Sleep well in hotel bed

A poor night’s sleep is an all too common problem when you’re staying at a hotel, says Alistair Hughes, the managing director of Savoir Beds, a London-based company that sells beds and handmade mattresses to more than 50 hotels globally. “A hotel is an unfamiliar setting which can impact the quality of the rest you get,” he said.

Hughes, who spends more than half the year staying at hotels around the world, said a sound sleep in a hotel room can be had, if travellers follow a few key pieces of advice.

His tips:

Stay loyal to a few brands: Hotels usually invest in one kind of mattress for all of the properties in their collection, so if you’ve had a good night’s sleep at one Hyatt, Four Seasons or another brand, stay with that brand as much as you can. “It takes time for your body to become accustomed to a new bed, which can lead to fitful sleep,” Hughes said.

Ask before booking: Ask the hotel’s concierge staff about what materials the property’s mattresses are made with, because these materials impact how well you sleep. A mattress constructed of polyester or foam doesn’t breathe well, meaning that no matter how low you crank the air conditioning, your body can still overheat and sweat. Materials such as cotton, wool, horsehair and cashmere breathe well and keep you cool, leading to a better rest.

Make special requests: If your mattress is too hard, request an extra comforter to go under the sheets to soften it up a bit. And when you are making your booking, request a room on a high floor that’s not near the elevator so you hear less noise.

Set the mood: A quiet, dark, cool room is the ideal environment for sleeping well, Hughes said. Create this ambience by having earplugs to block noise, using the blackout blinds your room likely has and setting the temperature to between 18 and 19 degrees Celsius.

Unwind before bed: When you get back to your hotel room at the end of the day, relax before hitting the sack – doing so, Hughes said, will help you sleep better. Read a book or magazine, take a bath and drink a cup of herbal tea. – The New York Times