How to Make Your Bed

Sleep in 5-Star Style

Ever wish your bed looked and felt like the ones at a high-end hotel? You know the kind we mean: all crisp and cozy and turned-down, with cloud-fluffy pillows and a mattress that seems to make you float. Hospitality guru Paul Kerr knows. As head of Small Luxury Hotels of the World, he shares five tips for making an insanely comfortable bed.

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1. Mattress

Mattresses made with natural materials tend to last longer and make for a better night's rest because they better regulate your body temperature. Natural latex materials are also hypoallergenic. If buying new, pay sharp attention to the coil technology; more coils is better, and having them independent of each other better still. But the real rage these days is ultra-high-density foam mattresses, led by the folks at Tempur-Pedic. The first time you lay on a Tempur-Pedic mattress, you'll be amazed: The foam envelops your body and gives you perfectly balanced support. But it's an odd sensation for many, and the cost is rather high.

Hotels flip their mattresses every few months to keep them feeling new as long as possible—it works at home, too. "I often hear that a mattress should be replaced every 10 years or 30,000 hours, but my advice is to trust your body and not the 'mileage' you log," says Kerr. "If you're consistently waking up achy, it's probably time to consider investing in a new mattress."

2. Sheets

Generally, the higher the thread count, the softer the sheets. Thread counts, by the way, is a literal term: the number of threads, both horizontal and vertical, in a square inch of sheet. The range is from 80 to over 1,000, with the norm being 200-300. But don't get too hung up on the numbers; manufacturers can "cheat" their way to a high thread count by using thinner, lower-quality thread. Pay attention instead to fabric content. Good cotton—100 percent, preferably—is more important than thread count. Egyptian cotton is one of the softest, but Pima is a good choice, too (both kinds are said to originate from similar strains of Peruvian cotton).

3. Pillows

Unless you're allergic, go with goose down pillows. You may pay more, but they last years longer than synthetic fill. Or, consider a high-density foam pillow. They're expensive ($50 to $120), but offer amazing support to your head and neck.

4. Layers

Hotels often layer beds with a flat sheet, a goose down duvet and a coverlet. The bedding never changes, because this layering combination keeps you cool in summer, warm in winter. Kerr suggest treating your duvet to the dry cleaners now and again. Your washer might get it clean at home, but it comes back softer and fluffier when you send it out.

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