Pillow talk: Puffs of perfection at Swissotel Chicago

Guests easily drift off to dreamland thanks to the pillow menu at Chicago's Swissotel.

By Valerie Moloney

In honor of Mother’s Day, I thank my mom for the little things – like how to apply lip liner, for example —  as well as the big stuff, from outfitting my first apartment to calling me nightly after leaving home for good. Returning to my childhood address, I recall what I miss: her bank of perfumes, her prized pageant photo and the multiple pillows – overstuffed and fluffed – atop her California King.

Whether I picked it up subliminally or she voiced it out loud, one of mom’s lessons was never to ruin a good night’s sleep with a crappy pillow.

This is one experience that you typically can’t control while on vacation. Whether you’re in Phoenix hotels or Bangkok hotels, sometimes you’re going to be stuck with a pillow that’s pancake thin. No matter how much you push or tug, there’s no getting that piece of paper into that perfect orb of puff.

A quick albeit inconvenient solution would be to bring your favorite pillow from home, but who wants one more thing to carry through security?

At Swissotel Chicago, guests have their own menu to customize their level of comfort. Select from a spelt pillow, which is filled with organic spelt to relieve neck tension; a Bultex pillow, which controls the release of storage of body heat through the night; and a Swiss Stone pillow stuffed with Swiss Stone Pine shavings whose resin smell carries guests off to a peaceful sleep.

Once visitors have made their choice, a member of the housekeeping staff hand delivers it to their room.

Now, if only mom would magically appear to tuck them in, too.

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Valerie Moloney is a writer for Orbitz whowas born in the Philippines, lived in Morocco and married a native Irishman. She now covers hotels around the world and contributes to the Orbitz blog.

Tagged: Hotels