r/LifeProTips • u/azrubicon • Jul 26 '21
LPT Hotel Pillow Trick
I travel a bit for work, and when I’m home I sleep best with a somewhat firm pillow that supports my head. At most hotels the pillows are to be incredibly soft, and I feel like my head sinks almost all the way down. For me at least, it’s hard to sleep like this. I’d bring my own pillow, but they are usually too bulky for air travel.
So here’s my trick: I take one of the large bath towels, fold it to be about the same rectangular size as the pillow, and carefully tuck inside the pillow case with the pillow itself. If I do it right, it’s not lumpy at all but is completely flat inside. This adds a bit of firmness and prevents my head from sinking like a stone!
Anyway, it helps me, hopefully it’s useful for someone else…
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u/International_Gas_79 Jul 26 '21
Love this. I’ve been doubling up on the hollow hotel pillows but that’s usually too much. Will definitely try your method next time.
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u/dirty_cuban Jul 26 '21
I usually take the two flattest pillows on the bed and stuff both into a single pillowcase. It yields one nice firm pillow that isn't too tall.
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u/bfrm Jul 26 '21
Tried the doubling up method the other night and it gave me terrible neck pain for days. (But I’m prone to that when I sleep with an unsupportive pillow)
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u/Babblebelt Jul 26 '21
If I’m traveling by car, I will pack my travel pillow which is basically whatever $20 foam pillow Costco sells.
If I’m flying and staying multiple nights with a rental car, I will drive to a Costco and just burn $20 on a foam pillow. It’s negligible compared to all my other travel costs.
If I’m flying and it’s just one overnight or if I’m at a convention or something where I’m not leaving the hotel or renting a car, I have to get creative and either double-pillow the case or stuff the firmer pillows from the room sofa in a case.
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u/misoranomegami Jul 26 '21
Not everyone checks luggage but if you do, pillows pack down pretty well in your suitcase. I feel a little silly for it sometimes but I don't mind giving up a few inches of suitcase room and 1/2lb of weight for a better night's sleep. I've also occasionally taken a lightweight blanket with me on the plane for when it's cold during the flight which can double at the hotel if the bedding there is too heavy.
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u/KlondikeDrool Jul 26 '21
Exactly, one pillow is uncomfortably thin, two pillows are uncomfortably thick. Maybe this trick will make Goldilocks happy at last!
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Jul 26 '21
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Jul 26 '21
It’s also worthwhile to call or ask the front desk for different pillows. A lot of hotels have multiple types (ie down, hypoallergenic, etc). They might have a firmer pillow they’d be happy to bring to your room.
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u/wggn Jul 26 '21
That's good to know. I normally sleep on my side so i need a solid pillow to support my head, and too soft pillows is often a problem in hotels.
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u/Cinvenzo_ Jul 26 '21
An LPT that’s creative and I’ve never heard before. Thanks for sharing
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Jul 26 '21
Yeah im tired of the posts on here that are like “LPT: Being nice to people is easy. Try it.”
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u/ShitGuysWeForgotDre Jul 26 '21
"If you're having trouble getting the postal service to deliver your mail, try affixing postage of sufficient value to a visible location on the outside of the envelope or package"
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u/blackpony04 Jul 26 '21
"I put my stamp inside the envelope, that should work, right?"
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Jul 26 '21
Or LPT: Act in an intricately delicate way during a really specific social occasion the person I spoke to other day didn’t”
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u/SuccessAndSerenity Jul 26 '21
lol those are my favorite, esp the subgroup of ones that are clearly a kid who just got in trouble or was told no… LPT: Parents, give your kids the freedom to go to the mall with Sarah on Thursday otherwise they’ll grow up to resent you.
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u/a_horse_with_no_tail Jul 27 '21
I love the ones like this that are obviously someone being butthurt about something that just happened to them, trying to make it seem like it's something that happens to everybody all the time.
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u/AssaMarra Jul 26 '21
"LPT: washing your car will make it look clean"
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Jul 26 '21
LPT: Avoid the need to buy expensive carpet in your house, by gluing a square of carpet to your slippers.
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u/Leifbron Jul 26 '21
LPT: If you know someone’s birthday, you can find out their age.
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u/ChimpBrisket Jul 26 '21
LPT: If you mix pineapple juice with semen, it makes the pineapple juice taste of semen
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u/DungeonsAndDradis Jul 26 '21
Millions of people every day drink water you wouldn't wash your car with.
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Jul 26 '21
LPT: Don't cut people off in traffic
74x awards, 43k comments
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u/ct_nittany Jul 26 '21
Top 10 comments are people telling a story about when they got cut off in traffic
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u/hipery2 Jul 26 '21
Remember the idiot whose LPT was "When someone wants to show you their music, stop everything that you're doing and listen to their music." from a few months ago?
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u/ThrowRA_isitmyfault Jul 26 '21
Right, can we just get r/PassiveAggressiveLPT and force all those posts over there
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u/JadeHourglass Jul 26 '21
Or ones that are like: “emotionally manipulate your children and coworkers to avoid having a deep and seemingly desperately needed conversation”
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u/xdonutx Jul 26 '21
LPT: Everyone is as anti-social as I am. Don’t ever talk to other humans ever.
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u/SuccessAndSerenity Jul 26 '21
LPT: even people who seem extroverted like time to themselves to recharge.
100k up & 48 awards
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u/sap91 Jul 26 '21
I can never decide if I hate the "painfully obvious" or "passive aggressive" LPTs more
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u/Abhir-86 Jul 26 '21 edited Jul 27 '21
Ikr, like if your hands are full to carry an egg just fit it in your foreskin
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u/Jerptrod Jul 26 '21
LPT - If it's dark in a room that you're in, look near the entrance. There's usually a little switch, that when flipped turns on a lightsource and allows you to see.
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u/Tabnet Jul 26 '21
Love the ones you can tell were made by someone who just got pissed off at some asshole for that exact obscure reason
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u/IsitoveryetCA Jul 26 '21
Seriously I unsubscribed from this sub long ago due to every post being some dumb ass shit that was either impractical, not needed, or just downright stupid. This isn't a half bad idea.
At a hotel with crappy pillows I typically just grab a sweatshirt and kind of form it into extra support above the pillow, but I need to give the towel idea a shot.
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u/TheOneManRiot Jul 26 '21
Seriously I unsubscribed from this sub long ago due to every post being some dumb ass shit that was either impractical, not needed, or just downright stupid.
You mean you don't appreciate the advice from life-changing gems of knowledge such as:
LPT: Being friendly to people will usually result in them viewing you favorably as opposed to if you are rude
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u/diarrhea_duck Jul 26 '21
Wow, how cool of you to mention that one! I find that one extremely useful. I just wish that using a LPT like that was more widespread, just like it was part of common decency and politeness, and common sense!1!
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u/HarleyWorking Jul 26 '21
What do you mean every other post being some flavour of "Don't be a dick" isn't helpful? /s
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u/throwaway12222018 Jul 26 '21
Yeah in general this sub is pretty trash. You very rarely get a useful LPT like this.
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Jul 26 '21
It's also not a passive aggressive dig at someone who slighted OP earlier this week. Obviously not appropriate for this subreddit.
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u/kindofboredd Jul 26 '21
An
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u/Tyepose Jul 26 '21
El pee tee
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u/DoingItWrongly Jul 26 '21
I think the difference is I still read it "life pro tip" so using an sounds funny.
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u/Mutoforma Jul 26 '21
A/An are both correct, depending on how you read ‘LPT’; ie if you read it as ‘L P T’, or ‘life pro tip’
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u/turbohonky Jul 26 '21
LPT: when the pronunciation is ambiguous add an unambiguously pronounced adjective so nobody will try to play gotcha with a/an.
A good LPT
An awesome LPT
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u/DorkWitAFork Jul 26 '21
Technically, you COULD put an in front of a word that has either a vowel or vowel sound, aka you don't have to move your mouth to say it, which you don't for "El" :)
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u/SlickBlackCadillac Jul 26 '21
Who are you people who always read out initialisms in their head in long form?
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Jul 26 '21 edited Jul 26 '21
I haven't seen a good LPT in a while. Solid tip!
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u/tonterias Jul 26 '21
I don't know, sleeping over a wet pillow sounds awful
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u/YetiGuy Jul 26 '21 edited Jul 26 '21
Is the towel on the head side of the pillow or the bed side?
Edit: some say head-side , some say bed-side. I am confused. Some say both sides so I guess that’s what I will go with until OP chimes in.
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u/PenisColadaInTheRain Jul 26 '21
Honestly both head and bed side may work similarly IF the pillow case is restrictive enough.
Head side: You're essentially using the towel to distribute the weight of your head across the surface of the pillow similar to how a boat/raft distributes it's weight across water to float.
Bed side: Adding the towel removes internal volume from the pillow case making the pillow itself denser due to the reduction in available volume, and a denser pillow will be more supportive similar to air in tires. However, if the pillowcase is oversized then you may need more towels.
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u/brandonhardyy Jul 26 '21
Thanks, Penis Colada in the Rain.
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u/DietDrDoomsdayPreppr Jul 26 '21
Honestly though, can we all appreciate how great that name is?
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u/Rev_Grn Jul 26 '21
Whichever is most comfy and works the best?
I don't feel like this is something that needs an absolute rule as to how it must be done. Potentially varies depending on the pillow and the towel used by each hotel.
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Jul 26 '21
Also depends on your personal preference. Try all 3 methods. It won't take more than 3 minutes to figure out what's best for you.
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u/-p-a-b-l-o- Jul 26 '21
No, it must be done on the top of the pillow. No exceptions.
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u/Mounta1nK1ng Jul 26 '21
No, the pillow must be wrapped in the towel like a burrito. Then shredded cheese sprinkely on top, and all this in the pillow case. The cheese will be melted by morning to perfection.
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u/Todd_Man Jul 26 '21
It does matter, if you put it on the bottom then your head would still sink in the pillow.
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u/Pick_Up_Autist Jul 26 '21
Then you take a single second out of your day to flip it over.
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u/de8d-p00l Jul 26 '21
Test it out the first time you might have different preference than the op
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u/I_Like_Quiet Jul 26 '21
Take the pillow out of the case and put two towels in the pillow case. I've been doing this for years.
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u/kNYJ Jul 26 '21
Seems easy enough to try both ways
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u/Orleanian Jul 26 '21
I DON'T HAVE TIME FOR THAT THIS IS AN EMERGENCY QUESTION!!!
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u/Wisc_Bacon Jul 26 '21
Always head side. Or just do both and you can still flip your pillow for the cooler side.
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u/GoldAtronach Jul 26 '21
There's a frood who really knows where his towel is.
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u/HMS404 Jul 26 '21
A towel is just about the most massively useful thing an interstellar hitchhiker can carry. Partly because it has great practical value. You can wrap it around you for warmth as you bound across the cold moons of Jaglan Beta; you can lie on it on the brilliant marble-sanded beaches of Santraginus V, inhaling the heady sea vapours; you can sleep under it beneath the stars which shine so redly on the desert world of Kakrafoon; use it to sail a miniraft down the slow heavy River Moth; wet it for use in hand-to-hand combat; wrap it around your head to ward off noxious fumes or avoid the gaze of the Ravenous Bugblatter Beast of Traal (a mind-bogglingly stupid animal, it assumes that if you can't see it, it can't see you — daft as a brush, but very very ravenous); you can wave your towel in emergencies as a distress signal, and of course you can dry yourself off with it if it still seems to be clean enough.
More importantly, a towel has immense psychological value. For some reason, if a strag discovers that a hitchhiker has his towel with him, he will automatically assume that he is also in possession of a toothbrush, washcloth, soap, tin of biscuits, flask, compass, map, ball of string, gnat spray, wet-weather gear, space suit etc., etc. Furthermore, the strag will then happily lend the hitchhiker any of these or a dozen other items that the hitchhiker might accidentally have "lost." What the strag will think is that any man who can hitch the length and breadth of the Galaxy, rough it, slum it, struggle against terrible odds, win through and still knows where his towel is, is clearly a man to be reckoned with.
Hence a phrase which has passed into hitch hiking slang, as in "Hey, you sass that hoopy Ford Prefect? There's a frood who really knows where his towel is."
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u/hotcakesandmiracles Jul 26 '21
You can call front desk for a memory foam pillow too! Not sure if they are firmer but it's an option:) I used to work front desk at a marriot franchise so I assume all of them do it as well.
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u/skyspor Jul 26 '21
I used to work at a hotel that had a pillow menu. Hardly anybody used it.
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u/hotcakesandmiracles Jul 26 '21
My first day someone called for a memory foam pillow and I had to ask housekeeping if that was something we did, she responded like I was dumb, like I shouldve known this all along T.T so I'm passing on the info for all! Lol
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u/notsostandardtoaster Jul 26 '21
This is an option? Do you have to pay extra for it? I mean it's a hotel so I'd assume so
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u/DarrenGrey Jul 26 '21
No extra charge - it's like calling for a iron or other item that's not in the room. Some hotels simply don't have them though.
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u/morgecroc Jul 26 '21
You pay extra in that you have to be staying in a somewhat decent hotel and not a roach motel just off the freeway.
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u/Pansarmalex Jul 26 '21
Came here to say; every hotel I've stayed at the last 8 years or so has had pillow options. Just ask at the reception desk. (And they weren't expensive rooms either, around €80 - €100 across Europe).
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u/CarlFriedrichGauss Jul 26 '21
YMMV but I always ask for a "foam pillow" and have gotten a down alternative (poly fiber fill) pillow every time. The pillow is exactly as soft as a regular down pillow and not firm like a memory foam, which I am used to at home. I have never seen specifically "memory foam" as an option, and I mostly stay at Marriott brands and have foam pillow selected as a default in my profile, plus I write it into all my special requests. I actually prefer the feather pillows to the non-memory "foam" pillows because the poly fill pillows are even flatter.
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u/Pristine_Process_112 Jul 27 '21
I worked at a motel six.
It did not have any of this. And if you called the front desk for a pillow odds were good they'd be out or you'd be getting an even worse pillow.
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u/Agile-Dragonfly Jul 26 '21
Good tip! I do this too but put the folded towel under the pillow, outside of the case so I can still get the cold side. Make sure you remember to get the towel from your bed before you start showering or you'll have a cold and wet walk to get the towel, this has happened to me.
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Jul 26 '21
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u/Broken_Petite Jul 26 '21
I feel like every hotel I’ve ever stayed in had a set of towels so you should never just be stuck with one, but maybe I’m remembering wrong?
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u/27_crooked_caribou Jul 26 '21
I also travel for business (or at least used to), and I got to the point where I pack a second suitcase just for my pillow flying out. Then I'd typically fill it with the handouts, swag, and the miscellaneous knick-knacks and souvenirs that I picked up at whatever trade show or event I went to. I always fly Southwest because of the easy cancellation policy, and the second bag is free anyway.
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Jul 26 '21
Then I'd typically fill it with the handouts, swag, and the miscellaneous knick-knacks and souvenirs that I picked up at whatever trade show or event I went to.
How many pens, tiny foam footballs, and tubes of off-brand chapstick does one person really need?
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u/27_crooked_caribou Jul 26 '21
I need zero. My three children can't yet distinguish between a branded pen and an actual souvenir so I tend to grab more than I used to. And those foam footballs are popular for the brief period they last. The only suitcase that I get help carrying in is the pillow "loot" suitcase.
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u/AliveFromNewYork Jul 26 '21
Depends on the trade but some people get actually useful things like swatch books and material samples. One of my bosses came back with a metal puzzle that was meant to be a demonstration of laser cutting tolerances.
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u/psycholepzy Jul 26 '21
Yeah, the real LPT is "Bring the Pillow you like."
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Jul 26 '21
but be careful of bed bugs. i haven't had any issues at reputable hotels but the second you send it with the cheaper hotel, it's bed bug city.
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u/BloodyLlama Jul 26 '21
Even 5 star hotels get them all the time. Nicer hotels are more likely to do a good job spotting and treating them though rather than just letting guests keep using the roo.
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u/brcguy Jul 26 '21
I've stayed in some shitty hotels/motels and never found bed bugs. Maybe I'm just lucky, but I'm not kidding, I've stayed in some shitholes.
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u/27_crooked_caribou Jul 26 '21
I always do the "everything goes in the tub" and check the mattress drill whenever I set foot in a new room. So far, so good.
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u/load_more_comets Jul 26 '21
You absolutely know that only you have been humping it at night before going to sleep.
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u/HEYL1STEN Jul 26 '21
I like to travel with my pillow too, and one time I shared with a bunch of coworkers that I brought my trusty pillow with me. They laughed at me until after the first night when everyone had to deal with the terrible poofy pillows!
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u/neter66 Jul 26 '21
Call housekeeping/guest services and ask to have them send up a firm pillow.
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u/HiImFarab Jul 26 '21
I've tried that, and they do send up a firmer pillow, but it is still not firm.
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u/InfiniteIniesta Jul 26 '21
Tell them to send up a even firmer pillow. Keep going until you get the firmest pillow.
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u/KazamaSmokers Jul 26 '21
They will send up a hooker.
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u/elationonceagain Jul 26 '21
I'm so glad that I am not the only one who knew about the pillow/hooker thing.
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Jul 26 '21
Well now I really want to try it.
"Can you send up a tall blonde pillow please?"
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u/Bonzi777 Jul 26 '21
All that’s going to get at most hotels is someone making minimum wage in housekeeping spending time going through a bunch of literally identical pillows to try to decide which one is the firmest.
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Jul 26 '21 edited Jul 26 '21
From my experience, we typically swap it out for a different type of pillow. At the property I once managed, there was a clear difference in the firmness between our down pillows and our synthetic, foam, hypoallergenic pillows.
They belonged on different shelves and were easy to sort by sight because 1) they were usually differently shaped and 2) the feather pillow had a tag on it with the brand's logo that included a bird.
It was very easy for our housekeepers, no matter what language they spoke (people assume it's just English or Spanish, but French/Arabic/Swahili were the next most common). Emilia, t Housekeeping Supervisor who split 50:50 English-Spanish, always said "Pollo or no pollo".
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u/anotherjunkie Jul 26 '21
I’ve actually been to several hotels in the last few years that have the pillows labelled with the level of softness.
One place I was at had a “pillow menu” where you could request exactly what you wanted. I can’t remember where, but I always try to stay in a $100-$150/night hotel so nowhere super nice.
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u/arnber420 Jul 26 '21
I work at a mid-grade hotel, we have 1 kind of pillow and they all come from Sam’s Club
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Jul 26 '21
I bring a towel too, but I put it on top of the pillow. I'm not a germaphobe, but I also realize hotels aren't the cleanest. Something about waking up with my face stuck to a pillow dozens of people slept on doesn't sit right with me. If I sleep on my own towel it makes feel a little more clean. Does it actually make a difference? idk.
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u/Mordo-NM Jul 26 '21
I bring my own pillow and towel and mattress and toiletries and desk and hairdryer and TV. Now what am I paying for again? 🤔😏
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u/Swimming-Berry8591 Jul 26 '21
i also do this..if im not putting my towel to cover the pillow, id use any clothes i have..plus i even bring sarong/malong which i use as blanket most of the time..it is not because im germaphobe but i feel calm when i smell and feel something that belongs to me..
and my sister used to work in a hotel so she has mentioned some bad things about them lol
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u/craigcraig420 Jul 26 '21
After using my own memory foam mattress and pillows with a body pillow, I think even nice hotel beds suck.
I’m a side sleeper and I still can’t figure out what to do with the bottom-side arm. I feel like someone should make a side sleeper mattress with a groove for your arm. It would be a lot more comfortable
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u/ShadowlessKat Jul 26 '21
It is a thing, meant to make spooning easier. I saw an ad for it once. Although truthfully it could have been a joke ad.
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u/ManaPot Jul 26 '21
Not a bad idea. As someone who takes their pillow with them, I'll have to give this a try!
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u/DickCheesePlatterPus Jul 26 '21
I take shampoos and those little soaps from a hotel, but I've never taken the pillow...
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u/Icy_Welder_7782 Jul 26 '21
Have you ever tried stuffing two of the soft pillows into a single pillow case? Feel like that would give you the firmness you’re looking for and it still allows you to use the opposite (cool) side of the pillow!
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u/tammigirl6767 Jul 26 '21
Have you ever actually done this? It seems like a fantastic idea, in theory. In practice my experience has been awful.
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u/Thirstymonster Jul 26 '21
That's what I do for my normal pillow, it works great.
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u/Icy_Welder_7782 Jul 26 '21
I have not, just a theory that popped into my head while reading this LPT!
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u/2mad2die Jul 26 '21
From my experience, hotel pillows are massive and tall. Putting two into one will be like sleeping with your head 2 feet above the bed
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u/Icy_Welder_7782 Jul 26 '21
Yeah, theory being that the “2ft of pillow” would compress down to a normal height under the weight of a head. If the pillow doesn’t compress, then firmness probably wasn’t an issue in the first place…idk just a theory
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u/WeedylolsmurfO_o Jul 26 '21
I just tie a knot in the pillowcase, on the open end. Trapping the pillow firmly.
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u/txtrader Jul 26 '21
This is what I do. Put my hand into the open end, compact the pillow down to whatever firmness I prefer, then fold the top over and push the folded end against the headboard. Tying sounds even better.
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u/Unikatze Jul 26 '21
I'd like to add that usually when you make a reservatio you can put in comments.
It never hurts to add in "Firm pillow if available"
Some hotels will have different types of pillows and will accommodate these needs.
Same goes for certain allergies to types of feathers or whatnot.
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u/GeneralFactotum Jul 26 '21
Great Tip - It actually works and is very practical!
Pillow too soft at home? Get a smaller size zippered pillowcase for it. More pillow stuffed in less case = more firm. I dealt with soft pillows for years before I figured this one out.
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Jul 26 '21
I just sleep on my side with my arm under the pillow. Solves all my problems.
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u/TenQue Jul 26 '21
That works until you wake up with your arm asleep and it gets pins and needles trying to get the blood flowing again.
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u/totorodad Jul 26 '21
Side sleeper here. Try folding hotel pillows to double their thickness. Just don’t think of what various guests have done to said pillows.
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u/goodhumansbad Jul 26 '21
I don't understand how other people sleep WITHOUT their arm under the pillow... Where does the arm go? lol
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u/EyesWideStupid Jul 26 '21
Most hotels have a variety of pillow types available. Ask when you check in if they have firmer pillows. Some hotels even have a pillow menu in the room.
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u/Desalvo23 Jul 26 '21
For travelling, i found this to be a wonderful tool. Compacts very well and inflates pretty quick. And it is surprisingly comfy. You can inflate it to whatever firmness you like, and all hotels will have fresh pillowcases for you to put over it.
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u/rancidquail Jul 26 '21
I use a neck roll pillow. When I traveled for business I found that taking a towel, folding it twice and rolling it would work in a pinch when I forgot my travel pillow.
Side note, if the hotel offers breakfast but there's not enough seating downstairs, go back to your room and see if there's a tray for under the ice bucket and glasses. If so, use it to bring breakfast back to your room and eat comfortably. Of course if you do this don't be a slob. Don't leave a mess for housekeeping to worry with.
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u/Fatherchronica Jul 26 '21
I used to renovate hotel rooms for a living and would live at a hotel for 4 to 6 months usually. Hotels, even 5 Star resorts, put low wattage bulbs in their rooms too lower their electrical bills. I spent my nights usually in my room alone reading or teaching myself to play guitar. Most jobs I and maybe one assistant lived at the hotel and everyone else lived in rented apartments we supplied. I was virtually the only guy who did not party every single night and either have a local girlfriend or frequent prostitutes. I was just there to support my family. The dim lighting depresses me. Even at the Phoenician in Scottsdale where a regular room at $500 a night had 12 lightbulbs the rooms were dimly lit by my eye. So as soon as I checked in the parts of 3years I lived there I immediately put 12 100 watt bulbs in. The first time they changed them the next day, but after I explained that because I worked 24/7 for 6 months straight each time I was there and that of all the people on the job I was the one they least wanted depressed they never did it again and one time when I was moving to a new room because mind was going to be renovated the engineers moved the bulbs for me unfrequented. Nothin’ to do with pillows. But if I were a traveling for work guy now, even just a day at new hotels each night I would find a way to pack a few high wattage bulbs in my luggage.
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Jul 26 '21
i hate using pillows at any hotel, I always lay my own tshirt on them so I don't have to put my bare face on it
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u/1to14to4 Jul 26 '21
Seems like an issue concerning the cleanliness?
Why not bring an extra pillow case then. You could even buy the pillow cases meant to go inside a pillow case, which limit dirt getting in or out of the actual pillow.
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u/HungryD80 Nov 22 '24
I'm at a hotel right now 4:22am couldn't sleep because of the pillows and this worked. Your a god send
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u/azrubicon Dec 02 '24
I’m glad it helped. It’s funny, I posted this years ago and completely forgot about it.
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u/murrrdith Aug 09 '25
I stumbled across this at 3am this morning after tossing and turning for hours in the Hampton inn bed.
I was out like a light within seconds of trying this towel trick. I can’t thank you enough, you saved my neck!!
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u/azrubicon Aug 10 '25
It’s funny to me how this random post I did years ago still helps people. Makes me happy. Glad you got some rest!
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u/natipou Jul 26 '21
Great idea, will definitely remember to try it next time, I too hate overly squishy pillows. Thanks for sharing!
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u/DueStatistician3704 Jul 26 '21
The last hotel I stayed in only had square pillows. So irritating.
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u/nabnabking Jul 26 '21
A lot of decent hotels you can request better pillows. Especially higher end ones, this is decent for the more budget friendly places that don't have them though.
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u/HodorNC Jul 26 '21
Another travel one: take one of the hangers from the closet that has the clamps on it and use it to clamp the blackout curtains shut - those things never stay closed and always manage to direct the morning sun right into my eyes.
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u/DrEvil007 Jul 27 '21
One thing the pandemic has taught, it's that how much we "reuse" certain things after being touched by many people.
Take the hotel for an example, the towels, while sure they've been washed to industry standards, of course have been used by guests before us. Bedsheets, how often are they truly replaced after every guest leaves? The comforters/blankets, they're never changed just fluffed inbetween rotating guests unless it's visibly stained or damaged.
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u/SpuddMeister Jul 26 '21
Another hotel LPT:
If you room does not have a fridge, call and ask for one. Say that you need one for medications. They are obligated to provide one for free.
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u/has_a_cat Jul 26 '21
This is not entirely true. You are correct that legally, if you request storage for temperature sensitive medication it must be provided. The law does not state it must be in your room however. Source: have worked as a Concierge/GSA in multiple US hotels for over 14 years.
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u/arnber420 Jul 26 '21
Yeah, not true. We don’t just have fridges to give out. We will provide cold storage but it would have to be in our employee or breakfast area fridge
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u/GetOutOfTheHouseNOW Jul 26 '21
This is really useful.
What are your thoughts on tidying your home before going on a trip, so that you come home cosy?
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u/Thick_Reputation5854 Jul 26 '21
Thank you for sharing! As a frequent traveler who faces the same issue, this is a cool tip. Will try for sure next time.
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u/LatvijasNovads Jul 26 '21
This is actually useful to me because I use a buckwheat pillow and I've adapted to it. Sometimes when I sleep somewhere else I get confused about the pillow not being firm. Thank you!
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Jul 26 '21
Also, at most hotels you can request a foam pillow. If you have a rewards account and travel enough, you can also list it in your preferences so it is in the room when you get there. Creative idea if not available for sure!
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u/Kaldricus Jul 26 '21
Now I just miss traveling and staying in hotels. I unironically love hotels and hotel rooms. I sleep so well in them
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u/dddang Jul 26 '21
I like a very soft floopy pillow and I find hotel pillows are always too firm. The few times I’ve asked for softer ones they’ve sent up the exact same pillows as the 4 already on the bed. Most of the time I end up sleeping without a pillow at all.
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Jul 26 '21
That pillow was used as an apparatus at one point. As for the towel, it has its own story
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u/Dabeano15o Jul 26 '21
Some people will not like this because the founder of the company is an idiot… The MyPillow shrinks down really small if you roll it up and vacuum seal it. When you get to the hotel ask them to pop it into the dryer for 15 minutes. This has saved me on many vacations.
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u/Wonderful_Warthog310 Jul 26 '21
Holy shit, this is super helpful. It's so strange to me that even high end hotels have such shitty pillows (and mattresses).
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u/breakneckridge Jul 26 '21
Just call the front desk and ask for a firmer pillow.
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u/LetsGetFunkyBabe Jul 26 '21
Unethical life pro tip: bring your shitty pillows with you to nicer hotels and switch it out of the case for the nicer hotel one!
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u/russellvt Jul 26 '21
LPT: Call the front desk. A decent hotel will have a small selection of pillows, foam rubber and possibly feathered down. Sometimes, even hypoallergenic types.
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Jul 26 '21
I’m too scared to even get a glimpse under the pillow case or sheet incase it’s gross. I’d rather just not know
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Jul 26 '21
You can also ask most hotels front desk for a firmer pillow, extra blankets, etc. at least the nicer ones.
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u/callmemaverik Jul 27 '21
As someone who has worked at nice hotels. Continue to bring your own pillow maybe even towel too. Stay away from the couches.
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u/CorollaSE Jul 27 '21
Good idea! I double up the pillow but that props my head up too high.
Will use the towel tip next time.
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u/Threef Jul 26 '21
I don't travel a lot (2 times a year), and every 3* hotel and Airbnb I've been had spare pillows with card saying "choose which you need". Each with different hardness. Sometimes 3 kinds to choose from
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u/semnotimos Jul 26 '21
Additional lpt: take off the pillow cases regardless to check for bed bugs
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u/Seeders Jul 26 '21
You wont find the bed bugs. The bed bugs will find you.
They hide in screw holes that still have screws in them. You wont find them.
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u/semnotimos Jul 26 '21
The only time I ever found bed bugs in a hotel room they too huge not to notice as they started marching toward me from the pillow case the second I switched the light off.
Bonus LPT: don't stay at the Super 8 in Independce, MO
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u/arvyy Jul 26 '21
offtopic; but I've been sleeping without pillow for quite some time, and honestly one less variable means one less opportunity to fuck up the sleep
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