What is a Pillow Menu? Elevate the Guest Sleep Experience

Updated: Sept 2024

Emerging as a popular trend in luxury hotels, a pillow menu takes the guest sleep experience to a whole new level. With countless sleep positions and preferences, it is nearly impossible to select one or two pillow types to suit every guest’s need. Instead of purchasing hundreds of pillows that will ultimately go unused during many stays, consider diversifying your inventory to include unique pillows your guests will appreciate.

This blog is part of a series celebrating the National Sleep Foundation’s Sleep Awareness Week^® by spotlighting ways hotel and hospitality professionals can help their guests enjoy more restful sleep. Click here to explore the full series. 

What are the Benefits of a Pillow Menu?

A pillow menu is a creative way to elevate your guest experience even further. Rather than selecting a pillow type and hoping it will suit your guest, a pillow menu shows the care you take to ensure each and every guest enjoys a wonderful night’s sleep. Often unexpected, a pillow menu will pleasantly surprise your guests and go one step further in solidifying your brand for consideration in future travel.

A pillow menu is also a useful research tool, as it allows your organization insight into the most popular types of pillows. Be sure to keep a running log of the pillows your guests request. This can help inform future purchasing decisions as well as potential menu changes. Less popular choices can potentially be eliminated in favor of other, more popular options.

By offering a pillow menu, you can make smart purchasing decisions while also dramatically improving your guests’ comfort and satisfaction.

What Should I Include in a Pillow Menu?

There are countless types of unique pillows that could be included in your menu. Options range from buckwheat and microbead fill to scent/vitamin infused and even lullaby pillows, complete with mini stereo speakers. Although the quirky possibilities are endless, there are some well-recognized mainstays that are a must on your pillow menu. These include:

• Feather and down pillows, which provide luxurious softness and excellent warmth. The main drawback to these popular fills is that firmness is typically limited to soft, which means these pillows will not suit side or back sleepers who require firmer support. If your hotel guests prefer the feel of natural feather pillows, we suggest checking out the ChamberLoft^® pillow or our Blue Ridge collection.

BONUS: Explore the most common myths of down and feather products

• Hypoallergenic pillows, for those who struggle with allergies to common pillow materials or dust and pollen. You might also consider offering AllerEase^® Professional Platinum Pillow Protectors for added defense against dust mites, pollen, bacteria, and other allergy causing substances.
• Polyester pillows, providing softness and durability while being budget friendly. High resiliency polyester core fill allows for a range of firmness from soft to firm, making these pillows an excellent all-purpose choice. For the soft support demanded by stomach sleepers, check out the Chambersoft^®. For back sleepers, find advanced support with the Chamberfirm^®.
• Down alternative pillows, which offer the feel of a down pillow with a more budget-friendly price. Unlike most feather and down pillows, down alternative can achieve both a soft and medium firmness, providing added flexibility to suit more sleep styles. Down alternative can also be easier to launder, decreasing ownership costs. Our AllerEase^® pillow line features down alternative fill.

ProTip: Even the highest quality pillows need to be laundered and cared for correctly. To enhance your guests’ sleep experience even further, it is important to know how to properly take care of your newly selected pillows. Be sure to check out our blog on Proper Pillow Care.

How Else Can I Improve My Guest’s Sleep Experience?

Think beyond pillows. What other comfort items could you offer to elevate the sleep experience even further? Consider a selection of soft and sleek bathrobes or a luxuriously cozy blanket for napping. Perhaps you’d like to advertise the features of your mattresses or comforters. Small amenities such as eye covers can also make a big impact in sleep quality. With a little creativity, you can transform your pillow menu into a comprehensive Sleep Menu. The sky’s the limit!

Ready to Take the Next Step?

All guests deserve a great experience and Standard Textile is happy to help. For more information on our available pillow options, you can download our very own pillow menu, which gives you a comparison of the features and benefits of our hospitality pillow products.

Still not sure which products are right for you? Our sales consultants are available to help you select the right pillows for your guests to guarantee an excellent experience.

Are you a consumer looking for Standard Textile products for your own home? Click here to view our entire selection of pillows available via Standard Textile Home.