I feel like everybody has slept in a hotel at least once in their life. 

Whether that was because of a road trip with your family, or your house ended up needing to be remodeled so you couldn’t stay for the night, you somehow landed in a hotel.

And, if you are like me and have an odd amount of siblings or not enough beds in your room, then you’ve been the victim of what I call “third-wheel hotel syndrome.”

Basically, you’ve been forced to sleep somewhere—mostly on any somewhat comfortable surface that you can fit—that is not a bed.

And, as the youngest sibling and only daughter in the family, I’ve been put in this situation far more often than I would care to admit.

On the bright side, this means I’ve amounted to a wide variety of ways to sleep in a hotel without using the bed over the years by using what’s most comfortable and most convenient.

So, I’ve decided to share my experiences and explore my top four favorite ways to sleep in a hotel without using the bed.

1. The Pull-Out: The Classic

The pull-out is the most common alternative when deciding where to sleep in a hotel, and it is probably the first thing you think about when searching for sleeping spots, aka the classic.

Now, is it on par with sleeping on a mattress? From my experience, not really.

Depending on what the hotel provides, you’ll either get a pull-out, a couch version, or none at all. 

The best option out of the three, for me, is the pull-out that is brought to you. It is by far the most comfortable and often the most clean. Sadly, though, it is not the most common option.

That goes to the couch pull-out, which is not the worst option, but you never know what you’re going get. 

You could get a brand-new mattress or you could get a pull-out that immediately folds back into the couch the minute your weight stops holding it down.

2. The Couch: Back-Breaker

The couch is my least favorite way to sleep in a hotel without using the bed. 

That’s usually because, in my experience, the couch will always be too small or too bumpy. Often, you’ll be forced to either curl into yourself to fit or stretch your leg over the sides—negative points if the couch has those poofy sides.

Forcing my body to curve around those sides almost always kills my back within the first day.

This is why I’ve labeled this position the appropriate title of “Back-Breaker.” And, depending on the type of couch, this will often be my last choice when deciding where to sleep.

3. A Chair: Airplane Mode

If you’ve slept in this position before, then I’ll take a gamble and say you’ve been on an airplane at least once in your life. 

Most of the time, you’ll either be sitting straight with your head laid back or slouched sideways so that your head is resting on the arm of the chair.

Sometimes, you can add a blanket or a pillow to replicate the softness of your bed, but not really.

But, no matter how hard you try, this position will never be comfortable. Or, at least, you’ll think you are, but then you’ll wake up with either a sore butt or neck.

It is definitely not my first choice, but depending on the size of the chair, this could be a considerable option.

4. Pillows: Somehow the most comfortable

Let’s say you get really unlucky and the hotel has neither a pull-out couch nor a chair to spare. 

That leaves only one option: the ground.

Now, I would rather sleep on top of the clothes in the luggage than sleep on the ground. So, I’ve devised a rather sinister plan to keep off of the ground.

Steal the pillows for the beds—or ask for extra pillows if you can’t beat your siblings—and lay them on the ground logger-style.

It is surprisingly comfy, especially if you get a blanket.