do you have a mattress shop and/or mattress site you love (or hate)? (Houston: condo, hotel)

[CasperQ]

First, let me say this:

I will not make an impulse purchase for my next mattress.
I will not make an impulse purchase for my next mattress.
I will not make an impulse purchase for my next mattress.

I have a nice, obscenely expensive memory-foam type bed. Sure, I'm a native Houstonian, so frying eggs on my sidewalk is pseudo-normalcy -- but the nightly imitation of a slow-cooked roast while having weird dreams about being absorbed by the blob routine on my mattress got old really quick. Darn that particular impulse buy almost three years ago.

I've pushed the mattress off and am sleeping on the box springs using a double-folded quilt as padding. It works. But I've decided to be patriotic (totally selfless of me, right? and use my income tax return to stimulate the economy by buying a new mattress. Hey, I deserve it. And if I don't, I'm paying for it so I get it anyway.

So first... does anyone have a mattress store they'd recommend? I don't mind paying slightly more for excellent service and a store that will stand by their product.

And second... Anyone have a mattress brand they'd recommend? Mattresses I know are subjective - hey, not even Consumer Reports will stand up (or lie down) to give an opinion.

I have learned that while some love to lie down and disappear in a cloud of softness, I prefer not to wonder whether or not I will manage to escape said softness in time to make that morning bio-break. Medium to firm for me.

I have learned that while some love that toasty-warm feeling, I prefer to actually feel that wonderfully expensive air conditioning some genius or menopausal pioneer invented long, long ago (bless his or her heart). No more memory foam - ever - unless my crock-pot gives up the ghost.

I've looked at Sertas and Swiss Sleep Systems. I've looked at waterbeds and comfortaires. I may decide my quilted-layered-box spring is just dandy. But I would like to visit a few stores (as a dedicated internet shopper this thought makes me cringe, but I'm going to be brave and venture forth) if anyone has an enthusiastic review or three of local shops!

Thanks to all in advance!
CasperQ

[crbcrbrgv]

I'd help you out, but seeing that my usual place to sleep is the couch....

[ymbd]

I purchased a new mattress three weeks ago from Mattress Giant on Highway 6 in Missouri City. EXCELLENT service. We were also told by the mananger the best time to purchase would be the third/fourth week of the month since they're more apt to give a deal to make there numbers at months end.

[Oskar_Z28]

Since you're sleeping on the box spring, you don't seem to be very picky. I got my last mattress at COSTCO and it is fine. They don't have a selection of different grades / firmnesses etc... just an average mid grade mattress (Sealy I think), that works great for me.

[RVD26]

I used to always go to Mattress Firm until they refused an exchange on some box springs I purchased.
I go to Mattress Giant now and have had no issues.

[daisybear]

You'll find mixed reviews on it but we had good luck at The Dump. We were picky and did a lot of research. We got a high quality mattress at a good price. Service was good and delivery was fast.

[Redrover]

With no idea what your budget is for your next bed, it is a bit hard to make suggestions. Several years ago I stayed in a Kimpton hotel in Portland, OR and slept on the best bed of my entire life. It is made by Sealy just for them and has a firm support with reinforced edges that don't sag when you sit on the bed. http://www.kimptonstyle.com/productG...spx?KimptonBed To this day I dream of that bed and would order one in a heartbeat if I had the financial wherewithal. I have read multiple reviews of their beds "70 Park Ave, 'can’t wait to go back' We stayed at the 70 Park Ave over christmas 09.We really enjoyed our stay and would find it difficult to fault the hotel.Our room was on the 15th floor and it was very quiet.We had two double beds and they were probably the most comfortable hotel beds I have slept in." This isn't to say that you can't find a perfectly acceptable bed locally but...

[mtgmike]

I have a Tempurpedic, and I like it, but Ill be going with a Select Comfort next time. I tested them both out and liked them about the same, but my Tempurpedic was a tad cheaper so I went that way. Also, I was a little uneasy about the whole air bed thing, didnt know if they were durable.

My Mother, and also my Father in law have bought Select Comforts. The In Laws have them at their condo in Port Aransas. I sleep like a baby, and my back feels outstanding everytime we visit. I have a severly degenerated L5 disc.

I vote Select Comfort. An air bed will never wear out. It may break, but the firmness can be the exact same for years as long as it holds pressure. That will never be true on a traditional or foam mattress.

[CaroleF]

I am on my third USA mattress since 1989 and I wake up feeling like I have been kicked all over. I think I am ready to try my fourth, but what to do. Is memory foam comfortable, other than being hot? I run cold so that probably would be good for me. The back shop has adjustable beds with memory foam. It felt great in the shop, but costs an arm and a leg. I am also worried about the smell. I once (before buying this one) ordered a latex foam one on line and it smelled so bad I had to send it back. Trying to squeeze it into the plastic packaging by sucking out air with a vacuum cleaner was not fun. I am reading this thread with great interest.

[ChocolateBabz]

We love love love our Sealy Whispery mattress - I think they call it a pillow top. It is kinda on the soft side but not so much that you 'sink' in to it like the memory foam type. We both agree we have never slept better. We just bought it at Ashley Furniture where we bought our bed. Can't stand mattress shops and being stalked by their salespeople !