The Sleep Tourist Reviews...The Ace Hotel Mattress [Ace Hotel New York]

Plus, goop teams with Westin to offer Sleep Training for Grown-Ups

Let’s talk about latex mattresses.

When you visit a hotel, you’re likely sleeping on an innerspring or hybrid mattress — but go to an Ace Hotel and you’ll find a mattress made of 100% natural latex.

The company behind the Ace Hotel Mattress is Suite Sleep, a direct-to-consumer retailer and a purveyor of natural latex mattresses for over two dozen boutique hotels in North America and Japan. The company broke into the hospitality space through its partnership with Ace Hotels in the early 2000s.

“Part of the genesis of Suite Sleep was to be a hospitality provider, but we didn't have any connections in that industry. We got really lucky when Ace Hotel reached out to us,” says Angela Owen, CEO of Suite Sleep.

Inside Mattresses With... Angela Owen, CEO of Suite Sleep

What drew Ace Hotel to Suite Sleep was a shared commitment to sustainability. Suite Sleep mattresses use natural latex, organic cotton, and organic wool with no springs or synthetic foams and fibers.

Using an all-natural latex core without steel coils or synthetic materials guarantees a mattress that can last for decades, helping address a major issue in the hotel industry.

“Longevity is sustainability. Consider the massive amount of waste in the hospitality industry, with mattresses being a very large component of that waste,” says Owen. “I feel that's a sustainability story people don't discuss as often as they should.”

I’ve slept on latex hybrid mattresses (with springs), but I’ve never tried a full-latex bed. Eager to experience something different during my latest trip to Manhattan, I booked a one-night stay at the Ace Hotel New York to see how its unconventional mattress compares to the springy hotel beds I’m used to.

Ace Hotel Mattress at Ace Hotel New York

The first Ace Hotel opened in Seattle in 1999. Today, the chain owns and operates properties throughout North America as well as in Australia, Greece, and Japan.

Ace Hotel New York officially opened its doors in NoMad in 2009. Located at the intersection of West 29th Street and Broadway, the building was formerly home to the Hotel Breslin, a single-occupancy dwelling from the early 1900s. 

That’s apparent in the aesthetic, which pairs the grittiness of grunge with the antiquated charm of the former Breslin. In these understated (yet chic) guestrooms, the bed is an oasis for comfort with tidy organic cotton linens, fluffy down duvets and pillows, and a cozy Pendleton wool blanket exclusively made for the property.

What’s in the Ace Hotel Mattress?

The Suite Sleep mattress at the Ace Hotel New York has a 6” Dunlop latex base and a 2” Talalay latex comfort layer. The organic cotton cover features panel quilting, adding what Owen calls a “tuffted puffiness.”

Sleeping on the Ace Hotel Mattress at Ace Hotel New York

Speaking as an average-sized side/front sleeper, this is a firm bed. I’d rate it a 9 out of 10 on my firmness scale.

There are no springs to launch you into the air when you hop on the bed, nor is there a lofty pillow top to catch you as you fall. There is absolutely no bounce, and the latex has a mild contour, at most.

I spent most of the night on my stomach — which may be a symptom of my month of sleeping on a Siena Premier Hybrid Mattress for Tom’s Guide — but the Ace Hotel Mattress offered the perfect level of support for me to lie that way.

At one point, I did turn onto my side. I wasn’t uncomfortable, but I did feel like I had to “settle” into the mattress. The latex offers a subtle contour, which may not fly with a lot of dedicated side sleepers who want a softer touch for their joints.

I lay on my back for a few moments to get a sense of how it felt, as I don’t normally sleep like that. The mattress distributed my weight nicely, and I felt relaxed, but not enough for me to fall asleep. That said, I think it'll suit back sleepers who want a firmer bed to keep them aligned.

Performance evaluation

Ease of Movement: This mattress is solid. The top isn’t as fluffy as a standard pillow-top so it’s easy to move around. Just don’t expect to bounce into your position.

Edge Support: It’s a firm mattress edge-to-edge. I felt stable when I sat down or leaned over, but I was so low to the ground, I didn’t have to do that very much. (Also, how do I keep getting these low-profile beds that are awkward to sit on?)

Motion Isolation: I changed my approach and simply relied on my body weight and an empty glass. Whether I changed positions, got up or down, or cannonballed into bed (huge mistake!), the glass wobbled for about a second before retaking its upright position. With how dense the latex feels, it doesn’t surprise me. I think couples will be fine with this, especially on the larger bed sizes. (My room had a full bed.)

Temperature: I slept comfortably, but I had the room set at about 68 degrees F. However, latex and cotton are known for their breathability, so the mattress did its part here, too.

How durable is the Ace Hotel Mattress?

Owen confirmed that the mattresses at Ace Hotel New York have been at the property since opening day in 2009. That’s 16 years! Suffice it to say, this all-latex mattress holds up incredibly well. (Suite Sleep provides a 20-year warranty with all of its beds.)

Can You Buy the Ace Hotel Mattress?

The mattress at Ace Hotel New York has been discontinued at Suite Sleep. It’s since been replaced by an updated model with an extra inch of Talalay latex in the top comfort layer and an organic cotton-ticking cover. The latex layers are also no longer glued together.

A next-gen Ace Hotel Mattress retails for $2,899 in a queen-size at Suite Sleep. It comes with a 20-year warranty, but no trial. However, you will be able to swap the top layer for a firmer or softer feel if necessary.

Final Grade: B+

This may be an acquired taste for sleepers who are used to the springiness of traditional hotel beds. It’s very firm, which will appeal to the back/stomach sleepers who like that level of support. The contouring is subtle, which may not be enough to appease side sleepers who like a deeper hug for their hips and shoulders. Otherwise, it’s durable and performs well, and is worth consideration for your future travels.

What it’s like to sleep at the Ace Hotel New York

Being in the Small room, I had an interior view only, as I faced other buildings instead of the street. Awkward with the shades open? A little. Good for peace and quiet? Very.

Let’s go down the list of the big three things every room should have to induce sleep:

• Cool Temperature? Check — I kept the AC running at 68 degrees F.

• Darkness? Check — The blackout curtain was effective…perhaps too effective. Waking up was a bit of a struggle, but I eventually had the bright idea to turn on my bedside light.

• Quiet? Check — Aside from occasional hallway noises, I didn’t hear anything from the adjacent rooms. (Then again, I did stay on a weeknight.) The AC made for some decent white noise.

Bonus: I started smelling breakfast cooking from the lobby restaurant around 8 am. Had I slept through my alarm, that certainly would have woken me up!

The vibe is very much “My First New York Apartment in the 1980s After Graduating College.” I felt nostalgic, despite being a baby in the 1980s and having never lived in New York.

My one complaint: There was no complimentary water in the room. Bottled water from the mini bar costs $9 for something called “Just Water.” (At that price, it better be more than just water.)

Would I stay at Ace Hotel New York again? Yes, but... MADE Hotel is right down the street, and I enjoyed my experience there a little bit more, so I'd sooner return there for a stay in NoMad. However, the Small room at the Ace Hotel offered a quieter environment.

The Sleep Tourist Reviews...The Leesa Sapira Hybrid Mattress [MADE Hotel]

Meanwhile, at a Westin Hotel…

…you’ll find Gwyneth Paltrow chatting with sleep physician and research scientist Cheri D. Mah, MD, MS, as part of Sleep Training for Grown-Ups.

This is a partnership between Westin Hotels & Resorts and Paltrow’s wellness empire, goop. It comprises three 5-minute videos focused on wind-down routines, the impact of nutrition and exercise on sleep, and the concept of sleep debt.

Browse the goop Sleep Shop and you’ll find lots of Gwynnie’s favorite things, including the Westin Heavenly Bed at a 73% markup compared to buying from the Westin Store — although that’s still much less than the goop X Avocado Mattress, which has a modest starting price of $22,000.

Would you buy anything from the goop Sleep Shop? Share your wishlist in the comments. (This boyfriend sweater looks cozy, as long as I ignore the price.)

Thank you for joining me for this week’s edition of More Than Mattresses — and for welcoming back The Sleep Tourist! Summer is nearly here, and I’m planning to seize the season to build my library of hotel mattress reviews. Where am I off to next? Stay tuned.

Sleep well,

Alison