I feel ready to introduce a new topic: pillows. Even though it presents some added travel challenge--how many of you insist on traveling with your own pillows for reasons of comfort and hygiene (maybe a few allergies), no matter what? From the experience of observing my own children with their beloved blankies, stuffed animals, and various and assorted "lovies," that absolutely had to accompany us on many trips, I am curious. Do many of us adults have some of the same connections to our own security objects while traveling and sleeping in strange places?? I have myself spent many a sleepless night in a hotel room because the pillow felt (and smelled?) really weird compared to what I was accustomed to. So...what about those pillows? Do you travel with your own? Come on, fess up! I really want to know so that I don't feel all alone out here if I am thinking about bringing my own pillow and pillowcase. Let's share those pillow stories.

J

this thread will answer all your questions

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34864625

if you want to read other threads, just type "travel pillow" in the search window

Faina - I don't think that jg is talking about travel pillows. I think (s)he means real pillows for hotel stays.
And no... I don't travel with my own pillow. I have many other neurotic quirks but this is not one of them. There are plenty of other things to worry about. Now if you asked about travelling with my own knife and fork rather than putiing those gross, used, yucky, restaurant utensils in my mouth...

Faina, thanks for the valuable link. I already have that airline-pillow problem solved by bringing my own sleeping pillow on the plane--one of those squooshy u-shaped things. My daughter calls it my adult stuffed animal. But what I am most interested in here is the hotel/apartment bed pillow. What do you do about that?? The u-shaped pillow for my neck on the plane is terrific, but it is not really comfortable for sleeping in bed all night for a long period of time. Anybody willing to share about this "small" traveling dilemma?? Some may not think it is really such a trivial problem. Please don't laugh at me about this concern.

If it is a real concern how about travelling with one of your own zippered pillow covers. Wrap a hotel towel around the pillow, cover with your pillow cover and then the hotel pillow case. Or why not go out and buy one when you arrive in.......wherever.

Nope, I don't travel with pillows, not on the plane not for the hotel bed. Too much trouble and I just don't care much about the concerns you mention.

I took a foam rubber pillow this past September to Germany. I have always suffered from restless nights using a strange pillow. I always sleep with foam rubber pillows at home and thought I would give it a try.

My main concern was the ability to sleep on the night flight over. Having my own pillow made a world a difference. Slept on the plane (which I never do), as well as better sleeping in the hotels.

I put it in one of the plastic bags that you squeeze the air out and then folded in half and put it in my travel tote.

Worked for me!

Not pillows - although about 95% of hotel pillows are way too soft - as are mattresses. But I do bring my own hypoallergenic pillow cover that I use instead of what's on the bed. the only way I can avoid sniffles every morning.

And the only way I would bring my own pillow is if I could afford a matched 6 piece set of luggage and a maid to deal with all of it.

Having my own pillow does make a difference when sleeping away from home. I must confess that I take it everywhere, even when I visit my son in Kentucky and stay in his house. Mine's is a down pillow and I just squeeze it into my carryon, not because I use it on the plane, but because I don't want it to get lost.

It's when you start traveling with your own silverware and your own salt and pepper shakers that people start becoming "concerned" about your frame of mind I suppose.

I do the same as Lydia. I also carry along an extra pillowcase just in case, having my own pillow made a lot of difference for me on our long trips overseas and to Hawaii. It's really easy to get it squished down into the air tight travel bag and then I just carry it off when we get to where ever. I've also put one in my suitcase in an airtight bag as well. I've seen lots of travelers carrying their pillows on planes.
Fun topic

I never have travelled with any kind of pillow, not for plane rides or for hotel rooms. I am still working on packing less and less. Maybe this is because I never had a "blankie" as a little one and have slept in so many relatives houses as I was growing up as I was often invited to stay with them. I don't have a problem going to sleep thank goodness.

How could you travel with a pillow? Wouldn't it take up your whole suitcase?!

I can actually sleep without a pillow. That's come in handy a few times!

I take a down-filled neckroll pillow to use on the plane and in hotels. I wrap a spare larger pillowcae around the neckroll on the plane and then remove it on arrival.

The pillows are minor and I can live with whatever they provide. But let's talk mattresses -- sometimes like a torture rack. Any of you travel with your own mattress?

I don't take a pillow from home overseas...not room! However, I do take my pillow for long car trips in USA.
The last few years for ALL travel I take safety pins and fold the pillow case over(In and over) at the top so the pillow is completely covered. I KNOW hotels don't santitize the pillows each night and often the pillow starts to slip out of the pillowcase....where other people have had their heads, mouths etc. Seems a lot cleaner ! Occasionally when the case doesn't even cover the pillow, I ask for anothr case to slip over the opposite way.
Yes, some pillows in hotels are too soft, too firm, too puffy, too little etc, but this I try to adapt to. I've had an inner ear problem in the past so usually ask for an extra pillow or two and I have never found any hotel to be less than accommodating and they are usually very gracious about this.

After a loooong discussion here back in February it was decided this was acceptable to almost everyone here:

http://tinyurl.com/my225

I bought one in down and absolutely love it, I use it on the plane and then in the hotel I unfold it and slip it over the yucky hotel pillow.

Hi SeaUrchin, we did go shopping for a pillow, I had forgotten!! I love my pillows at home the best..but mostly I love Patricks post LOL!! I am glad you haven't lost your sense of humor today Patrick inspite of that CC problem!

I agree with Neo. The mattresses are a much bigger problem than the pillows.

Yeah, remember, Lovey? Everyone went back and forth for days! I hate hotel pillows, they make my ears flat!