Best Hotel Pillows 2025 – Forbes Vetted

WDC NEWS 6 STAFF May 2, 2025

17 9 minutes read

You’re not just imagining it: Hotel bedding feels much more luxurious than what most of us are used to at home. That’s partially because the best hotel pillows are chosen with versatility in mind; they’re designed to suit the comfort needs of a wide range of guests. Luckily, you don’t have to check in to a five-star hotel to enjoy that level of comfort. We found the best hotel pillows to emulate that relaxed, vacation-like slumber at home every night. Our top pick is the Mandarin Oriental Firm Feather And Down Pillow, which offers great support, high-quality materials and a luxurious feel.

Treat yourself to a luxurious night of sleep at home with the best hotel pillows.

Illustration: Forbes / Photo: Retailer

“A good night’s sleep is at the core of any luxury hotel experience,” says Parker Passman, director of brand operations at the Marriott International Luxury Group. “Finding the right pillow requires a combination of several factors, and these are different based on the individual sleeper.” We’ve rounded up seven luxe options from a variety of popular hotels, from the Marriott to The Four Seasons, to suit various sleeper preferences. Read on for our expert-backed and thoroughly researched recommendations.

Fill material: Goose feathers, down | Cover fabric: Cotton sateen | Sizes: Queen, king

Pros:

Firm support
Great for side sleepers

Cons:

No standard size available (only queen and king)
Professional cleaning recommended

Much like its highly lauded hotel chain, the Mandarin Oriental pillow is designed with luxury and indulgence in mind. It features a combination filling of both down and white goose feathers for an ultra-plush texture, plus a cotton sateen cover that’s downproof for extra durability and to prevent the feathers from poking through.

This pillow leans firm to support neck posture, especially for side sleepers. The main downside is that all that high-quality construction needs to be handled with care, so professional cleaning is recommended over machine washing.

Fill material: Polyester cluster fiber | Cover fabric: Cotton | Sizes: Standard, queen, king

Pros:

Made from sustainable materials
Machine washable
Affordable

Cons:

May not offer adequate support for side sleepers
Can trap heat

Down-alternative pillows offer a similar texture to traditional down—think a soft, fluffy material that you can sink into—but are better suited to anyone with a down allergy or preference for animal-free products.

The Marriott Down Alternative Eco Pillows are designed with sustainability in mind. The interior is crafted from recycled plastic that’s transformed into polyester fiber balls, mimicking the fluffy texture of a down pillow. They’re also conveniently machine washable and hypoallergenic, making them well suited to most households.

Something to keep in mind with all down-alternative pillows, though, is that they can trap heat more than traditional down does. Sleepers who struggle with overheating may want to consider other filling options or check out our roundup of the best cooling pillows.

Fill material: Down and feather | Cover fabric: Cotton | Sizes: Standard, queen, king

Pros:

Oeko-Tex certified
Plush down that’s durable
Oeko-Tex certified (free from harmful substances)

Cons:

This pillow’s reputation precedes it, hailing from the world-renowned Four Seasons brand. A combination of 25% white down and 75% feather filling results in uniquely plush comfort that echoes the five-star experience.

This pillow is also Oeko-Tex certified, which means it meets strict standards when it comes to textile quality that’s free from harmful substances. The edges are also double-stitched to ensure durability over time. Keep in mind, though, this is another high-quality pillow that requires dry cleaning to maintain its structure and integrity. (The brand recommends using a pillow protector for easier maintenance.)

Fill material: Polyester gel fiber | Cover fabric: Cotton | Sizes: Standard slim, standard medium, queen slim, queen medium, king slim, king medium

Pros:

Hypoallergenic materials and machine washable
Two different heights to choose from
Cooling comfort from gel filling and cotton cover

Cons:

Requires regular fluffing

If you consider yourself a strict side sleeper, you should look for a pillow with a little extra firmness and height to adequately support your neck and fill the gap between your head and shoulder. That’s what makes the Sobel Westex Sobel Pillow a win for side sleepers; the medium model features a polyester gel fiber fill that maintains a lofty, semi-firm texture for adequate neck support.

The filling, along with a cotton cover, also promotes coolness for comfortable sleeping regardless of temperature. If you’re a combination sleeper or prefer a lower pillow profile, you can choose the slim model. Best yet, this pillow is good to throw in the machine for washing, just make sure the dryer heat doesn’t exceed 120 degrees. It’s also worth noting that due to its fluffy nature you may have to regularly fluff it.

Fill material: Polyester down alternative | Cover fabric: Cotton | Sizes: Queen, king

Pros:

Available in sets of two
Machine washable
Oeko-Tex certified

Cons:

This pillow is designed with all sleeping styles in mind, thanks to a down-alternative filling that’s plush yet resistant to shifting over time. The 250-thread count cotton cover is designed to help maintain coolness and promote breathability, and all materials are Oeko-Tex certified to be free from harmful substances.

These pillows come in sets of two with an affordable price tag, so they’re a great pick for anyone looking to outfit a full bedroom or guest home with hotel-style pillows. Keep in mind that some reviews say since they arrive flat, it takes a few hours for the pillows to fully fluff up.

Fill material: Down, feathers | Cover fabric: Cotton | Sizes: Queen, king
Pros:

Suited for variety of sleepers
Machine washable
Antimicrobial treatment

Cons:

No standard size available

This American-made pillow features a filling that’s 75% white feathers and 25% white down, resulting in a balanced, plush feel that works well for sleepers who switch positions throughout the night. The down filling, combined with a 100% cotton cover, results in a breathable, stay-cool material that should still feel comfortable on hotter nights.

This pillow has an antimicrobial treatment to maintain cleanliness, plus it can be machine washed as needed. St. Regis also offers a full down pillow and a down-alternative pillow if you’d prefer a different material option.

Fill material: Polyester gel fiber | Cover fabric: Polyester | Sizes: Queen medium, queen firm, king medium, king firm
Pros:

Stay-cool gel fiber interior
Antimicrobial and antibacterial filling
Two firmnesses to choose from

Cons:

Standard size unavailable
No returns accepted

Anyone who runs hot while they sleep understands the desire to get relief wherever they can. Enter the Fairmont Synthetic Gel Fibre Pillow, which has a gel fiber interior that’s designed to keep cool without flipping all night long. The cotton exterior and polyester filling are hypoallergenic, antibacterial and antimicrobial.

There are both medium and firm options to choose from in queen and king sizes to suit different preferences. Though they vary in firmness, both offer a down-like plushness that reviews say feels identical to what’s used in Fairmont’s lauded hotel rooms.

Why Trust Forbes Vetted

The sleep team at Forbes Vetted is dedicated to helping readers find the best products to get great rest, from testing the best mattresses to the best cooling blankets and beyond.

Forbes Vetted commerce writer Monica Petrucci is the author of this story, and she has several years of experience with hands-on testing and researching a variety of products in the home space, including pillows and mattresses.
Bridget Chapman, senior mattress and sleep editor at Forbes Vetted, oversees the section and this particular article. Chapman is a certified sleep science coach with several years of experience testing and evaluating sleep products. She approved all of the pillows on this list.
We interviewed W. Christopher Winter, M.D., author of The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child, to provide research-backed advice on choosing the right pillow for you.
We also interviewed Shalini Paruthi, M.D., the co-director of the Sleep Medicine and Research Center at St. Luke’s Hospital and a member of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine.
We consulted Parker Passman, the director of brand operations for the Marriott International Luxury Group, to provide insight on how the best hotel pillows are chosen.
We prioritize keeping all of our content relevant and up to date as much as possible. This article was last updated in May 2025.

How We Chose The Best Hotel Pillows

We utilized both our own team’s expertise, as well as insights from experts in the industry, to inform our product selections.

We sifted through luxury hotel websites and their online stores, as well as more accessible retailers, to find potential contenders for this list.
We made sure to include a wide variety of options to suit different sleeping styles, preferences, potential allergies and price points.
We consulted several experts to understand what attributes define a hotel pillow, as well as what features to consider when shopping for one.
We meticulously dug through customer reviews, when available, in order to gain real world insight on how these products function over time. Only highly rated pillows were included here.

What To Consider When Shopping For The Best Hotel Pillows

If you want to mimic the hotel pillow experience at home, you should first consider where your preferences lie when it comes to sleep positions and pillow structure. “There’s no universal pillow that suits everyone,” Paruthi says. “The ‘right’ pillow depends on your sleep position and personal comfort preferences.” She recommends looking for a pillow that has adequate support, but avoiding anything that will hyper-extend or flex the neck too much. A happy medium is key.

Firmness

Shopping for the best pillow for you is highly dependent on personal preferences. Firmness level is a major factor, since there are a multitude of options out there from soft and fluffy to ultra firm and supportive.

More often than not, hotel pillows take a middle-of-the-road approach, in order to best suit a variety of sleepers. But many hotel brands now offer different firmness levels on their online stores to suit a wider variety of customers.

Materials

Just as important as firmness level, the material of the pillow can make or break your sleeping experience. “Down or down-alternative pillows are best for stomach and back sleepers, and for those who like soft, plush pillows and are less concerned about firmness and neck support,” Paruthi explains. Memory foam fillings may be better for side sleepers, as they offer more robust neck and spine support and are able to fill the gap between a head and shoulder.

Cooling materials are also important to consider, especially if you tend to run hot while you sleep. Paruthi calls out latex as an accessible option that’s more breathable than memory foam. “For sleepers who run hot and are looking for natural materials, Kapok (a type of natural fiber) is a great alternative,” Paruthi says. “They feature organic, fluffy fillings that circulate air better.”

Sleeping Position And Body Type

Identifying your sleeping position habits is key to finding the best pillow to support you. Stomach sleepers, for example, typically do better with a softer, semi-thin pillow to keep their neck in correct alignment. “Neck strain and back strain are common among stomach sleepers,” says Paruthi. “So finding a pillow that reduces discomfort and helps you get a restful night’s sleep is paramount.”

Back sleepers, on the other hand, do best with a medium-firm pillow for adequate support. “A back sleeper may also benefit from a contour pillow, which has a curve at the base of the pillow to help support the neck and promote proper spinal alignment,” Paruthi adds. Meanwhile, side sleepers may benefit from extra firmness and height, in order to appropriately fill the gap between their head and shoulders.

Body type is also important to take into account when it comes to pillow size. Smaller sleepers should opt for smaller pillows to get the best shape for spinal alignment, while anyone with wider shoulders should opt for a larger size.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What Type Of Pillows Do Five-Star Hotels Use?

Often times, five-star chain hotels like The Ritz-Carlton and Mandarin Oriental have their own line of pillows, which are used in hotel rooms. (That way, after getting a magical night sleep during a vacation, you know exactly what pillow to buy.) These pillows are typically plush and medium-firm to suit a wide variety of users.

Which Pillows Does Ritz-Carlton Use?

“At The Ritz-Carlton, we actually offer two pillow weights on our beds to accommodate sleepers of all types,” says Passman. “We stock two firmer, heavy-fill pillows in the back and two lighter, medium-fill pillows in the front.”

The Ritz-Carlton has its own collection of pillows it uses in hotels and sells online. The brand says it uses allergen-free natural materials, including feathers and down, for its main pillow’s filling. The pillow also has a cotton cover with a dual-chamber design.

What Kind Of Pillow Do Doctors Recommend?

There’s no one-size-fits-all for the best pillow, as Winter puts it. But choosing the right pillow can positively impact everything from snoring habits to temperature regulation to neck pain.

“All of the nerves to your upper body run through your neck and your brachial plexus,” Winter explains. “So choosing something that supports your head properly, keeps your airway open and takes pressure off of your cervical spine does make a difference, especially over time.” If you’re not sure what style or texture you like, Winter recommends trial and error, or even opting for a customizable pillow that you can adjust over time.

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Best Hotel Pillows 2025 – Forbes Vetted

Why Trust Forbes Vetted

How We Chose The Best Hotel Pillows