After a long day of exploring, nothing beats coming back to an impeccably turned-down hotel room and sliding under a fluffy duvet into crisp, cool sheets. Wish you could have that same feeling at home? While you may not be able to recreate having someone place a chocolate on your pillow each night, there are plenty of things you can do to create a five-star sleeping experience—and most of it comes down to the small details and nightly rituals that signal to your brain it’s time to relax. Here’s how to do it.
Edit the Space
Luxury hotel rooms are never cluttered by design. (If you’ve emptied your suitcase all over the floor, that’s another story.) Clear surfaces of objects and opt for calm, neutral tones in your paint and furnishings. Do a purge of your bedroom and keep your nightstand minimal, since it’s the closest thing to your bed.
Build the Bed
The luxury hotel bedroom centers around the bed. If you’ve ever slept better at a particular hotel than anywhere else in your life, you may actually be able to buy that exact mattress. Marriott, for example, sells the Westin Heavenly Bed, the Ritz-Carlton mattress, and the Le Meridien mattress directly to consumers.
Top it off with high-quality sheets. For that signature crisp feeling, most hotels use percale, which delivers a cool, clean sleeping surface. Frette is a popular choice among five-star properties.
Most hotels use duvets instead of comforters. Microfiber is your best bet as it’s hypoallergenic, but still delivers that fluffy, cloud-like feel of down.
The right pillow will make or break your luxurious bed. Look for one designed around your specific sleep position. Side sleepers, in particular, benefit from a pillow with a contoured shape that keeps the neck and shoulders properly aligned. I recommend Honeydew Sleep’s The Scrumptious Side Sleeper Pillow, which is filled with Copper-infused foam. This unique foam is cooler than gel-based memory foam and has naturally antibacterial properties that keeps your pillow fresh. A hidden zipper lets you adjust the fill height so the pillow feels custom-made for you.
Control the Light
A dark room is essential for truly restful sleep. Install blackout curtains (a staple of any five-star hotel) or, if that’s not an option, use a silk sleep mask. For bedside lighting, opt for warm lamps with soft, golden-toned bulbs that you can dim as you wind down for the night.
Create a Signature Scent
Many hotel brands use signature scents to help guests relax and create lasting sensory memories, and you can do the same at home. Use a linen spray or diffuser with calming lavender notes to help you unwind and sleep more deeply.
Keep it Quiet
Heavy blackout curtains will help muffle outside noise as well, but if you live in an apartment building or on a busy street, there’s only so much you can do short of a full renovation. Instead, lean on a white noise machine or sound-masking sleep earbuds to drown out disruptive sounds.
Set the Temperature
According to the Sleep Foundation, the ideal temperature for a good night’s rest is between 65–68°F. Set your thermostat accordingly and let the cool air do its job.
Add a Turndown Ritual
You may not have a housekeeper stopping by each evening, but creating your own nightly ritual can go a long way toward getting your mind and body ready for sleep. Take a minute to reset your room: turn down the sheets, dim the lights, and spritz your linen mist.
