"During the past decade, hotel operators have
increasingly competed on the basis of the level of luxury of their room offerings. This includes
luxury bedding consisting of oversize mattresses and opulent bed linen, together with other
upgraded room and bathroom amenities.
One industry observer has aptly described the competition to introduce more luxurious
beds and room amenities as the "bed-race." The trend started in the late nineties when
Starwood Hotel Corporation introduced the "Heavenly Bed" at its Westin-branded properties.
Other companies followed suit with their own luxury bedding programs: Hyatt the "Grand Bed,"
Marriott the "Marriott Bed," Radisson the "Sleep Number Bed," Hilton the "Serenity
Collection," and others. Although first confined to upper-end hotels, the new bedding and room
packages are now commonplace throughout the hotel industry.
The new bedding packages are characterized by heavy, plush mattresses weighing in
excess of 100 pounds. They typically feature a bulky "duvet" or quilted comforter, triple
sheeting using flat (instead of a fitted) bottom sheet, up to six pillows on a bed, pillow cases that
fit tightly over plump pillows, and other amenities such as decorative pillows and blankets.
Major players in California's hotel and lodging industry have acknowledged the hazards
that the new bedding packages pose to housekeepers..."
