When it comes to a great night's sleep, we know just how important pillows are for our guests. That's why this year, we rolled out 377,000 brand-new luxury pillows across our 800+ hotels.
But that got us thinking – are our firm pillows or our soft pillows more popular? To find out, we conducted a survey of 2000 adults and enlisted the help of Rylan Clark to understand the sleep needs of the nation, the key to a great sleep and to finally put the firm vs. soft pillow debate to bed.
The results are in, and we can reveal that firm pillows are the clear winner with 44% of the vote, followed by 29% preferring soft pillows, and the rest not minding either way as long as they feel comfy and supported.
Unsurprisingly, 69% said that they’d prefer a fuller cushion over a flat one, and a massive 58% said they prefer the cool side and will flip pillows throughout the night to make sure they get the right temperature.
Only 13% of those we asked opted for just one pillow on the bed, with 41% preferring two pillows and 42% opting for three or more. 35% also agreed that they like an extra pillow to slot between their legs.
Presenter and media personality Rylan Clark joined us to celebrate our pillow launch across 800+ hotels, to hear more of the public's pillow preferences, and to check out our luxury pillows for himself!
Rylan said: “From Thurso to Penzance, I cannot believe Premier Inn has put brand new pillows in every single one of their rooms – what a mammoth task in the name of a perfect night’s sleep.
“With all my early starts, I know what really matters when it comes to getting a good night’s sleep, so it’s been so fun getting the nation’s ‘pillowpinions’ and up close and personal to the new pillows and make sure they are as dreamy as they look.
“Spoiler alert! They are.”
The research went on to find that quality matters when it comes to bedding – the most important factors are comfort (69%), plumpness (44%) and firmness (39%), according to the OnePoll.com stats, and a staggering 87% would notice right away if their regular bedding favourite was swapped out. Seven in 10 people claimed that their entire night's sleep can be ruined without a great pillow to rest their head on, so investing in the right support for your sleep is key.
Sarah Simpson, our Head of Product and sleep experience at Premier Inn, said: "The nation has spoken – pillow quality is key to a perfect night’s sleep and when it comes to preference, Brits overwhelmingly prefer a firm over a soft pillow.
“As Rylan says, transforming more than 377,000 pillows across our hotels has been an incredible operation, but it’s been so worthwhile and is making a real difference to the sleep experience.
“And best of all our guests can chose between firm or soft pillows in every room so no matter what your preference, we’ve got you.”
Of the 2000 people we asked, 43% haven’t replaced their pillows for at least two years – and 13% can’t even remember when they last got themselves a new one. So now's the perfect time to treat yourself to the great night's sleep you deserve. Buy our super-comfy bedding and luxurious pillows today, and take that hotel quality sleep home with you.