Hotels typically use high-quality, 100% cotton sheets, with thread counts between 200 and 400 for softness and durability. To replicate this, opt for crisp percale or smooth sateen sheets, and layer them with a mid-weight duvet and plush pillows to create a luxurious hotel-like bed at home.
Egyptian cotton is a popular choice for hotel bedding sets. Known for its soft feel and long fibres, Egyptian cotton bedding also usually has a higher thread count than other types of cotton.
If you love your sheets crisp, lightly iron them while they're still slightly damp. Use a warm iron setting and avoid high heat to protect the fibers. This step can make your bed feel like it's straight out of a luxury hotel. Have a few sets of sheets in rotation to reduce wear.
To soften especially stiff bed sheets, use Epsom salts or borax to create a bathtub soak. Add 50 grams of Epsom salts or six tablespoons of borax to cold water, stir the solution, and leave your sheets to soak overnight.
Almost every hotel adds a luxury pillow-top mattress topper as on top of the mattress as the final layer before the bedsheets. These usually contain some form of woolly filling that has lots of air between the fibers, which is responsible for the cool gush of air when you first lay upon it.
The highest-quality, softest sheets use cotton with extra-long fibers (called long-staple fibers) that can be spun into fine, strong yarns. Certified long-staple cotton includes Egyptian, Pima and Supima. That doesn't mean that other types of cotton don't make nice sheets, Symmes says.
Stiff sheets can be softened through a few methods. Washing them with a cup of white vinegar during the rinse cycle can help break down residue and soften fibers. Adding a half cup of baking soda to the wash can also aid in softening.
There are two simple ingredients that can turn even basic, inexpensive sheets into silky soft bedding: baking soda and vinegar. All you have to do is toss those stiff sheets into the washer with 1 cup of baking soda and 1/2 cup of vinegar, and wash for one cycle.
Most hotels use high-thread-count cotton sheets, often ranging from 300 to 800 threads per square inch. These sheets are smooth to the touch, breathable, and durable, ensuring guests have a comfortable night's sleep.
Hotels will almost always insist on single-ply woven sheets and long or extra-long staple cotton, and more often than not, a percale weave over sateen. Percale cotton has a one-over, one-under weave, resulting in a more lightweight, crisp and cool feel to the fabric.
Hotels often use a diluted solution of bleach in the washing process to remove any lingering stains and to disinfect the fabric. For more sensitive materials, a peroxide detergent might be utilised as a safer alternative to traditional bleach, providing effective whitening while being less harsh on the fabric.
Hotels prioritise quality over thread count
That's why hotels generally use low thread count sheets (250TC). Fewer threads require less cotton, less cotton means lower costs, and this allows hotels to get quality for a reasonable price. See here to learn more about the differences between hotel and retail sheets.
In the hotel industry, bedding cleanliness, efficiency, and comfort are top priorities. One method that many hotels use to achieve this is called "double sheeting" or "triple sheeting." This approach creates a luxurious feel, simplifies maintenance, and ensures guests enjoy a pristine bed.
Laundry detergent residue can build up on the sheets leaving them with that stiff feeling. If you don't use a fabric conditioner at all, the fabric fibres can become brittle, leaving them feeling scratchy. Overtime bobbles and pilling starts forming on the sheets creating a surface that can feel rough.
You must do this for at least an hour. You must pre-soak your sheets if you use white vinegar, lemon juice, or borax. Soak your sheets in one gallon of hot water with ½ cup of vinegar, lemon juice, or borax.
"Vinegar softens clothes by breaking down excess detergent that makes clothes feel stiff," says Patric Richardson of The Laundry Evangelist.
Flannel: Flannel is a type of brushed cotton that creates an ultra-soft feel. These sheets are ideal for cold climates and chilly winter nights. Satin: Like percale, satin is a type of weave, usually done with silk.
A good hotel sheet feels beautifully crisp, primarily because of the percale weave used to make them but also because of manufacturing quality.
Mainly caused by friction, bed sheet pilling happens when the fabric is rubbed against another surface. This causes the fibres of the fabric to wear and tear.
Hotels use high-quality sheets that are crafted from premium materials like Egyptian cotton, microfiber, or bamboo. These sheets have a higher thread count and provide a soft and durable surface for you to sleep on, promote temperature regulation, and contribute to an overall sense of well-being during your sleep.
Combining springs, foam, and a jacquard woven ticking polycotton cover, the Marriott Bed for British Hotels is a hybrid with an adaptable feel that should feel comfortable for a range of sleep styles.