Let's Talk About The Bed Recipe™
How to build a bed you never want to leave.
After years of sleeping in some of the world’s best hotel beds—and spending an absurd amount of time and money trying to recreate that cloud-like, marshmallow-y, cocoon-of-comfort feeling at home (minus the turn-down service)—I have finally cracked the code.
I call it The Bed Recipe™.1 And because I am an unapologetic people pleaser, I’ve created both an investment version and a budget-friendly version of The Recipe™, so no matter how much you’re planning to spend, there’s an option for you. I have both versions in my own home, and I stand by every single element with my entire body, back, and soul.
But first, let’s get one thing straight: a perfect bed means nothing if the room is 72 degrees. I said what I said.
“The room you sleep in should feel like a morgue.”
— facts, as spoken by my mother-in-law
I am a firm believer in a cold bedroom—AC set to 67–69 degrees, maybe a cracked window if it’s cool outside. In my opinion, there is nothing more indulgent than bundling up in a fluffy duvet with the slightest chill in the air. That feeling when you stick one toe out of the covers and it sends a slight shiver down your spine? That, to me, is luxury.2
Let’s begin.
The Investment Bed
This is the setup in our primary bedroom. When I tell you that I have spent YEARS sleeping in luxury hotel beds, lifting up the sheets and pulling back pillow shams to investigate their exact bed recipe, that’s not an exaggeration.
From 2011-2018, it was literally my job. I was a magazine editor and writer who covered luxury travel, so I got to travel the world (65 countries!) and write about fancy hotels. My travels have continued after leaving the publishing industry in 2018, so suffice to say, if there’s anyone qualified to cover this very topic… it would be me.
Bed Frame
CB2 Diana Bed
This bed is stunning. Sculptural without being fussy, upholstered in a white boucle that feels both modern and timeless. It’s the kind of frame that immediately makes a bedroom look elevated—even if you have Amazon nightstands. You can lean up against the headboard and it feels like a tufted pillow. In fact, that is exactly what I’m doing as I type this. I’m convinced there’s something particularly special about the wood slats of this bed frame that add to the overall cushy-ness of the bed, because I have the same mattress in two different rooms, and the one with the CB2 bedframe is significantly more indulgent-feeling.
Mattress
Simmons Felicity Pillow Top Mattress
This mattress changed my life. I slept on it at a hotel, and loved it so much that I emailed the GM to find out what it was. It’s pillowy on top, firm underneath, and truly the best mattress I’ve ever owned. We bought two—one for Miami, one for the Hamptons. I struggle with lower back issues thanks to being hit by a car while I was crossing the street in the East Village back in 2011 (but that’s a story for another day.) Mattresses can sometimes cause my back pain to flare up, but not this one.
Unfortunately for me, the only website that it’s available to purchase on is a random “Beauty Rest Hospitality Guest Purchase Program” website, which is not part of any affiliate program. That means I have absolutely zero incentive to promote it, other than the satisfaction of knowing you’re all sleeping like babies. I care deeply about your comfort. Even more than money.
Sheets
Percale Sheet Set
If you love that crisp, cooling, terrifically-taught hotel sheet feel, these are the ones to buy. They're smooth and breathable with a subtle sheen—like the kind of sheets you’d slide into at a St. Regis or an Aman. Percale, in particular, is a great material for anyone who gets hot in the middle of the night, because they keep you nice and cool. These are the sheets we have in Miami, and we’ve used the same set for YEARS.
Signature Vintage Washed Sheet Set
These are my underdog winner. I had always been a devotee of the Percale sheets, but when we bought our house in the Hamptons, I thought I would try out something a little bit more “relaxed” and lived-in feeling. They’re 100% cotton and have that soft, freshly-washed-a-million-times texture that somehow gets better the more they go into the laundry. Like if a perfectly broken-in white tee became a sheet set.
You can’t go wrong with either. Just depends on your preferred flavor.
Duvet + Insert
Duvet Insert
Fluffy without being suffocating. Light as air, but also somehow kind of feels like a weighted anxiety blanket? IDK how that’s possible. But it just is. And it also makes you feel like you’re being hugged by a cloud. We both sleep hot and this keeps us cool all night. Magic.
Duvet Cover
Soft as hell, feels cozy but not hot, and holds up beautifully in the wash. I also like that this one has little ties in all four corners that can be secured to the corners of your duvet, so that the comforter doesn’t start flailing around inside of the sheet every time you turn over.
Pillows
Hotel Pillows
These are my secret weapon. I’ve bought them for every bedroom in our house. I’ve also tried $200 designer pillows and can confidently say these are better. They're plush but not overly firm, they hold their shape, and they support your head and neck with just the right amount of fluff.
The Budget-Friendly Bed
This is what we use in our guest bedrooms—and I’ve tested every single piece myself. Because the above-mentioned mattress in the primary bedroom was the last to be delivered, I had plenty of time to test drive The Recipes™ in the other bedrooms before giving my endorsement. The goal was “luxury hotel feel without the luxury hotel price tag,” and after way too much research and many nights of trial-and-error, this is what made the cut.
Sheets
Lane Linen Egyptian Cotton Sheets
Crisp, cool, and shockingly good for the price. These are the ones I use in both of our guest rooms. Every single person who has stayed over has asked about the sheets—and are shocked when I say Amazon. There are 9 million f-ing sheet sets and brands on Amazon, and I swear I started to go cross-eyed trying to sort through which ones were actually the best. I found myself watching those little user-generated Amazon review videos for every “best selling” sheet set before deciding to give these a try. I also ordered sets from several other brands, and liked these the best.
Pillows
Hotel Pillows
Yes, again. Because they deserve it.
Mattresses
Nectar Classic 12" Mattress
If you’re looking for something that feels substantial without breaking the bank, this is your mattress. It’s a memory foam style with a cooling top layer, and I consider it to be on the medium-firm side (but in a supportive, contouring way). Again, I did exhaustive research before pulling the trigger on this one. I read every single Wirecutter article, poured over Consumer Reports, and even asked members of the SilbSquad to share their faves. This one continuously topped every list, and I liked the fact that I could order it from Amazon (rather than directly from the brand’s website.) I was fully prepared to return it if it didn’t pass the test, but after sleeping on it for a while, I can confirm it’s a winner. We have this in our queen guest room.
Zinus Memory Foam Mattress
This one is for the “how is this good??” files. It was under $200 and I bought it expecting it to be a piece of trash, because it didn’t seem possible that a mattress under $200 could be comfortable. But I figured I’d take my chances because… Amazon. It’s legitimately great. Comfy, supportive, doesn’t trap heat, and expands out of the box within a few hours. One of our guest rooms has two twin beds, and these are the mattresses we chose to go with in that room.
Duvet Cover
Bedsure White Duvet Cover
Shockingly soft. It’s the #1 best-selling duvet cover on Amazon for a reason. Pro tip: for the fluffiest hotel-inspired bed, you should always buy a duvet insert that’s one size larger than your bed. So, for example, if you have a queen bed and you’re buying a queen duvet cover—you’ll want to go with a KING insert. It will fit, and it will make your bed feel 10x more luxurious. Trust.
Insert
Serta Goose Feather Down Cotton Comforter
Hypoallergenic, medium-weight, and fluffs up like a dream. I was skeptical because of the price, but figured I’d give it a shot and return it if it felt too cheap. Confirmed this is a phenomenal budget-friendly option. I chose the “all season” weight.
WHEW ok that’s it. That’s my thesis on hotel beds. I’m sure I’ll think of 200 other things I wanted to include by the time I hit send on this bad boy. Hope you found it helpful!
P.S.
If things look a little different, it’s because I moved my newsletter over to Substack (!). Same content, better platform—and now a new paid tier. If you’re into exhaustive deep dives like this, as well as the unfiltered stuff—Birkins, Botox, being a childless millennial, buying a house, owning a business, and all the things I don’t really post on Instagram—that’s where it’s all going.
I’ll still have free weekly newsletters of course, so nothing is changing on that front. Amazon Prime Day is this week, and you’ll be getting the full list of what I call “the hidden gems of Amazon” to shop during the sale. So keep an eye out for that.
I’m so happy to have you here.
xx,
Lindsay
Ok, I didn’t actually trademark The Bed Recipe™. I legit just made it up a few weeks ago when someone asked me about the combination of mattress/sheets/duvet I have. But there’s something about the ™ that makes it feel a bit more important, you know?
If you stick around long enough, I might just share my hack for unlocking the hotel room AC so that you can set it to whatever frigid temperature you’d like. Stay tuned.
This is fabulous. I’m always on the hunt for anything that would make my sleep more luxurious. We are in France right now and just went to the Yves Delorme linen factory outlet, where they sell French linens by the kilo!