Kingsdown Sleeping Beauty vs Hotel by Aireloom vs Beautyrest Black

Discussions General Mattresses Questions
1

Hi all. Was hoping to get some sage advice from some more experienced mattresses people.

I am finally in the market for a mattress and I would like to buy a really good mattress. Given the amount of time a day spent in bed and the value of quality sleep, I think spending a little extra for an excellent mattress is a justifiable and smart decision.

I am looking for something that is super comfortable. I’d like it to feel like lying in the clouds, but yet firm underneath. My wife and I are both smaller people. I am 5’6 at 140 pounds and she is 5"0 at 120 pounds. We are looking for a king and do not want a memory foam only bed (aka Tempurpedic). We’d like a good inner coil mattress.

After several trips to a local furniture store (Jordan’s), Macy’s Furniture and Sleepy’s, we have narrowed it down to 3 mattresses.

Hotel Collection by Aireloom Mattress Sets, Vitagenic Cushion Firm Luxetop (Macy’s)
http://www1.macys.com/shop/product/hotel-collection-by-aireloom-mattress-sets-vitagenic-cushion-firm-luxetop?ID=808098

Kingsdown Sleepy Beauty - Ariana model (Sleepy’s)
Deep layer of gel infused memory foam with air flow channels. Cushioning foam layer. Contour cut gel pad. Latex foam layer. Another cushioning layer. 7" wrapped coil unit (14.5" 961 coils). Vertical zoning. Full body surround. Cushion cloud construction.

Beautyrest Black - Leighton model (Jordan’s)
http://www.jordans.com/beautyrest-black-leighton-firm-pillowtop-simm-34326?set-mattresses=s39343260

I’ve tried wading through the many reviews I can find online, but the issue with that is that most people only give reviews when they are not happy and that results in more bad than good reviews, making the mattress seem bad. And most of those bad reviews (for all of the beds) complain about sagging.

Does anyone have any experience with any of these mattresses?

Any idea what a fair price from them really is? Would be great to actually know what the store’s actual cost was.

Also tried out a PranaSleep Vinyasa plush that was pretty good.

Any insight would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

2

Hi thecountofzero,

I would consider a “reset” in how you are looking for a mattress and I would start with the tutorial post here which has all the basic information, steps, and guidelines that can help you make the best possible choices … and know how to avoid the worse ones (which would include all the mattresses you are considering).

You can read more about the risk of using reviews as a way to decide on a mattress in post #13 here. A mattress that works well for some people may be completely unsuitable for others and reviews contain little to no information about the quality or durability of the mattress.

I would also be very cautious about the Prana mattresses. You can read more about them in post #3 here and in post #2 here and in post #3 here. A forum search on Prana (you can just click this) will also bring up more information and feedback about them.

I’m not sure of your city or zip code but once you get to step 3 in the tutorial, post #2 here includes links to some of the forum lists that have some of the better options or possibilities I’m aware of that may be close to you.

Phoenix

3

Do yourself a HUGE favor and stay away from Kingsdown. I was exactly like you when I bought my first Kingsdown mattress (Sleep To Live – Blue 6). I loved the feel of the mattress in the store (cloud heaven). When it was delivered to my house and I slept on it for a few nights, I thought it was the most comfortable bed ever made. Unfortunately, the honeymoon only lasted 8 months until the mattress started to sag – BIG TIME. When I notified Sleepy’s of my problem, they sent a technician to my house to measure the crater, which measured over 2". Since the sag in the mattress was over 1 ½", I was protected under the warranty and Sleepy’s delivered a new mattress to my house a week later (same mattress as before). Once again, the mattress was “on the money” when it was delivered, and once again, the honeymoon only lasted 8 months until another crater developed. When I called Sleepy’s this time to complain, once again, they sent a technician to my house to measure the sag, and this time it measured over 2 ½". I got a call from Sleepy’s a week later to tell me that I was entitled to a new mattress because of the manufacturer’s warranty. I then asked to speak to a supervisor and explained to her that I would be willing to try another Kingsdown mattress ONLY if I was able to get my money back if another mattress fails. Believe it or not, she agreed to refund my money if it happened again, and I had another mattress delivered (My Side – Blue 6, same mattress, different name). Guess what happened this time? My 3rd mattress lasted 1 ½ years until the proverbial crated developed. About 3 months ago, I got my money back from Sleepy’s. Thankfully, my Kingsdown nightmare is over.

4

Hi 2manybeds,

I’m not sure whether to say “how unfortunate” or “how fortunate” :).

You’re one of a very few that has successfully had that many warranty exchanges and then ended up with a refund at the end of the day. Your experiences are certainly a good indication of the effect of lower quality comfort layers … and I’m happy that you were more fortunate than many others in your position ad were able to get a refund in the end.

Thanks for sharing your experiences.

Phoenix

5

Phoenix,

First let me say, now that I’ve read all of the “must read” content on this site, THIS SITE IS AWESOME!
And thank you for the efforts you have made and current make helping out inexperienced mattress consumers such as myself.
I already feel like I know more than the two mattress salespersons I spoke with at Sleepy’s and Macy’s.

Here’s my deal. I have no problem spending a lot for a mattress, but I want a good mattress that is really going to last me 10+ years. I have absolutely paying for quality.

I gravitated towards the mattresses initially mentioned in this post because they are considered “top of the line” by their manufacturers and I figured that would be the best I could do. However after a few hours of educating myself on this site, I am troubled by the fact that you cannot find out all of the specifics of the materials within. Especially in the comfort layer which is the layer that breaks down the fastest and also the one that you hear most people complaining about. And I’ll be honest, when I lied down on the mattresses I’ve mentioned, I felt like I was on a cloud. They felt awesome. But I am glad I discovered this site and did not fall prey to the shortsightedness of immediate and short-term comfort. Perhaps if those mattresses were half the price they would be a good value, but as is, it is scary to think of paying that much for a mattress that will be great from no more than two years (if you are lucky).

I glad things worked out for 2manybeds.

I live in the Boston area and found a list of recommended vendors on this site, but I think it is a list for latex vendors. I am not opposed to a latex bed, as I really like the PranaSleep, but not the price. Especially once I read your reviews on it here. The list I found is this one:

Boston Area Latex Vendors

Is there a larger list which would include innerspring vendors?

Gardner seems to mentioned on here quite a bit and they are not far from where I live so I am considering going to see them. Can you vouch for what they list on their website with respect to their materials/processes?

Garders Processes

I also fired off an email to Spindle Mattress late last night inquiring about the specs for the latex they use. Their mattresses are only 10". Is that small?

I am still working my way through the list of vendors, but any additional suggestions/recommendations would be greatly appreciated in my quest for the best mattress for my needs, goals and budget.

Also wondering if there is anyone that actually pulls apart these supposed luxury mattresses from the big names and exposes the actual cheap materials within.

Thanks again!

6

I’m going to echo the advice to STAY AWAY FROM KINGSDOWN. Husband and I also made the mistake of buying a Sleep to Live mattress from Sleepy’s and we’ve regretted the purchase for the past 7 years. We bought the cheaper version and knew almost from the start that it was a mistake. It felt saggy and unsupportive after a very short time. The store allows a one time “comfort exchange” for which it charges $150 and that’s it. The replacement felt as if it had a defect but since there was no visible impression (there still isn’t after 7 years), there was no recourse.

2manybeds, I’m flat out amazed that you were able to get not one but 3 mattress replacements and a full refund from Sleepy’s. That’s unheard of. Even before any inspection, it was made crystal clear to me that Sleepy’s was not going to replace the mattress. Period. Thecountofzero, you should understand that this experience is as atypical as it gets and that these warranties are written so that virtually no one qualifies for any sort of recourse under them.

I also want to urge you as hard as I possibly can to read Phoenix’s excellent and helpful tutorials! (Thank you Phoenix!) You will get an education and it will be a great starting point. Also read through the forum. It’s not that your experience will be the same as everyone else’s–not at all!–but you will quickly learn which companies are responsive to customers and which are not. You’ll also learn how others deal with mattress shopping and what they do to find the right fit. Then go visit the local resources from Phoenix’s membership list and test out what feels right for you. And then come back and share :slight_smile:

I came to this site without any sense of what Husband and I really wanted. I read a lot, thought maybe memory foam, tried it out, tried out some all latex beds and am now focused on latex. It just goes to show you how much you can learn and change as you look. I’m sure Husband and I could have made a decision already but having made one expensive mistake, I’m much more wary about taking the plunge again. From my perspective, it isn’t just about the mattress. The challenge is finding the combination of right bed, right price, and right retailer.

P.S. Again, thanks to Phoenix for this invaluable site!!

7

Susanco - When you climb up the corporate ladder and find the right person to work with, I find that I can generally get my way, which I did with Sleepy’s. As I’m finding out now, what I accomplished with Sleepy’s is an anomaly for sure.

8

2manybeds, you have my admiration. I’m usually known as a person who can achieve results but it was made plenty clear to me that Sleepy’s was going to be impossible to deal with, or that I’d have to spend many, many hours I didn’t have to pester them until they wanted to be rid of me.

On the other hand, I didn’t have a 2" crater in my bed and I’d purchased the cheapest model in their lineup for well under their “list price” after a number of go-rounds with their special retention department. The bed was inexpensive when I consider that I’m ready to spend more than 3x that on a latex mattress but it wasn’t any sort of bargain either. I suppose I could have pushed them to allow me to pay the difference for an upgraded mattress but I really didn’t want to throw good money after bad. All I wanted was a refund and that just wasn’t going to happen. I’m impressed that you managed it. I also want others to know that it takes a special talent to make that happen.

9

A year or so ago I ended up stuck with a Kingsdown My Side from Sleepy’s that I actually ended up cutting apart. In the next few days I’ll see if I can post a video of the insides. In any event, my old mattress was Kingsdown I bought in 1998 or so, it was awesome and lasted forever, but their new products I wouldn’t trust at all.

10

How does this description sound?

Our most luxurious spring mattress is made with individually wrapped coil springs designed to dampen and reduce motion transfer, covered with layers of super-soft support foam, then topped with a euro-style pillowtop containing 2" of 4lb density visco memory foam. This mattress brings the best of all we offer in one model.

Boston Bed Company Kara Visco Pillowtop

Or how about this one:

Featuring 3 separate layers of 2"talalay latex over a special density Ther-a-Foam base.

Natural Splendor Latex

Thanks.

11

Hi thecountofzero,

Unfortunately the information you linked is incomplete and not detailed or specific enough to make any meaningful comments about either mattress.

Post #4 here describes the information you need to assess the quality/durability of the materials in a mattress and make more meaningful comparisons between them.

The good news is that Boston Bed is generally transparent about their materials and will probably provide them to you if you ask. If you can list the more detailed specifics of each mattress on the forum I’d be happy to make some comments or help you identify any obvious weak links in either mattress.

Phoenix

12

Phoenix,

I am headed there later today, so I will try to ask all the right questions and follow-up here.

I am in contact with Spindle Mattress and will be going to see them sometime in the next few days.

And if you could scroll up (or maybe down) to my earlier post about Gardner, I’d be interested in your comments. They are nearby too and I plan to visit them as well…

13

Hi thecountofzero,

[quote]I live in the Boston area and found a list of recommended vendors on this site, but I think it is a list for latex vendors. I am not opposed to a latex bed, as I really like the PranaSleep, but not the price. Especially once I read your reviews on it here. The list I found is this one:

Boston Area Latex Vendors

Is there a larger list which would include innerspring vendors?[/quote]

The manufacturers or retailers on the Boston list make a wide range of mattresses including innersprings, memory foam, and latex in a wide range of designs and prices. While some of them do specialize in latex … it includes the better options I’m aware of for any type of mattress in the general area.

I would also be very cautious about the Prana mattresses. You can read more about them in post #3 here and in post #2 here and in post #3 here. A forum search on Prana (you can just click this) will also bring up more information and feedback about them.

[quote]Gardner seems to mentioned on here quite a bit and they are not far from where I live so I am considering going to see them. Can you vouch for what they list on their website with respect to their materials/processes?

Garders Processes[/quote]

Gardner is an 80 year old manufacturer that has built a great reputation for the quality and value of their mattresses over the years and I think highly of them. There is an interesting video about them here which will give you a good sense of who they are and what goes into their mattresses. They are one of the few manufacturers that still use some of the hand building methods that used to be more common such as lace tufting. They are transparent about their materials and I believe that the information they provide is accurate and all the materials they use are high quality. They are certainly be one of the manufacturers or retailers I would consider if I was within reasonable driving distance of one of their stores.

Phoenix

14

Ok, so here’s an update on my trip to Boston Bed Company. After lying on a few beds, here are the ones that I liked.

Kara Visco Pillowtop

Here are the details I was given.

Price: $1199
Cover: Circular Knit Fabric
Quilt: 1.5" Tac & Jump Blended Dacron & Quilt Foam
Upholstery: 2" Premium 4lb Visco Topper
0.5" Support Foam
0.5" Support Foam
Innerspring: Body Print 638 Individually Wrapped Zoned Coil Unit
Edge System: Foam Encased Support
Base Support: Lofted Ther-a-bond Padding
0.75" High Density Base Layer

Endurance Latex Pillowtop

Price: $929
There-A-Pedic Innergy/Alternating 805 Foam Encased Coil Unit
Premium Circular Knit over a 3" Tag and Jump Soft Foam Quilt
2.5" Natural Talalay Latex Topper
1.25" Convoluted Comfort Layer
0.75" Support Foam
Ther-a-flex Insulator
High Loft Ther-a-bond Insulator Pad
Ther-a-pedic Quilted Universal Border

When I asked about the specifics of the layers labeled as “support foam” the sales person did not have any additional information.

Before I found this site I was most interested in innerspring pocket coil mattresses. At least those are the ones I liked after lying on several mattresses in the major stores I had visited. As I’ve also mentioned I loved the feel of the PranaSleep, but the price was way too high and based on your review of the bed it is obvious that it is not a good value.

However, it did open my eyes to the prospect of an all latex bed. Just not that one.

I tried out their top all latex bed and did not like it. I found it to be nothing like the PranaSleep. The comfort layer was not nearly as plush (which is what I like).

Natural Splendor

Price: $1829
3 Separate Layers of 2" Talalay Latex over a special density Ther-a-Foam base

Unfortunately I did not get a copy of the specs for this bed.

Here’s what I did notice. They only carried Therapedic mattresses. I just did a search and it turns out that Therapedic has a lot more models that what Boston Bed Company offered (in their showroom at least). There is a Therapedic location about 40 minutes from and I wonder if I can go there and try and bunch more mattresses?

15

Hi thecountzero,

One of the disadvantages of being an informed consumer is that there are so few of them that its easy for salespeople to get lazy and not offer to call the factory to find out the foam density information you need or to ignore the request completely.

Unfortunately the specs you listed still don’t include the foam density of the polyfoam layers in the mattress so it’s not possible to make any meaningful comments about them.

You can see from post #16 here and this thread and post #5 here that they have provided them to others so perhaps the salesperson at the location you were visiting just didn’t want to take the time to find out the information you needed.

Latex comes in a very wide range of firmness levels and there are many versions of latex mattresses from the very firm to the very soft but it’s clear that this one wasn’t the type of latex design or the softness level that you would prefer.

You certainly could but I would call them first to make sure they will provide you with the information you need so you don’t go there only to find out that you like a mattress but aren’t able to find out the information you need about what’s inside it to make an informed decision.

You also have many other good choices in the general Boston area that are completely transparent about the materials in the mattresses they sell and between them sell a wide range of latex mattresses (including Spindle Mattress who are one of the members of this site).

Phoenix

16

I am already in contact with Spindle Mattress and plan to go to them in the next few days. Would go tomorrow, but apparently we are going to be hit with a reasonable snow storm.

I also plan to visit Gardner.

I am going to contact Boston Bed Company and request the details of the layers within. I guess I could also try asking Therapedic directly. I emailed them earlier asking if I could come to their location to try out their mattresses. Still waiting for a response.

The interesting thing is if you go to Therapedic’s website, they list the details for some of their mattresses.

Therapedic Mattress

But not for others, which include the mattresses I tried out at Boston Bed Company

Therapedic Mattress

17

I contacted the Boston Bed Company main office and here is the response I got:

Mike- I spoke to the factory this morning and they tell me the high density foam support base is 2lb density and the support layers are 1.4-1.8 lb. The Talalay latex topper in the Endurance model is 21 lb ILD. I hope this information helps you in choosing a mattress.

So it sounds like the layers labeled “Support Foam” are between 1.4 and 1.8 lb and the “High Density Base Layer” is 2lb in the first mattress listed. And then the Talalay topper in the Endurance is 21 ILD.

Is latex only measured in ILD?

18

Hi thecountofzero,

[quote]Mike- I spoke to the factory this morning and they tell me the high density foam support base is 2lb density and the support layers are 1.4-1.8 lb. The Talalay latex topper in the Endurance model is 21 lb ILD. I hope this information helps you in choosing a mattress.

So it sounds like the layers labeled “Support Foam” are between 1.4 and 1.8 lb and the “High Density Base Layer” is 2lb in the first mattress listed. And then the Talalay topper in the Endurance is 21 ILD.[/quote]

It’s too bad they aren’t being more specific and identifying the density of each layer because 1.4lb - 1.8 lb is a fairly wide quality/density range. 1.8 lbs is at the lower end of “good quality” polyfoam and in general I would tend to avoid more than “about an inch or so” of polyfoam in the comfort layers that was lower than 1.8 lb density in a one sided mattress (or any other less durable material). If the density was 1.8 lb it would be fine … but if there is more than about an inch or so that is less than this I would be cautious.

With latex the ILD is a “comfort spec” which has little to do with the quality of the material and isn’t really important to know when you can test a mattress locally and feel the softness/firmness for yourself. The information that’s important with latex layers is the type of latex (in this case Talalay) and the blend (which in the case of Talalay will be either 100% natural or a blend that is in the range of 30% natural / 70% synthetic).

There is more about latex ILD ranges (ILD is usually in a range and is not exact) in post #6 here.

Phoenix