Hi dfisher,
The specs of the Beautiful have been updated and you can see the current specs here (the comfort layer is 1" thicker and there is no stabilization layer). It may also be worth checking the manufacturing date on the law tag to make sure that it’s a new model and not several years old.
The thickness of a mattress is only one of many factors that affects the feel and performance of a mattress along with the type and thickness of all the layers, the firmness of each layer, the type of cover, and many other variables that make one mattress different from the next so thickness by itself doesn’t mean a great deal but if all else was equal then thicker mattresses will tend to be softer than thinner mattresses that use the same firmness levels of latex. There is more about the effect of thickness in post #14 here.
What matters more than any individual spec such as thickness though is which mattress is a better match for you in terms of PPP (Posture and alignment, Pressure relief, and Personal preferences). I would also keep in mind that a mattress is meant for sleeping and how a mattress “feels” when you sit on it doesn’t relate to how well you will sleep on it and a thinner mattress will tend to “bottom out” more easily or feel firmer with the more concentrated weight of sitting vs sleeping.
Both mattresses use Talalay latex made by Latex International but the PLB uses blended Talalay from top to bottom while the Parklane uses 100% natural Talalay in the core layer which is a little more costly version of latex. Both would be very durable choices and neither of them have any weak links in their construction or materials.
From a “commodity” point of view of course the Parklane would be better “value” but a mattress is much more than a commodity and how well you sleep on a mattress is more important than the “cost per inch” of latex or the “cost per pound” of fabric that the mattress is made from. There is more about the most important parts of the “value” of a mattress purchase that you can use to compare them in post #13 here.
I doubt that Latex International will be going out of business (see this topic) and the recent chapter 11 filing is probably a positive step as far as their future but I would be aware that a floor model isn’t covered under warranty anyway (see here). I also think that the quality and durability of the materials in a mattress is much more important than the length of a warranty and a warranty has very little to do with the useful life of a mattress (see post #174 here for more about mattress warranties).
This topic and this topic about Pure Latex Bliss floor models would also be well worth reading and if you do decide to go in this direction it would probably be a good idea to look for a little larger discount than 25% for a PLB floor model.
Phoenix