If you’ve ever booked a hotel stay and pondered the words “pillow menu” on the list of your accommodation’s advertised amenities, you’re not alone. A pillow menu is exactly what it sounds like — guests are offered a pillow selection from a range of varying plushnesses, sizes, materials, and fills. From cooling gel technology for hot sleepers to ergonomic designs that cradle the neck to aromatic scents such as lulling lavender, the variety feels endless and will make you rethink your own bedroom setup. Here’s where to find a pillow menu during your next hotel stay.

A Brief History

Although the exact origins of the pillow menu are debated, many professionals in the hospitality industry credit the five-star Cotton House Resort on the private island of Mustique, located in the archipelago of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, as the first property to provide one to guests. The lavish accommodation launched its curated selections in 1997 to combat guests’ dissatisfaction with the provided bedding. 

Soon after, in the early 2000s, other luxury brands such as Conrad Hotels, Sofitel, and the Jumeirah Burj Al Arab in Dubai began to follow suit, with the latter giving guests a whopping 17 pillow options. Today, the trend has caught on, and even many mid-tier properties offer this amenity. 

Common Pillow Preferences

The most common pillow type is the standard rectangular polyester pillow, but another type of pillow may be more suitable to your sleep style. According to the Sleep Foundation, an estimated 60% of adults are side sleepers. A shredded memory foam and latex pillow that’s contoured to the shape of the neck to keep the spine in neutral alignment may be better for these folks, as well as for sleepers who lie flat on their back. Stomach sleepers, on the other hand, will benefit from a flat pillow that’s under 3 inches high to prevent neck strain, particularly one made of down or an ultra-thin foam pillow with no contouring. 

Most hotel pillow menus let you choose only the fill material; however, luxury properties sometimes allow you to specify your fabric preference for the pillowcase as well, such as silk, satin, or cooling Egyptian cotton. Select high-end hotels even let guests opt for a magnetic pillow (a therapeutic pillow embedded with static magnets to relieve muscle tension), an anti-snore pillow designed to ease airflow, or an aromatic pillow infused with scents to relax the mind and body as you drift off. Many pillow menus will also accommodate size preference — standard, queen, king, Euro (a perfect square), and body or lumbar pillows.

Hotels That Let You Pick Your Pillow

In addition to Conrad Hotel and Sofitel properties, many Fairmont Hotel locations offer a pillow menu amenity. You’ll also find one at select JW Marriott properties, such as the JW Marriott New Delhi Aerocity, JW Marriott Hotel Hong Kong, and the JW Marriott Gold Coast Resort and Spa in Australia. 

Beyond major hotel chains, several luxurious boutique hotels include the offering for guests, such as the Benjamin Royal Sonesta in New York City, which is famous for its curated Rest & Renew pillow menu with 10 options. Other examples include the Edgewater Hotel in Madison, Wisconsin; the Cedarbrook Lodge in Seattle, Washington; the Oxford Hotel in Bend, Oregon; and L’Ermitage in Beverly Hills, California. Do some digging before you book if you’d like a pillow preference at your accommodation, as many guests will tell you a good night’s rest is well worth going out of your way for.