“We’re here to roll around in your bed for you, sir.” Photo: Exercise Tradewinds 2009, Feature Photo: Carly & Art

You’ve checked in and you’ve had your dinner. You’re all by yourself and now it’s time to catch some Z’s.

Do you call for a turndown service? A cup of warm milk? A soothing hot toddy?

Or how about a team of grown ups in “special all in one sleeper suits” to come roll around under the covers of the bed you’ll soon be snuggling up in to warm it up for you?

Sound creepy?

It can’t be creepy. As the Holiday Inn sleep doctor Chris Idzikowski (director of the Edinburgh Sleep Centre) has explained, it’s science!

Dr. Idzikowski (as quoted in Telegraph UK) says:

There’s plenty of scientific evidence to show that sleep starts at the beginning of the night when body temperature starts to drop. The decline occurs partly because the blood vessels of the hands, face and feet open up and release heat.
A warm bed – approximately 20 to 24 degrees Celsius – is a good way to start this process whereas a cold bed would inhibit sleep. Holiday Inn’s new bed warmers service should help people achieve a good night’s sleep especially as it’s taking much longer for them to warm up when they come in from the snow.

Maybe what you hear when you read all that mumbo-jumbo is:

Blah blah blah blah blah.

It’s a far cry from the days of the quarter fed
massaging bed. Photo: grenade

If that’s the case, just ask yourself: What’s more soothing than multiple strangers dressed in adult sized, terry-cloth footie pajamas coming into your room and rolling around your freshly bleached sheets before you get into bed?

As a spokesperson for the Hotel is quoted as saying, “The bed warmers service is a bit like having a giant hot water bottle in your bed, warming it up before guests climb in to give them a great night’s sleep away from the cold – of course they jump out before you jump in.”

Let’s hope they aren’t serving beans for the employee meal.

Okay. Maybe science doesn’t have a strong enough explanation to make this an appealing prospect, and no matter what they say, people aren’t water bottles, but if you happen to take advantage of this opportunity being offered in the London Kensington branch of the hotel, we hope you’ll let us know in the comments field below.

Community Connection

There have got to be better ways of getting to sleep! For more ideas about that, see MatadorAbroad‘s How to Sleep in Your Vehicle.

Hostels
 

About The Author

Kate Sedgwick

Kate Sedgwick edits Matador Nights from Buenos Aires where she organizes her live storytelling project, Second Story, and stays busy giving art tours and doing yoga. Read more about her than you might want to know at her blog YesThereIsSuchAThingAsAStupidQuestion.com.

  • Kathy

    I’m sorry, but what’s wrong with real water bottles?

  • http://www.candicedoestheworld.com Candice

    Oh Kate, you slay me. Why not just put electric blankets on every bed?

  • http://nancythegnomette.com Nancy

    No, no, no! Besides the fact I like cold beds, having a stranger roll around in my bed for me is just creepy. This is hilarious: “…of course they jump out before you jump in.” Fhew-that’s good to know.

  • joshua johnson

    what sounds better than cuddling up in a warm bed that just had two flatulent men in Haz-mat suits on?

  • http://www.rawr52.blogspot.com Sandy

    The idea is disgusting, but yet I want to try it.

  • http://matadorabroad.com Tim Patterson

    This is too weird.

  • http://www.bayarea-wedding-photography.com Amanda,traveling photographer

    Its a good idea for a promo tool …. sure. As a sustainable real idea … not so much.

  • http://www.expatheather.com Heather Carreiro

    Yeah I would pass on this service.

Hostels →

Inevitably, some guy will rush to the DVD player with this one screaming that it’s...

Hostels →

While this may seem innocent enough, a warped mind can come up with a myriad of sadistic...

Hostels →

Drury Hotels have made a point of going back to good old customer service values by...

Hostels →

Inspired by a Forbes Magazine article about a company offering hurricane-proof living via...

Hostels →

Lola Akinmade takes a video walk-through of her room at the Jumbo Hostel in Sweden.
by juli

Hostels →

Would Lonely Planet list The Overstay if they sent someone to see it?

Hostels →

What started out as sleazy adult fun meant to titillate and generate a little controversy...

Hostels →

Reviews and articles about the hostel are so glowing that many people booking might not...

Hostels →

“Food not marked with name and date WILL BE EATEN.” It was our civic duty to enforce...

Hostels →

A girl staying here told me that she let out a moan when she saw the bathrooms for the...

Budget + Backpacker →

Our man Matt searches high and low, enduring sleepless nights by the toilet to bring you...

Hostels →

From temporary apartments to hostels, here are the best places to stay in Buenos Aires.

Hotels →

Online research is quickly taking the place of guidebooks and travel agents, especially...