# Why are hotel beds so high off the floor? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 7, 2014, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-hotel-beds-so-high-off-the-floor/680730 "2014-02-07T03:28:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Jinx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Jinx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jinx)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2014, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-hotel-beds-so-high-off-the-floor/680730/1 "2014-02-07T03:28:15Z")
I do a lot of traveling, and it has always bugged me why do hotel beds sit so high above the floor? You might say it facilitates vacuuming under the bed. However, a large majority of beds are not resting on a bedframe. Rather, they rest on a solid support known as a shadowbox. The only other WAG I can make is that this is done for the ergonomic comfort of the housekeeping staff who must bend over the beds all day long, freshing room after room. Maybe that’s the reason? ---
**Author:** ![Desert\_Dumpster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9d8465/32.png) [@Desert\_Dumpster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Desert_Dumpster)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2014, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-hotel-beds-so-high-off-the-floor/680730/2 "2014-02-07T03:44:15Z")
This isn’t a new development. In Elizabethan inns, for example, the beds were fairly high off the floor as well. The reason would seem to be twofold: you get better heat retention when there’s more separation between the bed and the floor, and you improve airflow in the room. I personally think that a higher bed looks more luxurious, but that’s just me; a nice futon on the floor can look pretty good, too. ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2014, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-hotel-beds-so-high-off-the-floor/680730/3 "2014-02-07T03:47:20Z")
It also makes removing the corpses of dead whores more convenient. ---
**Author:** ![obbn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/d6d6ee/32.png) [@obbn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/obbn)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2014, 5:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-hotel-beds-so-high-off-the-floor/680730/4 "2014-02-07T05:10:46Z")
> [@cmyk](#): > > It also makes removing the corpses of dead whores more convenient. Damn, ninja’d ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2014, 5:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-hotel-beds-so-high-off-the-floor/680730/5 "2014-02-07T05:24:12Z")
The shadow box also prevents the prior guest a place to hide the dead hooker. ---
**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2014, 5:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-hotel-beds-so-high-off-the-floor/680730/6 "2014-02-07T05:52:19Z")
> [@Desert\_Dumpster](#): > > This isn’t a new development. In Elizabethan inns, for example, the beds were fairly high off the floor as well. > > The reason would seem to be twofold: you get better heat retention when there’s more separation between the bed and the floor, and you improve airflow in the room. I personally think that a higher bed looks more luxurious, but that’s just me; a nice futon on the floor can look pretty good, too. So why aren’t beds in private houses normally so high off the floor too? The real question is, what is different about homes and hotels that might lead to this difference? ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2014, 6:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-hotel-beds-so-high-off-the-floor/680730/7 "2014-02-07T06:07:18Z")
> [@njtt](#): > > So why aren’t beds in private houses normally so high off the floor too? > > The real question is, what is different about homes and hotels that might lead to this difference? Dead hookers, apparently. ---
**Author:** ![Wendi5000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/df788c/32.png) [@Wendi5000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wendi5000)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2014, 6:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-hotel-beds-so-high-off-the-floor/680730/8 "2014-02-07T06:09:45Z")
Most of the hotels I’ve stayed in have a an air conditioning / heating unit in the wall under the window. The beds seem to be at about the same height as the vents on these units. I wonder if that is intentional, for comfort (and probably to reduce guests’ energy use)? ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2014, 6:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-hotel-beds-so-high-off-the-floor/680730/9 "2014-02-07T06:55:28Z")
It could also have something to do with trying to accommodate people that might have trouble getting into and out of a low bed (for all sorts of reasons). High beds have a better ease-in, ease-out to them. ---
**Author:** ![bob\_2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bob_2/32/3341_2.png) [@bob\_2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bob_2)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2014, 10:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-hotel-beds-so-high-off-the-floor/680730/10 "2014-02-07T10:13:40Z")
> [@cmyk](#): > > Dead hookers, apparently. Speak for yourself! ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2014, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-hotel-beds-so-high-off-the-floor/680730/11 "2014-02-07T13:31:34Z")
> [@cmyk](#): > > It could also have something to do with trying to accommodate people that might have trouble getting into and out of a low bed (for all sorts of reasons). High beds have a better ease-in, ease-out to them. That was my thought as well. Many folks don’t like to sleep on a low bed since it makes laying down and getting up more difficult. ---
**Author:** ![Si\_Amigo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/si_amigo/32/2877_2.png) [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2014, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-hotel-beds-so-high-off-the-floor/680730/12 "2014-02-07T13:43:02Z")
> [@Telemark](#): > > That was my thought as well. Many folks don’t like to sleep on a low bed since it makes laying down and getting up more difficult. And those pesky dead hookers makes for a lumpy mattress when it is too low. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Sicks\_Ate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Sicks\_Ate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sicks_Ate)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2014, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-hotel-beds-so-high-off-the-floor/680730/13 "2014-02-07T13:45:16Z")
My first thought was it makes f-ing on the side of the bed easier. NOT with a hooker. What the hell is wrong with you people automatically thinking of hookers? :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2014, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-hotel-beds-so-high-off-the-floor/680730/14 "2014-02-07T14:36:44Z")
> [@cmyk](#): > > It also makes removing the corpses of dead whores more convenient. Apparently there are cases of hiding dead hookers between the mattress and box spring, where they aren’t discovered for… a few nights. ---
**Author:** ![chrisk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@chrisk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chrisk)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2014, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-hotel-beds-so-high-off-the-floor/680730/15 "2014-02-07T14:38:55Z")
Hmm… I’ve stayed in quite a few hotels over the years, and I never noticed this. If anything, hotel beds are often a little lower than my bed at home. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2014, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-hotel-beds-so-high-off-the-floor/680730/16 "2014-02-07T14:44:18Z")
> [@chrisk](#): > > Hmm… I’ve stayed in quite a few hotels over the years, and I never noticed this. That’s why they hide them under the bed. (You were talking about the dead hookers, weren’t you?) ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2014, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-hotel-beds-so-high-off-the-floor/680730/17 "2014-02-07T14:47:16Z")
> [@Sicks\_Ate](#): > > My first thought was it makes f-ing on the side of the bed easier. NOT with a hooker. What the hell is wrong with you people automatically thinking of hookers? :dubious: Not a frequent traveler, sir? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![leahcim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/b4bc9f/32.png) [@leahcim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/leahcim)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2014, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-hotel-beds-so-high-off-the-floor/680730/18 "2014-02-07T15:02:09Z")
> [@njtt](#): > > So why aren’t beds in private houses normally so high off the floor too? > > The real question is, what is different about homes and hotels that might lead to this difference? I’ve never noticed that hotel beds are particularly higher off the ground than “classic” home beds. There is certainly a style of bed that is more futon-y that is lower, and that is more likely to be used in a private home than in a hotel, but it’s almost a different piece of furniture. I’d figure that hotels just stuck with the classic style. ---
**Author:** ![EmilyG](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/emilyg/32/364_2.png) [@EmilyG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EmilyG)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2014, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-hotel-beds-so-high-off-the-floor/680730/19 "2014-02-07T16:11:08Z")
I’m guessing that some people may also like to store things under the bed. ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2014, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-hotel-beds-so-high-off-the-floor/680730/20 "2014-02-07T17:00:00Z")
> [@EmilyG](#): > > I’m guessing that some people may also like to store things under the bed. Such as dead hookers… or so I hear. I once stayed at a hotel that had quite a low bed, actually. It was stiff as a board and I had a terrible night’s sleep. The next morning the dead hooker tumbled out of closet where they keep the little ironing board. After complaining to the concierge, he gave me a full refund and assured me next time to expect a high bed and shadow box would contain any… unsightly surprises. I crammed the dead hooker into my luggage as a souvenir for the kids. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-hotel-beds-so-high-off-the-floor/680730.md?page=2)