Usually sleeping in a strange bed is one of the least pleasant things about travelling but, once in a while, we end up in a bed we love. If you’re in the market for a new mattress, you might be interested in learning that many hotels actually sell the bedding products they use. Of course, your purchase is a brand new version! Also, most are priced about the same as a department or mattress stores.

Westin will sell you it’s “heavenly bed” top to bottom including sheets and pillows. Hyatt even includes a red bow around the new mattress and removal of your old one.

So next time you’re shopping for a bedding, why not call up the hotel you stayed at last year with the great beds and see if they can ship you one. If they don’t, they may at least be able to give you the name of someone that will. Even better, use your mattress search as an excuse to check into some swanky places so you can “test drive” their products.

Did you know that many hotels offer a deeply discounted rate for the first few months after they open? The idea is that they will be ironing out any issues involved with the new property during this time and also that the low rate will entice travellers to try a new place. Last year when the Westin Boston Waterfront hotel opened I saw rates up to 50% off! You can find new hotel openings on industry websites such as the Hotel News Resource.

Hotel News Resource New Openings Page

Source: Sunday Times Travel

Ok…I know that cars and airplanes are not green, but in observance of Earth Day I will point you to some hotels that are. The Green Hotels Association keeps a list of accommodations in the United States with an environmental agenda that you can feel good about patronizing. In addition, their website offers plenty of eco-friendly trip tips to use so travellers of the future can enjoy this beautiful planet as much as we do!

Green Hotels Association