Travel is one of the perks of a meeting prof’s life. Except when it isn’t. Unlike the harsh reality of TSA PreCheck lines that are longer than general queues, the challenges of getting a good night’s sleep are something you do have control over. For best practices to avoid a night of tossing and turning, propping and plumping, we asked Sam Gibbs, lead pillow concierge at The Beatrice Hotel, a boutique property in Providence, Rhode Island.
An Emerging Sleep Movement
Lack of sleep can attribute to everything from weight gain and lack of focus to chronic disease, as Dr. Romie Mushtaq, creator of the Busy Brain Test has observed. As for Gibbs, he noticed that during Covid, people started specifically prioritizing health and sleep, even pursuing sleep tourism as a subset of wellness travel. That was when his luxury hotel started investing in a personalized approach to bedroom accouterments.
“A good night’s rest allows you to experience the city and the event to its fullest,” as he puts it.
Since pillows are such a personal preference, it is nearly impossible for any property to select a pillow that will meet all guest preferences. Hence, the pillow menu and the role of pillow concierge, which was born in 2024 at The Hotel Beatrice with support from linen vendors. The property’s Be Rested Sleep Wellness packages include a craft mocktail at Bellini Rooftop, warm robes on heated towel racks, Matouk linens and cozy slippers and Therabody SmartGoggles (more on this enhancement later). And once you do find your perfect cocoon, The hotel’s collective brain will make a note so you can enjoy the same wrappings on subsequent visits.
While Gibbs runs through a list of questions about sleep preferences—side or back-sleeper, injuries, temperature preferences, tendencies toward building a pillow fort to pass the night (we may have made that last one up)—he says there is no best pillow. “Whatever works for you is the right one,” he declares.
Read More: Take Charge of Your Sleep Habits
Establish a Night Ritual
Gibbs suggests practicing good sleep hygiene by following a ritual each evening to set yourself up for some healthy rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. That could include a deadline to be in your room with electronics turned off and lights dimmed an hour before your desired bedtime, with at least seven hours before the alarm announces the start of your next happy day (some may need more—your body knows best).
He also suggests enjoying a mocktail or herbal tea to cap off your night, not a “real” drink because alcohol disrupts sleep.
Another accessory that helps move you into the slumber zone is a pair of heated, massaging SmartGoggles. This device can ease facial tension using controls on an app downloaded to your phone.
Hotel Beatrice’s Pillow Menu Cheat Sheet
- Ultra Slim Gel Memory Foam: “Thin and flat, this pillow aids cervical neck alignment and deeper sleep.”
- Cooling Memory Foam: “Infused with gel and breathable bamboo, this pillow will make you feel right at home.”
- Buckwheat Specialty: “If your neck’s begging for a break, this pillow is firm, supportive, and no-nonsense.”
- Lavender Specialty: “Filled with spelt chaff and sweetly fragrant, experience nirvana nightly.”
Tips for picking a pillow:
- Choose one that makes you feel at home
- Determine your biggest need—neck pain, cooling, aromatherapy, etc.
- When in doubt, don’t be afraid to try them all! We hope this program helps our guests fall in love with the pillow that best suits a good night’s sleep for them.
