The Beauty of Sleeping on a Savoir Bed at the Greenwich Hotel
Editor in Chief, Jacqueline Terrebonne, checks in to find out how the luxurious mattress transforms a night’s rest
We’ve long heard about the importance of a good night’s sleep, but what about a great night’s sleep? In preparation for my recent panel on sleep with Savoir Beds, I checked in for a night at the Greenwich Hotel in New York. Each of the property’s 88 rooms is outfitted with the brand’s No. 4 model, and it felt like a necessary indulgence to do my research before diving into the topic.
Test driving the mattress in a hotel goes back to the brand’s conception. Savoir was launched when the first mattress was created in 1905 by hotelier Richard D’Oyly Carte for the Savoy Hotel in London. He believed that his guests should have all the ultimate luxuries, so he conceived a bed that lived up to that standard. That model is still made today under the name Savoir No. 2 and used at the hotel.
Over the last century, other models have been added as well as endless options for customization, but the brand has continued to stay true to its intense commitment to tradition and process. Made from all natural materials, these mattresses aren’t filled with chemicals, instead pine is used for the frame and curled tail hair, cotton, and wool for the filling. The painstaking process the brand adheres to in its workrooms in West London and Wales limits the annual production to fewer than 1,000 beds each year. Plus, each one is made by a single craftsman, who signs his name to the piece.
Checking into my room, I discovered a sprawling corner suite with a fireplace and views overlooking the Hudson River. The bedroom was closed off from the living area and had heavy drapery blocking out any possible light. The temperature was that perfect hotel mid-60s. When I pulled a silky Savoir eye mask over my eyes and tucked in under the crisp cotton sheets, I noticed that my feet were slightly elevated to support better circulation and therefore deeper sleep. I knew I would get a good night’s rest—but I wasn’t sure just how good.
When I pulled a silky Savoir eye mask over my eyes and tucked in under the crisp cotton sheets, I noticed that my feet were slightly elevated to support better circulation and therefore deeper sleep.
Dark, cool, quiet—and on what many consider the world’s best mattress, I was primed for the best sleep of my life. Eight hours later I awoke feeling like I hadn’t just drifted off to sleep but had sunk into the mattress—cocooned by its combination of being both plush and firm at the same time thanks to the mattress topper made of loose cotton wrapped in thick wool. I hate clichés, but I really did feel like I had slept on a cloud. Feeling revived and refreshed, I ventured downstairs for breakfast from Locanda Verde in the private courtyard reserved only for guests. While I savored the frittata caprese, I was so well rested I didn’t even touch the latte I had ordered.
After my stay, I spoke with Savoir’s sleep specialist, Dr. Rebecca Robbins, and she confirmed that my superior sleep experience wasn’t just the result of staying in such a beautiful suite. There was real scientific data to back it up—dark, cool spaces are the ideal environment. An instructor at Harvard Medical School and the author of Sleep Success!, she stressed that the foundation of a good night’s sleep was a comfortable bed and that the right support enhance REM sleep, the most restorative part of the sleep cycle. She even verified that sleeping with your feet slightly elevated really does make a difference. I asked her why I generally felt so great after sleeping in a hotel bed and especially after sleeping in this one. She diagnosed, “it’s probably time to buy a new mattress.”