Westin debuted its Heavenly Bed in 1999. Twenty-five years later, the hotel chain introduced the Next Generation Heavenly Bed, featuring an upgraded mattress, bedding, and linens. Is it an improvement over what's long been considered one of the best hotel beds in the world?
Last June, the Westin New York at Times Square invited me to try the updated Westin Heavenly Bed hands-on. Following the methodology I employ when testing the best mattresses at home, I'll be sharing what you can expect in terms of comfort, support, cooling, and movement transfer.
As sleep tourism continues to thrive, hotels are doing all that they can to ensure travelers get the restorative rest they desire. Does the Next Generation Westin Heavenly Bed get it right? Here's what I thought...
What is the Westin Heavenly Bed?
The Heavenly Bed has been a staple of Westin Hotels for over 25 years, remaining largely unchanged since its debut in 1999. Starting in May 2024, the chain rolled out its Next Generation Westin Heavenly Bed at over 240 Westin properties worldwide.
The Next Generation Westin Heavenly Bed is the culmination of years of research and testing — similar to how the original Heavenly Bed was developed. Westin incorporated feedback from leading sleep experts, associates, and guests to create what it believes is the most comfortable hotel mattress around.
Why did Westin update its Heavenly Bed?
Westin has slightly modified its Heavenly Bed over the years, but the Next Generation Heavenly Bed is the first complete redesign since its release in 1999.
"Guest and operational feedback, as well as the latest advancements in sleep technology and evolving consumer design aesthetics, inspired [Westin] to modernize the look and feel of the Heavenly Bed," says Brian Povinelli, Senior Vice President, Global Head of Marketing and Brand at Marriott International.
The process of revamping the Westin Heavenly Bed began several years ago. A pilot mattress was released in 2019, but COVID-19 delayed the full rollout. By 2021, specifications for the new Heavenly Bed were finalized, and in May 2024, it made its worldwide debut.
According to Povinelli, Westin "painstakingly" reviewed over 4,000 samples from 22 vendors and "conducted extensive R&D" before finalizing the design of its updated Heavenly Bed. The hotel chain collaborated with Hohenstein (which established the OEKO-TEX standard), SGS Labs, and Ecolabs to produce safe, high-quality materials.
Next Generation Westin Heavenly Bed: Design
- A 14" innerspring mattress manufactured by Beautyrest
- Silver fiber woven into the mattress prevents mold and mildew
- Accompanying sheets and pillows are now hypoallergenic
Like the previous version, the Westin Next Generation Heavenly Bed is manufactured by Beautyrest, a brand known for its luxury mattresses. The 14" innerspring mattress has a plush pillow top, individually wrapped pocket coils, and gel-infused memory foam comfort layers.
The overall construction of the Heavenly Bed appears to be largely unchanged from before. One notable addition is the silver fibers woven throughout the mattress. Silver is known for its antimicrobial and antibacterial properties. This should help prevent mold, mildew, and other allergens (but it doesn't eliminate the need for a mattress protector).
The accompanying pillows and bedding have also been updated with breathable, hypoallergenic materials. The sateen sheets are a blend of cotton and lyocell, while the duvet has a cotton shell with a polyester fill.
The pillows now contain a hypoallergenic fiberfill instead of down and feathers. These accessories are a major reason why hotel mattresses are so comfortable.
Next Generation Westin Heavenly Bed: Support & comfort
- I rate it a 6 out of 10 on the firmness scale (medium)
- A comfortable mattress for back sleeping
- Side sleeper support could be more consistent
I've stayed at several Westin properties and recall the Westin Heavenly Bed as a plush yet supportive mattress that met my needs as a 5ft4in, 145lb side/stomach sleeper with occasional lower back pain. Does the Westin Next Generation Heavenly Bed replicate (or improve) that experience?
The updated Westin Heavenly Bed feels slightly softer than I remember, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. I rate it a 6 out of 10 on the firmness scale (medium). Hotels aim to offer a universally comfortable mattress to accommodate as many guests as possible, and a medium feel usually achieves that. (That said, firmness is highly subjective.)
I'm not a natural back sleeper, but I found the Westin Heavenly Bed most comfortable in that position. It distributed my weight evenly, allowing me to sink into it without the urge to fight it.
However, I'm a side sleeper at the end of the day (quite literally). I did have to reposition myself a few times to avoid discomfort in my hips, an area where I hold a lot of weight. While I would have liked more consistent support for that area, the pressure relief along my shoulders and knees was on par with the best mattresses for side sleepers I've tried.
Sometimes, I flip onto my stomach at night, but I wouldn't recommend the Westin Heavenly Bed for strict front sleepers. It was too soft, and my hips began to dip below the rest of my body. (Check out our guide to the best mattresses for stomach sleepers.)
By the way, Westin's default pillows are quite lofty, which makes them ideal for side sleepers (like me). If you're a back or stomach sleeper, you may be able to find flatter pillows in the closet or call down to the front desk.
Next Generation Westin Heavenly Bed: Performance
- Sleeps temperature-neutral
- Adequate edge support
- Good motion isolation
If you're anything like me, you'd like your hotel mattress to keep you cool and cozy, provide a stable surface to sit on, and minimize the movements of a restless travel partner.
Here's how I evaluated the Westin Next Generation Heavenly Bed's temperature regulation, edge support, and motion isolation...
Temperature regulation
As an innerspring mattress, there's already plenty of airflow. The gel-infused memory foam comfort layers and woven silver fibers purportedly help draw away body heat. Plus, the Heavenly Bed sheets are a breathable blend of cotton and Tencel+Plus Lyocel.
During my stay at the Westin New York at Times Square, outside temperatures reached 80 degrees F. However, hotels are big on climate control, and the thermostat in my suite maintained a steady 72 degrees F.
Despite that, the Westin Heavenly Bed slept temperature-neutral on its own accord, and I didn't overheat.
Edge support
Westin doesn't indicate whether the perimeter of the mattress is reinforced with firmer springs, but it does use commercial-grade coils for durability for all-over support.
I sat on the sides and corners of the king-sized Westin Heavenly Bed in my suite. They were steady enough for sitting when getting up in the morning or putting on my shoes. However, mileage may vary because the edges aren't super firm, and individuals over 250 lbs might not find them as supportive as I did.
To test the Heavenly Bed's edge support for sleeping, I sprawled like a starfish and positioned myself as close to the edge as I could. In either case, I didn't feel any obvious sagging or have a fear of falling over.
Motion isolation
I traveled alone and left my weights at home, so to gauge the motion isolation of the Westin Heavenly Bed, I got creative with two 17oz bottles of water, compliments of the Westin.
One bottle remained upright while I threw the other bottle onto the bed from various distances and at different velocities. The upright bottle fell over when I threw the other bottle within six inches of it, but from farther away, the upright bottle slightly wobbled but didn't fall over, regardless of how hard I threw the second bottle.
My (non-scientific) testing indicates there's good motion isolation here. If you share a bed with your partner or kids while on vacation, you may experience a few disturbances if you're a light sleeper. Otherwise, the coils and foam of the Westin Heavenly Bed absorb movements well.
Next Generation Westin Heavenly Bed: Final thoughts
This newest iteration feels slightly softer than I remember it, but the Heavenly Bed is still a supportive, luxurious pillow-top mattress that should satisfy most Westin guests.
The medium feel should suit back sleepers, and many side sleepers may also find it comfy. Beware if you're a stomach sleeper because you won't find the level of support you need here.
While the bedding updates might disappoint fans of down and feather, the focus on hypoallergenic bedding benefits all guests. The antimicrobial silver fibers embedded in the mattress are also meant to foster healthier, cooler sleep.
Overall, this is a well-rounded mattress. The improvements may not seem as evident to frequent travelers to Westin properties, but in all honesty, there was very little that needed to change, in my opinion.
Originally reviewed: June 2024
Can you buy a Westin Heavenly Bed?
Yes — the Heavenly Bed is available to purchase from Westin Store (the hotel's official shop) or Pottery Barn.
The hotel says the direct-to-consumer version features the same design and construction found at Westin properties. You can also purchase the accompanying sheets, pillows, duvet, and mattress pad for the full Westin-at-Home experience.
Here's the complete list of sizes and prices:
- Twin MSRP: $1,645
- Full MSRP: $2,045
- Queen MSRP: $2,945
- King MSRP: $2,845
- California king MSRP: $2,845
Note that the prices above are for the mattress only. You can add a box spring (5.5" or 8.5") for an extra cost. Since the Heavenly Bed is an innerspring mattress, it's strongly recommended you include a box spring if you don't already have one.
Occasional sales knock up to 25% off the Heavenly Bed, making it comparable in price to popular luxury options like the Saatva Classic and Beautyrest Black. Alternatively, Marriott Bonvoy members can apply their reward points towards their purchase.
The Westin Heavenly Bed is backed by a 10-year warranty, but it doesn't come with a mattress trial and it can't be returned. All Heavenly Beds are made to order, with an estimated ship time of four to six weeks.
Delivery is a flat $285 across the contiguous United States, but customers in remote areas will have to pay more.
Next Generation Westin Heavenly Bed: Alternatives
If you're a big fan of the Heavenly Bed from your stays at Westin hotels, it's worth buying one for your bedroom. When it's on sale, prices are on par with popular direct-to-consumer mattresses in the premium price bracket.
But if you're on the fence, consider booking a stay at a Westin to test it out, as returns aren't allowed — or check out these affordable Heavenly Bed alternatives (with mattress trials) below...
