By Jo Joiner
How to choose the best commercial mattress in NZ
Mattresses for hotels, motels and Airbnbs have a lot of boxes to tick. They need to be durable, hygienic, affordable and, above all, comfortable. Your guests will judge their accommodation experience on the comfort of the bed, so it’s important to get your mattress decision right.
Plush, medium or firm?
Deciding on the best mattress firmness for commercial situations can be challenging. If you have a high-end establishment, it’s tempting to choose a plush mattress that will feel soft and luxurious. And if you’re operating at the student hostel or budget end of the spectrum, you might want the no-nonsense practicality of a firm mattress. However, we recommend a middle-of-the-road approach with a medium mattress.
Sitting at 5 on the 1 to 10 firmness scale, a medium mattress is suitable for both side and back sleepers who weigh less than 105kg. In another words, they suit nearly all people. A medium mattress makes most of the people happy most of the time.
Foam, continuous spring or pocket spring?
Once upon a time, commercial mattresses were all made with Bonnell spring, continuous spring or open coil spring systems. With these systems, the coils are connected to each other via spring wires. While these mattresses are quite durable, they’re famous for partner disturbance. When one person rolls over, the other person gets jiggled about (and probably woken up).
Today, hotels and motels are more likely to choose pocket spring mattresses, which are made with hundreds of individual springs. Springs of different strengths are grouped into zones, to provide firmer support for some areas and softer support for others. With a high-quality pocket spring mattress, there is virtually no partner disturbance.
Foam and gel are also an option for commercial use, however they’re known to be quite soft. In the hospitality sector, soft mattresses are a no-no.
Off-the-shelf or custom-made?
When you’re shopping for commercial mattresses, it’s best to deal directly with the manufacturer. That way you can get the best deal, as well as the best mattress for your needs.
If you need a large number of mattresses, you could work with the manufacturer to design exactly what you need and have it branded for your establishment. Remember to allow enough lead time, because the finished product may be designed in New Zealand and manufactured overseas.
What sizes do commercial mattresses come in?
Mattresses for the hospitality sector are available in a wider range of sizes that domestic mattresses. For example, you can buy a Twin Set that can be zipped together to form a Super King for room hire flexibility. Here are the sizes that are usually offered to commercial customers:
- Twin Set: 1835mm x 2030mm
- Super King: 1835mm x 2030mm
- King: 1685mm x 2030mm
- Queen: 1525mm x 2030mm
- Double XL: 1385mm x 2030mm
- Double: 1385mm x 1900mm
- King Single: 1055mm x 2030mm
- Single XL: 915mm x 2030mm
- Single: 915mm x 1900mm
How often should commercial mattresses be replaced?
Because your reputation rests on the comfort, quality and cleanliness of your beds, we recommend replacing commercial mattresses every four to five years. Old mattresses that are unmarked and still in good order can be donated to charity. Habitat for Humanity accepts mattresses, which are resold to raise funds for housing initiatives.
It’s possible that bed bases may not need replacement as often as mattresses. If your establishment is at the upmarket end of the spectrum, replacing both mattress and base will ensure rooms continue to look smart. For budget accommodation, you might get away with replacing the base every 10 years. Talk to your bed and mattress supplier for advice and cost estimates.
Need help with sourcing the best hotel mattress for your place?
Dreamland is a leading designer, manufacturer and importer of mattresses for the hospitality sector. Based in Auckland, New Zealand, we can supply an off-the-shelf or custom model that’s ideal for your accommodation business. Get in touch with us.
