Sweet Dreams Are Made Of This
Mission: To bring hotel luxury to your own bedroom, with the perfect night’s sleep.
Oh, the bed: a symbol of rest, an oasis of dreams. It’s the one place in the world where you’re allowed to let go and be completely vulnerable for eight uninterrupted hours a night, a sanctuary in which you mentally and physically reset for tomorrow’s challenges. Such an important piece of furniture deserves to be respected (after all, getting a good night’s sleep is crucial to your vitality). So if you’re like us at Talk Magazine, something needs to be done about that unattractive (to say the least) and unsupportive slab of foam that’s sitting in your room. Rosy Gu, the Director of Housekeeping at the Langham Hotel, unequivocally agrees and shares her valuable expertise in helping you get the blissful slumber that your body craves.
There’s no mystery to it; having a good mattress is one of, if not the most important factor in ensuring a good night’s sleep, and if you’ve only the budget for one product, shelling out and buying a high quality mattress is the most effective change you can make to waking up more fresh and alert. According to Gu, “Choosing a respected brand such as the Simmons Beautyrest Signature III Pillow Top Mattress (Price available on application. Web: www.simmons.com) that we use in The Langham Xintiandi, is essential. To add an extra layer of softness, we recommend using a mattress topper, like the Luxury Baffle Box Feather Bed from Pacific Coast (RMB 380) for an extra luxurious, comfortable rest.”
After finding the right mattress, the next step is finding the right pillow for you, and an individual’s specific needs should drive that search. Microfibre pillows are washable, and are a good choice for people with allergies, whereas duck and goose down pillows add a layer of softness and sophistication. meaning that you can truly sink into them as you slip into infinity.
Still, as Gu points out, “There are various kinds out there that accommodate different people, but the best way to discover which one fits you is to physically lay your head on one. Our pillow menu covers a wide range, including the Rose Fragrance Pillow (which relieves stress and anxiety), the Lavender Fragrance Pillow (which relieves tension and lowers blood pressure) and the Japanese Tea Fragrance Pillow (which improves blood circulation).
“There’s also the Reading Pillow (which is specifically designed to support a reading posture), the Body Pillow (which suits side-sleepers and pregnant women), the Qiao Mai Pillow (which promotes a healthy spine) and the Memory Foam Pillow (which amply supports the neck). And while we don’t sell our in-house specialty pillows, guests are more than welcome to contact our supplier (Pacific Coast Feather. Tel: 137 6162 3110) to obtain one for their own bed.”
Lastly, one must purchase top-quality bed sheets, which go by the gluttonous rule that ‘more is better’. Ideally, linens should have a thread count of at least three hundred, which yields a richer, stronger texture. And while satin sheets sound like an acceptable indulgence for a sleeping beauty, one hundred percent cotton is the gold standard for five star hotels like The Langham Xintiandi, not only because they crease less, but because of their unique quality to be warm in the winter, cool in the summer and suitable for guests with sensitive skin. “To emulate the experience that we give in The Langham Xintiandi, we suggest investing in bed sheets, pillow cases and duvet covers made of 100% cotton with a minimum 300 thread count (such as ours that we sell for RMB 480 for king-sized). And if you can manage to find the time to get them pressed as well, do it. I personally think there is nothing nicer than sleeping on smooth, crisp linens,” enthuses Gu. “It’s nothing short of heavenly.”
The Langham Xintiandi. 99 Madang Lu, near Taicang Lu. Tel: 2330 2288. Web: www.xintiandi.langhamhotels.com
How to Emulate the Langham’s Blissful Bed
1. Start with the bottom sheet and fold the sheet corner at 45-degree angles on both sides. These are known as the ‘hospitable corners’ and they keep the sheet taught and in place.
2. Put the top sheet on the bed and fold in the same manner as the bottom sheet.
3. Place the duvet inside the duvet cover. Fold over the top sheet and duvet (together) approximately 10cm.
4. Neatly insert the sheet and duvet under the mattress.
