All hotel-quality pillows will surpass any you’ll find at a big box store, but there are still essential nuances to consider when shopping for your new pillows. There are several different filler options, and each comes with its own characteristics. We’ll cover the most common fillers so you can find your dream pillows.
What Pillow Material Should I Choose?
The filler material is the most important component of a pillow. It dictates the pillow’s durability, cost, and feel. We’ve covered all the need-to-know info to help you choose your perfect hotel-quality pillow.
Down
Down is the ultra-soft undercoat from a goose or duck. Down is exceptional at regulating temperature, meaning you won’t constantly be flipping your pillow over in search of the cool side. While down from both geese and ducks is softer and better at regulating temperature than any other material, goose down is noticeably better in this area.
Pillows filled with down are the most durable option on the market. It’s not unusual for a down pillow to stay in great condition for several years if it’s maintained properly (they actually get softer and even more comfortable with age!). This durability offsets its price tag, which is often in the $65-$120 range for a single pillow. Compared to a $10 cotton-filled pillow that provides less comfort and will go flat in about six months, the down pillow is the smarter investment.
Down and Feather Combo
In addition to 100% down pillows, some hotels also use a combination of down and feather filling to create a more supportive pillow. This is an excellent option if you prefer a firmer pillow but still want the comfort and durability of down.
These hybrid pillows come in a wide variety of mixes, ranging from half down and half feathers to 5% down and 95% feathers. As a general rule, the more feather content in the pillow, the firmer it will be. A half-and-half ratio is most common for hotel use. This creates a very supportive pillow but still has a satisfying fluffiness.
Down Alternative
Down alternative fill provides the fluffy-yet-supportive comfort of down but with a less expensive price tag. It’s made with a special blend of synthetic fibers that’s designed to mimic the physical characteristics of down pillows.
While they are not quite as long-lasting as true down, they're much more durable than cotton fill. This pillow material is an excellent choice for vegans and allergy sufferers because it doesn’t use any animal products, and it still provides a luxurious hotel-pillow experience.
Cotton and Polyester Fill
If you’re not ready to invest in pricier pillows, cotton or polyester fill pillows are an inexpensive option that you can find at almost any big box store. These pillows come in a variety of styles, so you can easily find a pillow with your preferred firmness level. The downsides are that they aren’t hotel-quality, and they’ll likely need to be replaced within a year.
Find Your Perfect Hotel-Quality Pillow
Now that we’ve covered all the secrets about finding the best hotel pillows to buy, you can recreate the luxury hotel experience right in your own home. Review the filler options to choose the one that works best for you, then check out FluffCo’s selection of hotel-quality pillows to find your perfect match.