DreamCloud Luxury Hybrid mattress review 2023

DreamCloud Luxury Hybrid mattress review in brief

UK shoppers might not be aware of the DreamCloud Luxury Hybrid mattress, which is better known in America. But this brand's flagship mattress had snagged a top spot in our best mattress guide, thanks to a supportive yet cushioned design that offers a very luxurious feel for a reasonable price.

Note: We reviewed the previous iteration of this mattress. The internal design is exactly the same, but the cover is slightly different ( Version 1 is still available while stocks last on the DreamCloud website). This is the UK version – for the US review, toggle the flag dropdown in the main navigation bar.

Described by one of our review team as like sleeping on a 'supportive marshmallow', the DreamCloud Luxury Hybrid offers the best of both worlds. The hybrid mattress design adds firmness with its pocket springs, but gives a softer hug via a top layer of gel memory foam. We think the mattress is aptly named, with a cloud-like contouring effect that keeps you supported while lulling you into a restful night’s sleep. 

This mattress has a softer feel – we'd give it a 6.5 out of 10 in terms of firmness, which is only just outside of the 'medium' bracket, and the springs, in particular, are less firm than on other hybrids we've tested. That makes it a good choice anyone seeking strong pressure relief, but it won't suit heavier sleepers (above 16 stone) or anyone whose preference is for a sturdier mattress. 

Combination sleepers should appreciate the bounce of the coils, which make it easy to change position throughout the night. We think the DreamCloud Luxury Hybrid is also well-suited to couples, thanks to excellent motion isolation – the foams do an excellent job of stopping movement transferring from your partner to you and vice versa. Reinforced edges also mean you can comfortably use the full sleep surface without fear of rolling off. 

You can ignore RRP, as there's a permanent DreamCloud mattress sale that knocks as much as 50% off, shifting it down into the upper-mid price range. It's not the cheapest mattress around, but it does deliver excellent value for money. The extras are outstanding – you'll get a full year's sleep trial, and forever warranty. We were also impressed by this brand's sustainability initiatives. 

DreamCloud Luxury Hybrid mattress review: Materials & design

• 28cm tall, hybrid mattress
• Gel memory foam for contouring, pocket springs for bounce
• Climate-neutral production

For this review, we tested version 1 of this mattress, which has a different cover. Our test mattress had a beige-edged cover with a cashmere and foam top cover. The updated version is navy-edged, and appears not to include cashmere, which is a shame. 

The internal internal design remains unchanged in the current iteration. At the top you'll find a gel memory foam layer, which will contour your body and minimise pressure. The gel is designed to act as a cooling agent, preventing heat retention (gel memory foam is commonly found in cooling mattresses). Beneath the memory foam is a polyfoam support layer. Both foams are CertiPUR certified, which means they meet certain minimum health and environmental standards.  

A tier of 15cm ActivEdge coils provide firmness and bounce, with extra reinforcement around the perimeter to ensure the edges are nice and sturdy. They're individually wrapped, which should help minimise motion transfer across the surface of the mattress. Finally, the DreamCloud Luxury Hybrid has another polyfoam base layer, which acts as support for the innerspring layer.   

We were very impressed by the build quality of the DreamCloud Luxury Hybrid mattress. When pressed, the foam on the DreamCloud Luxury Hybrid springs back into shape remarkably quickly, which suggests high-quality foam. We were also very impressed to learn that production is certified climate-neutral. The only thing to keep an eye out for is the cover. It's not removable for washing, so you'll want to add a mattress protector to ensure it stays looking like-new for as long as possible.

DreamCloud Luxury Hybrid mattress review: Price

• Upper mid-range price tag
• Permanently discounted by around 50% – ignore RRP
• Extras like long trial and warranty, and freebies, amp up value

The DreamCloud Luxury Hybrid is the only mattress sold by the UK wing of this brand. It's never sold at RRP, so you can ignore those numbers completely. A permanent DreamCloud mattress sale knocks around 50% off and take this mattress into the upper mid-range price bracket. While it's not the cheapest mattress on the market, do factor in the fact that it's a hybrid, and these are almost always pricier than memory foam mattresses. It offers strong value for money – especially when you factor in extras like the super-generous 365-night trial and forever warranty. You'll often also get bedding bundled in with your purchase for free. 

Here are the official prices for the DreamCloud Luxury Hybrid, and the prices you can actually expect to pay:

• Single: RRP £949 (usually available for £408)
• Double: RRP £1,649 (usually available for £709)
• King: RRP £1,749 (usually available for £752)
• Super King: RRP £1,899 (usually available for £817)

Price-wise – factoring in regular mattress sales – it's roughly in line with the Simba Hybrid mattress, but pricier than the Emma Premium mattress. 

DreamCloud Luxury Hybrid mattress review: Firmness, comfort

• A medium-firm feel (6.5 out of 10), will be too soft for some tastes
• Superb pressure relief and a memory foam hug feel
• Coils add some firmness

Our testers loved the cosy and cushioning feel of the DreamCloud, saying that it had the perfect balance between a soft 'hugging' top and a supportive base. During the review period, we found the DreamCloud Luxury Hybrid provided enough gentle sinkage to support and contour the body, while gently relieving pressure points and ensuring our testers didn't wake up with new aches and pains. The layer of pocket springs underneath the foam layers firms things up and stops you from sinking too far in, although the springs here are softer than on other hybrid mattresses we've tested.

The DreamCloud Luxury Hybrid is rated as a 6.5 out of 10, which is just in the medium-firm bracket (we'd consider 5-6 a medium mattress, and a 7 medium-firm). When testing sinkage with a 20kg weight in the middle of the bed, the mattress sank by a fraction under 5 inches. This is around what we would expect from a hybrid, although there is a little more sinkage with the DreamCloud compared to some other brands. 

While most of our review panel found the DreamCloud Luxury Hybrid delivered a good balance of support and cushioning, be aware it is on the softer side. As a rule, stomach and back sleepers should opt for a medium-firm or firm mattress, while side sleepers can get away with medium to medium-firm. Personal preference does come into it though, and if you know you like a sturdy mattress, this isn't the right choice for you (one of our main testers felt it was too soft overall (although their preference is for a mattress only slightly softer than a rock).  

Body weight also makes a difference. Our testers were all of a light or medium build and we did feel that the bed might have too much give for heavier sleepers over 16 or 17 stone, perhaps. 

DreamCloud Luxury Hybrid mattress: Performance

• Almost no motion transfer – good news for couples
• Edges are sturdy enough to sit on very comfortably

We tested the DreamCloud Luxury Hybrid in a double size for around five weeks before writing this review, so two weeks longer than the recommended three week period wherein your body gets used to a new bed. We tested it in all major areas of performance, rating it on motion isolation, edge support and cooling.

Motion transfer

The DreamCloud Luxury Hybrid is a particularly good choice for couples as there is minimal motion transfer, even if you’re sleeping right up to the edge of the bed. The high-quality foam combined with pocket springs mean that movement is absorbed quickly, causing minimal disruption to your co-sleeper. 

We tested the motion transfer of the DreamCloud with a series of drop tests by placing an empty wine glass on the bed and dropping a 6kg weight on the mattress at various distance intervals from the glass. The wine glass only started to wobble when we dropped the weight 10 inches from the glass and didn’t fall over until the weight was a mere 5 inches away.

We also found that there was little disturbance from an actual partner overnight, even when one of our testers was a restless sleeper who changed position a lot.

Score: 4.5 out of 5

Temperature regulation

We found the DreamCloud Luxury Hybrid mattress delivered excellent temperature regulation. We tested the DreamCloud Luxury Hybrid mattress with a winter duvet (tog rating 10.5) and a thick, faux fur throw. One side of the bed also had an electric blanket turned on for the cold sleeper on our testing panel, who reported being comfortable all night without overheating. Our other main tester generally sleeps very hot but reported that they maintained a comfortable temperature through the night.

This is likely down to the spring layer creating space for air to circulate within the mattress (hybrids almost always sleep cooler than all-foam models). Although some memory foams can trap body heat, we didn't have that issue here. Note that the change in cover may slightly impact the breathability of this mattress – the cover on the version included cashmere, which is known for being naturally temperature-regulating. There's no information as to what the current cover is made from, although we assume it's not cashmere.  

Score: 4.5 out of 5

Edge support

The DreamCloud has 'ActivEdge pocket springs' designed to ensure the edges are nice and sturdy. We tested the edge support of the DreamCloud mattress objectively using a 20kg weight, and subjectively by recording the experiences of our review panel.

When testing with our kettlebell, the sinkage in the edges was the same as it was in the centre of the bed, which is an indicator of good edge support. We did notice it compressing in a slightly different way and forming a small fold under the weight. This actually helped to keep the weight stable, with no danger of it rolling off the bed. 

Sitting on the edge was extremely comfortable for both light and medium weight testers, with one using the mattress as an alternative to a chair. Sleeping right on the edge of the DreamCloud Luxury Hybrid is just as comfortable as sleeping further towards the middle, and at no point did we feel as though we might roll off. 

Score: 4.5 out of 5

DreamCloud Luxury Hybrid mattress: Delivery & setup

Like all bed-in-a-box mattresses, the DreamCloud is delivered vacuum-packed and rolled into a box. Although this box is far more compact and maneuverable than a full, expanded mattress, don't forget it'll still weigh just as much. The double version we tested was heavy enough to require two people to move it around (not helped by the fact that the handles in the box also collapsed and tore when we picked it up). There was a lot of packaging, but this meant our DreamCloud was well protected during delivery. 

The DreamCloud Luxury Hybrid can be placed directly on a bed base from its packaging. Our test mattress arrived directly at our front door, although the delivery team did take it into a specific room when asked. For an extra £35 you can also have your old one removed (read our guide on how to dispose of a mattress for other options). The manufacturer recommends leaving the Luxury Hybrid for at least five hours before sleeping on it, but our model inflated far quicker than that.

When you buy a bed-in-a-box, a certain amount of off-gassing is to be expected and is nothing to worry about (just open a window until it passes). DreamCloud’s website suggests that there will be minimal off-gassing with the Luxury Hybrid and that was our experience, too. Upon unboxing there was a faint whiff of fresh foam, but this dissipated within 15 minutes.

This mattress comes with a 365-night sleep trial (matching the longest you'll find anywhere) and Forever warranty. It partners with the British Heart Foundation to reuse as many returned mattresses as possible. 

DreamCloud advises rotating the Luxury Hybrid every three months and you need to follow this advice to make sure the Forever Warranty remains valid. For further guidance, read our feature answering, how often should you rotate your mattress?

DreamCloud Luxury Hybrid mattress: User reviews

There aren’t a huge number of user reviews for it the DreamCloud Luxury Hybrid mattress yet. Of the 501 reviews on DreamCloud’s website, the average rating is 4.5 out of 5 stars, with the vast majority of reviewers awarding the hybrid 5 out of 5 (July 2023). 

Customers frequently describe the DreamCloud Luxury Hybrid as “snugly and comfortable”, saying they’ve had the "best night’s sleep ever". Other reviewers focus on pain relief: “No aches in my lower back”, and, “I have suffered from lower back pain for years but I’m now getting a decent sleep for the first time in years.”

Although reviews are mainly positive, there are some negative opinions expressed as well. A few flag up a lingering off-gassing smell (this can vary from person to person, even within the same mattress model, so it's difficult to predict if it'll be an issue for you, although our testers didn't note significant off-gassing with this mattress). Some commenters found it too soft, and others too firm. This is common amongst mattress review sections.

There is also one comment that states that after a year, the mattress started to develop dips when the sleepers lay, and after a couple of years these were so severe as to require a new mattress. That's disappointing. Be aware this bed does come with a Forever Warranty, and if the body impressions are greater than 4cm then DreamCloud will replace the mattress (details here).

Should you buy the DreamCloud Luxury Hybrid?

The DreamCloud Luxury Hybrid will be an excellent choice for a wide range of people. The medium-to-medium-firm sleep surface (6.5 out of 10) delivers excellent pressure relief, and will work for most sleep styles and body types – and especially anyone who enjoys the ‘hug’ of memory foam. The lower tiers of pocket springs, although feeling softer than other brands, still offer a surprising amount of support. Some stomach / back sleepers may prefer something firmer, though, and those over 16 stone will likely not find it supportive enough. 

This bed performed well across the board in our tests, delivering excellent motion isolation, good temperature regulation and sturdy edge support. As a result, we'd recommend it to light sleepers, couples, and hot sleepers – providing your preference is for that slightly softer sleep surface. 

There are cheaper beds on the market, but we felt that the DreamCloud more than justifies its upper mid-range price tag, with high build quality and a luxurious look and feel (although we are a touch disappointed that it has replaced the cashmere cover that appeared on our review model). We were impressed by the certified carbon-neutral production and returned mattress recycling processes too. Finally, the extras are the best you'll find anywhere: a 365-night trial period and Forever Warranty.