Sleep divorce (the concept of having separate bedrooms from your partner) is a divisive subject.
Some people say that sleeping in separate rooms from their other half saved their relationship (Gwyneth Paltrow, for example, said it kept her marriage "fresh"), while others, including HELLO!'s columnist, Rosie Green, say that sharing a bed is one of life's greatest pleasures.
I'm in Gwyneth's camp because my partner runs hotter than I do, so we can never agree on a temperature in bed (for me, a hot water bottle is a must, he wants a wafer-thin sheet). On top of that, he snores and it means I tend to wake up in the night hating him. And then I'm tired in the morning and hate him more. Sleeping in separate beds means I sleep well, and I'm generally happier, healthier and more pleasant to be around.
However, I do miss having a natter at bedtime, and waking up alone isn't as fun as having a bedmate, so when I heard about Pan Pacific London's Sensory Sleep Experience, from £349, I was intrigued.
The initiative sees the luxury hotel in London's Liverpool Street upgrade your stay with a series of small but impactful changes, geared towards setting you up for a dreamy sleep.
© Getty ImagesThe ultimate luxury
Anyone who finds that sleep evades them (due to a snoring partner, temperature differences, insomnia, anxiety… the list goes on), knows that a good night's sleep is the ultimate luxury, which is why Pan Pacific London decided to turn their focus to creating an environment designed for peaceful slumber, with several clever ideas.
Pillow menus are de rigueur for high-end hotels (for me, it's feather all the way), but Pan Pacific London has taken their sleep offerings a step further.
Rooms are equipped not only with six pillows to choose from and ultra-plush, sumptuous bedding, but also a weighted blanket to soothe nighttime anxiety and make you feel cocooned in a comforting nest.
The bathrooms in Pan Pacific London's suite have been specifically stocked with sleep-inducing bath products, and a dreamy pillow mist sits atop the bedside table, but it's the hotel's Ooler Sleep System that really makes the difference for sleep-seeking guests.
Changing the game
If you share a bed with someone who runs hotter or colder than you, you'll know the struggle of finding a temperature that suits you best, which is where the Ooler Sleep System comes in.
The high-tech hydra-powered sheet lies undetectably beneath your bedding (one on your side, one on your bedmate's side) and can be set to your ideal sleeping temperature. For me, ultra-cosy, for my partner, an arctic-style chill.
It sets the temperature by circulating water at your chosen degrees throughout the night and while you can't feel it happening, it did keep me sleeping soundly all night long.
As for my partner, who struggles to sleep full stop, he said of the Ooler system: "I struggle to find the right balance between cosy comfort under a duvet and maintaining a comfortable temperature, which can lead to nights of tossing, turning and strategic leg-exposure.
"Combine this with the fact that my partner is borderline incapable of overheating and will often disappear underneath the duvet entirely, the pleasant cooling sensation from below allowed me to strike a perfect balance without disturbing her."
For a less high-tech but equally dreamy approach to sleeping well, the hotel shares a selection of yoga moves to relax you before bed, as well as a room service menu of sleep-supporting teas and calming books to drift off while reading.
© Getty ImagesMy verdict
The night we spent at Pan Pacific London is the best sleep I can recall ever having with my partner, and we've been together for over a decade. He was happily cool, I was toasty, and I was also fast asleep thanks to the weighted blanket, so even if he did snore, I didn't hear a peep out of him.
I'm starting a petition for us to move into the hotel. Or at the very least, invest in our own Ooler system…
