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The Best Hotel Pillows – Top Picks and Buyer’s Guide

Written by Tuck Staff

Quick Overview

Spending the night in a hotel is often one of life’s little pleasures – especially since hotel pillows are often much softer and more luxurious feeling than the ones you have at home.

Choosing a hotel pillow for your bed can help recreate that feeling every night, but it’s important to choose a pillow that provides the right amount of support for your sleeping position and body type, with a filling that’s comfortable and won’t affect any allergies.

Before you invest in a hotel pillow, check out Tuck’s top picks and buying guide.

Best Hotel Pillows

The Best Hotel Pillows- Reviewed

Best Overall Brooklinen Down Pillow

Best Overall –  Brooklinen Down Pillow

Highlights

  • Available in 2 sizes and 3 firmness levels
  • Plush pillow is filled entirely with down. Mid-Plush and firm are constructed from an inner layer of feathers surrounded by down
  • Edges are double stitched for durability
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Best Overall Brooklinen Down Pillow

Brooklinen.com

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Made by the same company as the popular bedding, the Brooklinen Down Pillow is a standout hotel pillow pick.

We like the Brooklinen pillow because it comes in three different levels of firmness so you can choose the level of cradling and support you prefer: Plush, filled entirely with down; Mid-Plush, a dual core pillow with an inner pillow filled with feathers surrounded by down; and Firm, which has more feathers and less down for a more structured feeling. All of the pillows are covered with a 100 percent cotton sateen shell, and feature a double-stitched edge for durability.

Regardless of the firmness, all of Brooklinen’s pillows are made from fillings that are OKEO-TEX certified and treated with antimicrobials to reduce allergens. Although they should not be machine washed, cleaning is easy: A few minutes in the dryer without heat will dry out any dust and dirt, and a good shake will re-fluff down.

Good for:

  • Fans of Brooklinen’s other bedding products
  • Stomach sleepers, who are well-suited by the Plush pillow
  • Side Sleepers, who are best served by the Firm pillow
  • People who like pillows that offer a balance of loft and firmness

Best Value Beckham Hotel Collection Gel Pillow

Best Value –  Beckham Hotel Collection Gel Pillow

Highlights

  • Gel-fiber filled pillow completely resists dust mites and is hypoallergenic
  • Sold in a 2 pack
  • Machine washable
  • Gel stays in place and doesn’t shift while you sleep
  • 240 thread count 100% cotton cover
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Best Value Beckham Hotel Collection Gel Pillow

amazon.com

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The Beckham Hotel Collection Gel Pillow is a hypoallergenic, gel-fiber-filled pillow that provides support and comfort for any sleeping position. They are a good choice for people who suffer from allergies or respiratory issues, as they don’t contain any feathers, down, or other allergens.

The gel fiber filling in these pillows provides plenty of support throughout the night, as it’s designed to stay in place without shifting. While other pillows may need to be fluffed or repositioned for comfort, these pillows hold their shape for excellent cradling.

At $35 for a two-pack, the Beckham Hotel Collection Gel Pillows are a relative bargain. The 100 percent cotton cover resists stains, and the entire pillow is machine washable. And with a 30-day money-back guarantee, you can try the pillow and return it for a full refund if you’re not happy.

Good for:

  • People with allergies
  • Those who prefer to avoid animal products
  • People on a budget
  • People who want an easy-care pillow that retains its shape

Best Luxury Boll & Branch Down Alternative

Best Luxury  –  Boll & Branch Down Alternative

Highlights

  • Hypoallergenic
  • Synthetic PrimaLoft™ mimics the lightweight comfort of down
  • 100% organic cotton cover
  • Machine washable
  • Available in standard and king sizes and medium or firm density
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Best Luxury Boll & Branch Down Alternative

Bollandbranch.com

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Boll & Branch is well-known for their high quality, responsibly sourced and manufactured luxury mattresses and bedding, and their hotel pillows are no exception. Their down alternative pillow offers the softness and loft you expect from a down-filled pillow, without the allergens that can come with natural fill. These pillows offer medium support and firmness thanks to the synthetic Primaloft fill that mimics the feel of real down. Encased in a 100 percent organic cotton cover, this American-made pillow provides a comfortable, safe sleeping surface that isn’t too full or too flat.

The Boll & Branch pillows can be machine washed, but the manufacturer recommends only occasional washing to maintain the loft. Returns are accepted within 30 days.

Good for:

  • People with allergies
  • People who want a product made sustainably without animal products
  • People who prefer products made in the USA
  • Sleeper of all sleeping positions

Best Down Alternative Parachute Down Alternative Pillow

Best Down Alternative  –  Parachute Down Alternative Pillow

Highlights

  • Microfiber fill is 100% hypoallergenic
  • Synthetic fill offers the same loft and support as down
  • 100% cotton sateen cover
  • Machine washable or dry clean
  • Available in standard and king sizes and soft, medium or firm density
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Best Down Alternative Parachute Down Alternative Pillow

Parachutehome.com

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The Parachute Down Alternative Pillow is another excellent, hotel-inspired choice. Filled with a 100 percent microfiber fill that mimics the feeling of down without the potential allergens, this pillow offers exceptional softness with plenty of fluffiness and support. Ideal for back and stomach sleepers, the pillow comes in three densities (soft, medium, and firm) so you can choose the one that supports your preference. The cover is made from 100 percent cambric cotton, and the pillows are OKEO-TEX certified, meaning they have passed rigorous independent testing for harmful substances.

Although it’s acceptable to machine wash Parachute down alternative pillows, the manufacturer recommends dry cleaning instead. The company also offers a 90-day return policy, so you can try the pillow for a full three months to decide if it’s right for you before committing.

Good for:

  • Back and stomach sleepers
  • People concerned about chemicals and allergens in their pillows
  • People who want plenty of time to test a pillow

Buying Guide – How to Shop for a Hotel Pillow

When you’re trying to recreate the experience of staying in a luxury hotel, the right pillow can make all the difference. When comparing your options, there are some important factors to consider, including the filling material, price, durability, and ease of care. The best hotel pillow will give you that luxurious, vacation-like feeling while still providing plenty of support and comfort throughout the night.

In this guide, you’ll learn about important considerations for making the right hotel pillow purchase.

What to Consider in a Hotel Pillow

Pillows might seem like a small detail when it comes to outfitting a hotel room, but the wrong pillow can derail a good night’s sleep – and keep customers from coming back. That’s why hotels put effort into selecting the perfect pillows to please as many guests as possible. In fact, many hotels now offer “pillow menus” with different choices for firmness, fill, and size to meet a range of preferences.

With that in mind, most hotels look at a few specific features when purchasing pillows:

  • Suitability for a Wide Range of Sleepers: Ideally, pillows should be comfortable regardless of sleep position or body size.
  • Allergy-Friendliness: Many hotels are switching to pillows with a down alternative fill to accommodate guests with allergies.
  • Durability: Although hotel pillows are replaced more often than the pillows you use at home, they still need to be durable. This means that the covers should resist stains, the stitching needs to hold up, and the cover should be woven tightly enough to prevent feathers and down from escaping.
  • Ease of Cleaning: Pillows used in hotels are more likely to be replaced than washed. However, when used in your home, ease of cleaning is a consideration, as you’ll want to maintain your pillow for several years.

Pros and Cons of Hotel Pillows

  • Suitable for multiple sleeping positions and body sizes
  • Tend to be made with higher quality materials
  • Often machine washable
  • Typically allergy-friendly
  • Usually more durable than other pillows
  • Often have a sleep trial/return policy and warranty

Cons

  • Often more expensive than other pillows
  • The feathers and down in less expensive hotel pillows may poke through the cover
  • Might be too soft or flatten too easily for some sleepers

Material

Hotel pillows are often feel more luxurious and softer than home pillows, largely because of their fill material. Some of the most common fill materials for these pillows include down, down alternative, feathers, and memory foam. Polyester fill is common in inexpensive home pillows, but its lack of durability or conforming ability means it’s not ideal for hotel pillows.

The table below breaks down some of the most common fill materials used in hotel pillows:

Size

Most hotels outfit guest rooms with standard size (20 x 26 inch) pillows, because they accommodate most body sizes and types, and standard size pillow cases/covers are most common. Some luxury hotels might offer larger queen (20 x 30 inch) or king (20 x 36 inch) pillows in rooms with larger beds, or to accommodate guest preferences.

Why Buy Hotel Pillows for the Home?

Spending a night in a hotel is often a relaxing, restful experience, and it’s common for travelers to want to recreate the hotel environment at home. Buying hotel style pillows helps add some luxury to your bed, and recreates some of that “on vacation” feeling.

Beyond your own bed, though, you might wish to buy hotel pillows that appeal to a wide variety of sleepers, regardless of their size and preferred sleeping position if your property is a vacation rental (like an Airbnb) or if you often have guests come to stay. Not only are hotel pillows comfortable for a wide range of people, they can usually be easily washed and dried, giving every guest a fresh and clean pillow to rest their head.

Hotel Pillow Care and Maintenance

Generally speaking, most hotels replace pillows every 6-8 months (Wyndham Hotels, for instance, purchase more than a million pillows every year.) Since buying a new pillow several times a year isn’t practical, proper care to keep pillows fresh, clean, and comfortable is a priority.

Most machine washable pillows can be washed with cool water on a delicate or gentle cycle, and tumble dried on low or no heat. Some feather pillows should only be tumble dried on low heat to fluff the feathers and shake out any dirt or dust. These pillows should only be spot cleaned with a gentle cleaner and air dried. Keep in mind that pillows filled with natural fibers like feather and down should only be washed occasionally to prevent flattening.

What Else Should You Consider When Buying Hotel Pillows?

If you stay in a hotel and especially like a pillow, check the tag or ask the concierge for more information about it. You may be able to purchase that exact pillow or one very similar to it from the same manufacturer.

Before purchasing a pillow, be sure to consider:

  • Sleeping Position: Ideal pillow firmness depends on whether you’re a side, back, or stomach sleeper.
  • Pain: If you suffer from chronic pain, you need a pillow with plenty of support and cushioning.
  • Sleeping Habits: If you have a tendency to sweat or drool in your sleep, your pillow can become stained or hold odors. Choose one that can be easily cleaned.

Additional Resources

Learn more about bedding and pillows that can help you get the best night’s sleep possible.

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