Conway73

How big is a European double bed or what I am told is also called a "matrimonial" bed? That's what our hotel says we're getting. Is it the same size as an American double bed? Please tell me it's bigger. Being used to a king I'm wondering if this could lead to some nasty middle of the night elbowing.

WillTravel

It's probably best to ask the hotel for measurements in cm. What we think is typical might not be what the hotel has in mind. I have seen a few European double beds and they are smaller than American ones, but I don't know if that's the same type as what you will get.

Statia

In my experience, a matrimonial bed is usually the size of two twins put together. More or less an American double. They may come in larger sizes, but I haven't seen them myself.

I don't think you will find a king in Europe. If it's any consolation, I have a king at home and the sizes in Europe have never botherd either my husband or myself.

CafeBatavia

Statia has it right. Too be safe, you might go with two twin beds and avoid the potential for middle of the night elbowing.

socialworker

The person who suggested that there are no king beds in Europe is mistaken.We have stayed in at least 8-10 hotels in Europe--France, Italy and UK where we have had king sized beds *but* the bed called matrimonial is--I believe--smaller. Every hotel we have visited is familiar with the English use of the term "king" for bedding size, so just contact the hotel and ask if their matrimonial is a king.

Statia

That's interesting, socialworker. I have never seen kings in Europe, so I honestly didn't think they exist over there. Perhaps they're available in only the more expensive hotels and resorts? Thanks for the correction, at any rate. It's good to know.

Now, I wonder if they have "California Kings" in Europe.

amp322

I had a HUGE king size bed in Rome last year, in a 3 star hotel. In fact, the bed was so big, I had to crawl across it to reach the other side of the room, since the room was so small. I have also had places where 2 antique beds that were pushed together were called a double (or matrimonial), leaving a huge gap between the beds where my foot kept falling through.

4totravel

2 twin beds pushed toether IS a King size here in th US.

socialworker

To Statia--actually the hotels I am referring to were mostly 3*, so not what you would call more expensive and two of them--one in the UK and one it Italy were actually very modestly priced B&Bs. Maybe we just got very lucky, altho when a choice is available, I always request a king even if it is a little more expensive.

sandi

We've had King size beds in Europe and not always in 4* r 5* hotels. It all depends on the hotel and the size of the room; Quaint European hotels, many having been converted from older buildings aren't generally known to have large room, therefore, smaller beds.

While two twins pushed together make a US King (72"w), we've found that some twins in Europe are often narrower, so you get something closer to what we consider a Queen. In this situation, as mentioned above, it's best to ask the hotel specifically the size in cm and then convert to inches.

A US double is 54", queen is 60" and king is 72". Don't even think California King in Europe which is actually narrower than a standard king, but longer - great for tall people.

But if you want really nice size beds, we've found many hotels in Africa, Caribbean, South America, and even Cuba, are offering 3/4-beds that are about 46"w. Many hotels have two of these in a room and other hotels actually push these together and make for the biggest adult playpen you can find with custom fitted sheets to cover the two beds.

Conway73

The answer to the bed question - a European double or "matrimonal" does not seem to be any bigger than a good-sized double bed. Maybe a bit longer though but entirely too small when you're used to a queen or king. I was shocked but more shocked at the size of the bathroom. Are Greeks just tiny people???

sandi

No the Greeks aren't necessarily small (though people were supposed to be smaller way back then), they just have tiny rooms in lots of hotels in Europe. Not all hotels, but lots of them. So these rooms can't take much more than a double bed, and the bathroom was probably made from some hallway space, so, of course, it's small.

As Americans we are often terribly spoiled, but there are places around the world that don't do everything in "supersize" and they survive just fine.

This has been a hoot of a thread!

SiobhanP

Supersize...thats funny. Now in Ireland we have...

Twin
4"6 Double
5" - King
6" - Super King

My bed is 5"3 and supposedly an italian size. It can vary per country but I always thought a Matrimonial was a US Queen Bed

SydneySteve

I too believe this to be a very important subject and posted recently about the "5 Star European Bed". It seems to me that you have to ask and ask and ask or otherwise hang the toes over the edge. As to sizes there are two King sizes in USA - Standard and Californian King. Australian and British/English is different again. I know, I recently purchased some sheets in New York whereby the fitted sheets are being taken in 8-10cm. A full sized American bed is a double and if you are tall I am told that one must ask for multo alto or wherever the language interpretation of "Iam or we are tall" takes you. I think we need a special thread for beds so that we can find the five star beds in the two and three star establishments.

Conway73

If I arrive exhausted and have to deal with a small, lousy bed that I have to share with my husband it makes for a very crabby, miserable first day or so. (No matter how much local wine I consume.....)It really makes a difference when you get a good nights sleep. If you sleep well you can handle most anything.

Shanna

Sending this back to the top just to keep it going so Steve won't have to go to sleep (that's a joke! in case there is a misunderstanding). I've never had a king in Europe, always a bed the size of an American double, and when I slept with someone, never had a problem, but then I sleep on a double at home, having a personal issue with the American habit of supersizing and finding I just don't need that much space (okay, I have fallen out once or twice). I have had an incredible variety of singles. Some in Paris that were very short; one in Munich that was all boxed in, short and narrow. But that room had no closet - heck it WAS a closet. And strangely, I've never had a problem sleeping when I travel - unless it's with my snoring friend Linda, who has to wear a neck ring if she wants to travel with me. My late husband and I did a trip in England with B&Bs - and had some of the most incredibly lumpy, saggy beds imaginable. We slept like babies - go figure.

Christina

Just to add more experience -- in Europe, all the places I've been that called something a "matrimonial" bed (which aren't that many, maybe Spain), it was the same size as an American double (140 cm or about 54"). I have had several European hotels given me two twins pushed together which is about the size of an American king bed. I don't like this, and only accept it when the hotel says they don't have any other kind of bed (except twins), and I really want to stay there for some reason.

I've never been in a European hotel with a true queen or King-size bed, they've always been two pushed together.

The only way to know for sure is simply to ask how large this matrimonial bed is, and whether it is two beds pushed together or not, if that's important.

I have seen an unfortunate trend in some hotels not having real double beds any more, only two twins pushed together to maximize their possibilities. They always tell me no one can tell the difference, they've gotten no complaints, etc, but I always can tell and don't like them because of the gap.

SydneySteve

Good sizing chart comparisons of US beds at http://www.smartbargains.com/popup/s...t_bedding.aspx
An Eastern King is 78 x 80 in whereas a Californian or Western King is 72 x 84 in.