NEW YORK—Yotel, the technology-focused hospitality brand, has partnered with Serta to develop a mattress that will serve as the brand’s new signature sleep standard. The new mattresses are a critical element of Yotel’s SmartBeds, to be incorporated into their ‘cabins’ worldwide, as the company rolls out its next generation cabin design.
“The heart of Yotel’s mission is to provide an elevated level of comfort for business and leisure travelers and flexing to their needs. Since sleep and comfort are undeniably top priorities for our guests, we researched and developed an exciting and unique solution that fits the Yotel brand and delivers the best experience,” explained Hubert Viriot, CEO of Yotel. “We are delighted that the SmartBed by Yotel will mean better sleep and cabin experiences for our guests while building upon Yotel’s reputation as a hospitality innovator.’
The new Serta mattress is designed exclusively for Yotel, to work with the existing automated gliding bed mechanism for which the hotel’s cabins are known. The SmartBed converts at the touch of a button from a fully flatbed to a sofa/couch to create extra space for relaxing and working. The new mattress was extensively tested and installed in select cabins at Yotel’s flagship hotel in New York City.
To support the ultimate sleep experience, Yotel is also launching an artistic and innovative campaign designed to induce sleep. The 30-minute feature, named “Yawn,” promises to promote sleep even to the most restless of guests, according to the brand. “Yawn” is the brainchild of Creative Director Floyd Hayes, produced by documentary filmmaker Scott Elliott, and is accompanied by a sleep-inducing soundtrack by Tom Middleton, Yotel’s music curator and sound professor.
“No one is sure what a yawn does. Originally, a yawn was thought to occur when there was too much carbon dioxide or too little oxygen in the air, causing breathing to occur faster and more deeply than usual,” noted Yotel collaborator Dr. Chris Idzikowski of the Sleep Assessment and Advisory Service. “Then it was thought that it was a signal by a leader of a group to settle down and rest or go to sleep. When the leader yawns, others follow and the group settles. More recently in humans, research suggests that a deep yawn may help cool the brain.”