A hotel quality pillow is a bed pillow built to the standard hotels buy for their rooms: a full, even filling in a tightly woven white cover, made to be washed often. Hotels use 2 main kinds. Luxury hotels use feather and down pillows, and mainstream chains use hollowfibre, a synthetic down alternative. This guide covers what named hotel chains use, why hotel pillows feel the way they do, and how to set up the same bed at home.
| Hotel | Pillow filling | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Marriott hotels | Down and Lyocell outer chamber, duck feather inner chamber | Marriott's own shop |
| Marriott down alternative | Polyester fibre, feather-free | Marriott's own shop |
| Ritz-Carlton | Outer chamber of 70% white down and 30% Lyocell, inner chambers of duck feather | Marriott's own shop |
| Premier Inn | Blown hollowfibre, one soft and one firm pillow per pair | Premier Inn, 2019 |
What pillows do 5 star hotels use?
5 star hotels mostly use feather and down pillows, often built with chambers: a soft down layer outside and a firmer feather core inside. The Ritz-Carlton, a Marriott brand, sells its hotel pillow with an outer chamber of 70% white down and 30% Lyocell and inner chambers of duck feather.
The chamber build is what gives a luxury hotel pillow its feel. The feather core holds your head up, and the down outside gives a soft surface. Lyocell is a fibre made from wood cellulose, mixed with the down in Marriott's pillows.
Luxury hotels also keep a down-alternative pillow for guests with feather allergies. Marriott sells one made from polyester fibre spun from recycled plastic bottles.
Do hotels use duck feather pillows?
Yes, luxury hotels use duck feather pillows, usually mixed with down. Marriott's hotel pillow has an inner chamber of duck feather under an outer layer of down. Feather is heavier than down and gives the pillow its support, while down adds softness on top.
Feather and down pillows sold in the UK carry a label under BS EN 12934, which lists each filling by percentage of weight, largest first. A label reading "85% duck feather, 15% duck down" means mostly feather, with a little down. Our duck feather pillows are a duck feather and down blend in a 100% cotton cover, at 48x74 cm. Our guide to duck feather pillows weighs up the pros and cons.
Do budget hotels use synthetic pillows?
Yes, mainstream UK chains use synthetic pillows. Premier Inn said in 2019 that its pillows are made with blown hollowfibre, a polyester fibre with a hollow core, and that each bed has a pair: one soft and one firm. Synthetic pillows wash at home and suit guests who are allergic to feathers.
Hollowfibre is the same family of filling as most UK synthetic pillows. Our guide to what hollowfibre is explains how the hollow core works.
Why are hotel pillows so comfortable?
Hotel pillows feel comfortable for 4 reasons: they're fresh, they're full, they come in pairs, and they're protected. Each one is something you can copy at home.
- Fresh. The Sleep Charity advises replacing pillows every 2 to 3 years, so a hotel-feel bed starts with pillows inside that age.
- Full. Hotel pillows are filled to the edges, so they sit high in the case without flattening.
- Paired. Two pillows per person let you stack them, or use one soft and one firm, as Premier Inn does.
- Protected. A zipped protector under the pillowcase keeps sweat and dust out of the filling between washes.
Crisp white pillowcases finish the look, though they don't change the feel.
How do you get a hotel pillow at home?
Choose the filling first, then copy the hotel set-up. For a luxury hotel feel, choose duck feather and down. For a Premier Inn-style pillow that washes at home and suits allergy sufferers, choose hollowfibre. Then use 2 pillows each, put a zipped protector on every one, and finish with white pillowcases.
Our hotel quality pillows are filled with virgin hollowfibre in a down-proof cover, with medium support for side and back sleepers. They're 48x74 cm, filled and finished in the UK, and machine washable.
| Pack | Price | Per pillow |
|---|---|---|
| 2 pillows | £11.99 | £6.00 |
| 4 pillows | £16.99 | £4.25 |
| 6 pillows | £22.99 | £3.83 |
| 8 pillows | £27.99 | £3.50 |
Are hotel pillows feather or synthetic?
Hotel pillows are both: luxury hotels mostly use feather and down, and mainstream chains mostly use synthetic hollowfibre. Marriott sells both kinds, a feather and down pillow and a feather-free one, for guests who are allergic to feathers. If you're buying for a household with allergies, synthetic is the safe choice for everyone.
How often should you replace a pillow?
Replace a pillow every 2 to 3 years, as The Sleep Charity advises. The Sleep Foundation gives ranges by filling: 6 months to 2 years for polyester pillows, and 1 to 3 years for feather and down. Write the month you bought each pillow on its care label with a laundry pen, so you know when it reaches that age and which pillow in the house is oldest.
Buying in packs keeps the cost of a regular swap down. Our 8 pack of hotel quality pillows works out at £3.50 a pillow, enough for 2 pillows each on 4 beds. Our guide on when to replace pillows explains the fold test.
What size are hotel pillows?
Hotel pillows in the UK are usually the standard 48x74 cm size, the same as home pillows, so they take standard pillowcases. Some luxury hotels add king pillows, 48x90 cm, or square continental pillows for super king beds. Our chart of UK pillow sizes lists them all.
How do you keep pillows white like a hotel's?
Keep pillows white by putting a zipped protector on every pillow, under the pillowcase, and washing protectors and cases often. The protector stops sweat and skin oils reaching the pillow cover. Our guide to what a pillow protector does explains which kind to choose.
At home, wash pillowcases weekly, as the Sleep Foundation advises for bedding, and wash protectors less often. Our guide on how to choose a pillow covers firmness and height for each sleeping position. For the pillows themselves, see how to wash pillows without clumping.
Written by the Adam Home team in the UK.
