The bedroom is a sanctuary from the stresses of the day — the place you find comfort and relaxation.
A warm welcoming bed can make the difference between a good night’s sleep and one that leaves you tossing and turning for roughly a third of your day.
But the comfort of the room is not just a luxury, it is critically important to the quality of your sleep.
There is a growing body of research that shows that the conditions of your sleeping space – sights, sounds, feelings and even smells – can have a direct impact on your ability to fall asleep, stay asleep, and wake up felling well rested, fresh and energized.
A lack of proper sleep can greatly impair your mental performance, prolong recovery from injury, and increase your stress levels.
According to the National Sleep Foundation’s Bedroom Research (April 2012) results show that respondents believe that elements of the bedroom environment do affect their sleep. Many people believe clean, neat, and comfortable elements of the bedroom environment are important to getting a good’s night’s sleep.
Respondents rated elements of comfort in their bedroom as having the greatest impact on their sleep, particularly comfort of their mattress (93%) and pillows (91%), the feel of the sheets and bedding (85%), sleeping on sheets with a fresh scent (78%), a quiet (74%) and dark room (73%), temperature (69%), and fresh air free of allergens (63%).
When asked about how elements of the bedroom contribute to creating a romantic environment, respondents rated comfortable mattress (78%) and comfortable feel of sheets and bedding (73%) as important.
Bedding Hygiene has long been an under-prioritised issue in the hospitality industry, lagging well behind food hygiene as a concern for many operators.
But with rising allergy rates and a public far more aware of ‘invisible’ hygiene issues, bedding cleanliness and hygiene is becoming an increasingly important factor in guests’ accommodation choices.
The human body sheds skin flakes and hair and releases up to 1 litre of fluid every night.
If a bed is 5 years old and the room has averaged 75% occupancy, more than 2000 people may have slept on the bed, all leaving behind fluid, hair and skin flakes that can work their way into an unprotected mattress.
An unprotected mattress is a fertile breeding ground for Dust Mites and Bacteria which feed off human debris to cause odours and aggravate allergies.
Good bedding hygiene means protecting pillows and mattresses from the body moisture, skin flakes and hair that every guest sheds during their stay.
Contrary to widely-held belief, the quilted cotton/polyester mattress and pillow covers commonly used in the industry offer almost no protection against body fluids or hair and skin cells. These easily pass through the padded covers, enter the mattress or pillow and turn them into a fertile breeding ground for the dust mites and bacteria that cause odours and trigger guests’ allergies.
Many hotels and motels often do not launder quilted cotton/polyester mattress and pillow covers between guests.
The Ballina Motel places a high priority on bedding hygiene to ensure our guests ultimate comfort and the best nights sleep possible.
That's why the Ballina Motel does not use quilted cotton/polyester mattress and pillow covers!
A new generation of bedding protectors on the market are fully waterproof and form a highly effective hygiene barrier for mattresses and pillows.
Cotton Terry Towelling Mattress and Pillow Protectors, use advanced textile technology to bond lightweight, breathable polyurethane to a pure cotton upper. Unlike the old heavy plastic protectors, they’re soft, comfortable and completely silent to sleep on.
These new-generation bedding protectors are so unobtrusive our guests don’t know they’re there. Unless, of course, we tell them! – which, given today’s increasingly choosy customer, might just be a smart idea.
Tossing and turning is your body’s way of looking for proper support to allow your muscles to completely relax. A luxury high loft micro fibre mattress topper answers your body’s need for support by contouring to your curves. You need only relax in your favourite sleeping position, and let the mattress topper contour around you for the ultimate support and a luxurious nights sleep.
Breadspreads also collect dirt, absorbing everything from odours, body fluids, food and beverage spills, dust and grime.
Guests often lie on the bed with their shoes.
And Lord knows what may have been going on, on top of that bedspread .... shudder!
Hotels and motels might sponge off marks but do not launder bedspreads after each guest checks out. They don't get washed very often!
Doesn't exactly give you the warm fuzzies to think about how long it may have been since that motel’s or hotel’s bedspread may have been washed, does it?
That's why the Ballina Motel does not use bedspreads, instead chooses to use triple sheeting!
Triple sheeting uses three flat sheets to achieve a luxurious sleep experience with freshly laundered sheets covering all bedding. The first flat sheet goes down over the new generation cotton terry towelling mattress protector, above this lies the second sheet. A continental blanket is then placed on top of the second sheet and a final third sheet is placed on top of this.
This method of making the bed (used in leading hotels around the world) is a little more work for us and increases our laundry costs, but more importantly it ensures a hygienic and luxurious nights sleep for you.
At the Ballina Motel we believe it is important to ensure that our guests have the most hygienic and best possible nights sleep when they stay with us!
Experience the Ballina Motel difference!