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Yellowdog's avatar

Air purification: Why does the air in nice hotels feel so good?

Asked by Yellowdog (12216points) September 5th, 2015

I was out with a friend in a neighboring county and became very tired and sleepy—unable to stay awake. This was partially due to overeating and partially due to ‘sleep debt,’ I reckon.

Afraid to drive home, there was a really nice hotel where I’d stayed in the past. I thought I’d better check in. Falling asleep at the wheel amid Interstate exits and traffic was a very real risk.

But when I went there, my friend and I were discussing room rates—and honestly, the cleanliness of the hotel, the clean, open spaces, that alone felt so good that I felt almost exhilerated.

I didn’t even need to stay at the hotel. I felt good enough after a few minutes of being there that I went on home.

Previously, neither caffeine, nor the air inside Starbucks or Walmart or Target nor even the comfort of my car could revive me. It was the air in that hotel. I drove home in wakeful, relative comfort after half a day of fatigue and sleepiness.

My question is—what do some places do—this must’ve been the air filtration—that makes the air feel so pure, fresh, and clean?

The woman at the front desk knew of nothing but the fact that they keep the AC and 67 degrees f. (though it was not cold in there). But there was something more, obviously,

To avoid making this look like a commercial masking as a question, if you know any commercial product or air filtration system, just send me a PM (private message). Such air to come home to is worth the expence.

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7 Answers

jca's avatar

To me, 67 degrees is chilly enough that it would have woken me up.

Pied_Pfeffer's avatar

Interesting. I worked in the hotel industry for 30 years, including working closely with the groups who wrote the standards (including design and construction) and maintained them as a hotel inspector. The only insight I can offer is that most hotels maintain a cooler temperature and clean the facilities every day. There isn’t any mechanism or product that makes the air fresher.

Maybe getting out of the vehicle and getting some fresh air, especially at that temperature, revived you.

JLeslie's avatar

I agree the cooler temp might give you a little wake up, although, it’s a delicate balance for me, because too cold pisses me off. The last hotel I stayed at that kept the hallways and social areas too cold was Residence Inn in Sebring, FL last October. That’s how much I notice it and am bothered by it, I can cite it for you. Everything else is great about that hotel, not that it matters for this Q.

I have to agree some hotels wake me up. They smell clean to me; the lighting is rather bright, but not painful; the lobby is ample; light colored flooring, especially marble; and the lobby ceilings are reasonable high. I seem to also respond to the color palette. Medium to dark green seems to be a sleepy color for me.

filmfann's avatar

They may have been using a negative ion generator as part of their air filtration system. Even a short exposure can really make you feel better.

kritiper's avatar

That’s what a good air conditioning system does. It conditions the air to the most comfortable temp and humidity.

elbanditoroso's avatar

I haven’t noticed that myself, but in fairness, I have a lousy sense of smell and probably wouldn’t have notice it anyway.

johnpowell's avatar

I think this is called a second wind and isn’t specific to being in a hotel. I can be dead tired after getting off work while thinking of my bed for hours. Then I am off and I feel fresh and am good for the next six hours. Perhaps the stimulus of of all the new things woke your brain up.

I have stayed in few 200+ a night hotels and the climate control wasn’t fancy. It was just cold so there was a lot of air moving around.

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