Yes, pillow is key, you can read about my pillow saga here. Pillows
As far as the mattress goes, my wife and I love our plank luxe. It did take her about a month to fully adjust to the increased firmness from our previous mattress. Now, regardless of where we vacation, she loves it when we get home to our mattress.
I mentioned you have some excellent choices. It just depends on what your sleep preferences are. A little cushion top vs no sink tight top vs sinking cuddling. When the time comes you will make the right choice. Love to know when you get down to the final choice!
Norm