Choosing Your Perfect Pillow Firmness: A Hotel-Like Experience at Home

When you check into a hotel, choosing your drink, meal, or room is nothing out of the ordinary. But did you know that at some hotels, you can also choose the pillow you’ll sleep on? That’s less well-known, but don’t worry—we’re here to guide you through the different pillow options available and help you find the one that best suits your sleeping position. Handy for when you're faced with this luxurious decision at a hotel, and even better when you're ready to bring that same luxury into your own bedroom.

The Pillow Menu

Let’s talk about this menu and the variety of pillows available. While most people only describe their pillow as either “square” or “rectangular,” a hotel’s pillow menu can feature anywhere from five to sixteen different pillows, each with its own shape, firmness, and unique qualities. Some might be filled with buckwheat for extra support, others with a mid-firm core to relieve neck pain, and some might even contain lavender to help you relax.

As you can see, when it comes to pillows, “less is more” definitely doesn’t apply. In fact, the abundance of choices is exactly what gives you that luxurious, five-star hotel feeling you crave during your stay.

The Standard

A hotel bed is typically made up with two to four down pillows and two microfiber pillows, often accompanied by two body or reading pillows. Sounds heavenly, right? But there’s more. Hotel pillows are different from the ones most people have at home. They are usually wider: standard hotel pillows measure 90 cm or even a full meter across.

This added width not only looks great (after all, who wouldn’t want to sink into a bed overflowing with plush pillows?), but it also benefits your body. Hotel pillows tend to be 50 cm high, offering not just comfort but also proper support. The distribution of the filling ensures that your neck is supported exactly where it needs to be.

The Hotel Pillow

Think about it tonight when you get into bed and take a closer look at your pillow. Your head only covers a small portion of the pillow's surface. Do you really need all that height? Now imagine a hotel pillow—long enough to provide full coverage, yet perfectly proportioned in height. It gives you that luxurious feeling every time you turn over: a pillow that feels fresh and untouched.

And the best part? You don’t need to check into a hotel to enjoy this experience. You can bring this five-star luxury into your own home. But first, you need to know which pillow is right for you. Here’s a breakdown:

Help! Which Pillow Should I Choose?

As we mentioned earlier, in some hotels, you can choose from up to sixteen different pillows. But which one suits you best? Before we dive into your sleeping position, we’d like to make a case for the hotel pillow. In fact, we think hotel pillows should become the new standard.

First, the standard Dutch pillow size of 60x70 cm is actually too small to give your bed that beautifully made look. Hotel pillows, at 90 or even 100 cm wide, span the full width of your bed. Not only do they feel great, but they also look fantastic, giving you that ultimate luxury hotel vibe.

And what about the height? Does it add any extra comfort?

Actually, no. When you lay your head on a standard pillow, the filling shifts upward, giving you height you don’t need, while leaving your neck unsupported. Hotel pillows, on the other hand, are 50 cm high, meaning the filling stays right where it should be: providing support for your neck. What more could you ask for—besides a hotel pillow right now?

Now that you know you want a hotel pillow, it’s also important to choose one that suits your sleeping position:

I’m a Side Sleeper

If you sleep on your side, a medium-firm to firm/extra firm pillow is best for you. Next, decide on the filling: synthetic, which typically feels firmer and offers more bounce, or a natural filling like down and feathers, which provide softer support. For extra support, opt for firm or extra firm.

I’m a Back Sleeper

If you sleep on your back, congratulations! This is the best position for your spine and neck. To maintain proper alignment, we recommend a medium or medium-firm pillow, such as…our 50x90 cm hotel pillow. You’ve just read all about it: smaller pillow, better balance of filling, and it looks fantastic, too.

Again, you can choose between synthetic or natural filling. Synthetic pillows tend to feel firmer and offer more bounce—go for medium firmness. A feather and down filling is more breathable and provides softer support—choose firm for this option.

I’m a Stomach Sleeper

Sleeping on your stomach isn’t ideal, as your neck is always turned, which isn’t great for your body. We actually recommend sleeping without a pillow, or if you must use one, choose the softest option available. We offer a range of soft pillows to choose from, with a feather and down filling providing the softest support.

Now that you know which firmness is best for you, you can order your perfect pillow. And if you’d prefer to try them out in person, come visit us in our showroom where we’ll have coffee waiting for you!