I visited a Saatva Viewing Room to find my dream mattress — here's what happened

Saatva has earned a reputation in the online sleep space for its handcrafted luxury mattresses at competitive prices while offering industry-leading perks like a 1-year trial and free White Glove Delivery. Since 2010, Saatva exclusively lived online, but nearly a decade later the brand developed physical spaces called Viewing Rooms, where shoppers can test Saatva's entire range of beds before deciding to buy.

There are currently a handful of Saatva Viewing Rooms scattered across major metro areas in the US. Fortunately for me, I live in the vicinity of the Saatva Viewing Room in Philadelphia's Rittenhouse Square neighborhood. As a professional mattress tester, I can only accommodate one (tiny) bed at a time, so the prospect of being able to try a collection of Saatva mattresses at once was very appealing.

I recently took a trip to Saatva Viewing Room Philadelphia and can say that it's a place where the journey to finding the best mattress feels almost as relaxing as Saatva's beds. From self-serve kiosks that invite you to explore Saatva's products at your leisure to a bright, open design that's reminiscent of a chic hotel lobby, you'd want to leave the house to go mattress shopping.

Keep scrolling for my Saatva Viewing Room experience, as well as a discussion with Saatva's Vice President of Content and Communications about the philosophy behind these Viewing Rooms and what consumers can expect from the brand in the future. For the latest discounts on Saatva beds, check out our Saatva mattress sale guide. 

What is a Saatva Viewing Room?

Saatva Viewing Rooms are an extension of the brand's online retail experience. They feature the entire lineup of Saatva mattresses as well as bedding, furniture and decor.

Saatva's flagship Viewing Room opened in December 2019 in Midtown Manhattan. Today, there are 16 Saatva Viewing Rooms in major metro areas across the US, with four more expected to open by the end of 2024.

Why is it called a "Saatva Viewing Room" and not a "Saatva Store"? Interior designer Vicente Wolf, who designed Saatva's first physical space in Manhattan, has described it as "a sensory experience that represents what Saatva stands for. When you enter, it's about dreaming."

Saatva Viewing Rooms are largely self-guided. Shoppers can seek more information about a product through kiosks stationed at each mattress. Saatva Sleep Guides are also on hand to answer questions. Notably, they don't work on commission, which adds to the no-pressure environment Saatva aims to create.

My Saatva Viewing Room experience

When I entered the Saatva Viewing Room on Walnut Street in Philadelphia, the stress of navigating Center City traffic immediately began to melt away. Warm lighting, ambient music, and a sweet, inviting fragrance led me to think that I had instead stepped into the lobby of one of the neighborhood's many upscale hotels.

Darion Ridley, manager of Saatva Viewing Room Philadelphia, walked me through the typical Saatva Viewing Room experience. He explained that he would be on hand to answer any questions I had and occasionally check in to see how I was faring, but also emphasized that he wanted me to explore everything at my own pace. 

After sharing my sleep needs and preferences (side/front sleeper with occasional back pain), Darion directed me to the Luxury Firm Saatva Classic, the brand's flagship model and also its most popular. (We've tried it out before – check out our Saatva Classic mattress review based on one year of testing.)

While I found the Luxury Firm Saatva Classic comfortable, I mentioned that I would have liked a little more support for my hips. Darion was quick to suggest the Firm Saatva Classic, which was a good call since it gave me the extra boost I was looking for in my midsection, especially when I turned onto my stomach.

After that, I spent the majority of my time trying every Saatva mattress across the palatial 5,561-square-foot space, feeling like Goldilocks if the Three Bears owned a luxury mansion instead of a dinky cottage. I liked every mattress I tried, but I certainly had my favorites among them.

I nearly fell into a deep sleep on the Luxury Firm side of the dual-sided Saatva Zenhaven latex mattress, which was paired with the Saatva Adjustable Base Plus. The subtle sink of 5-zoned natural latex paired with a full-body wave massage was among the highlights of my entire visit to the Viewing Room. This was in contrast to the Saatva Solaire, an adjustable mattress with 50 precise firmness options. The mattress itself was generally comfortable, but unless you have help from a Saatva Sleep Guide, the remote can be tricky to use.

Meanwhile, I was impressed with the Saatva HD, a hybrid innerspring that we consider one of the best mattresses for heavy people. (It supports up to 1,100 lbs; a typical mattress accommodates around 500 lbs.) Despite being an average-sized sleeper myself, I was pleasantly surprised at how well the Saatva HD balanced support and comfort, even when resting on my side. Initially, I had anticipated something more unyielding, given its coils and natural latex, but this is a mattress that I think will appeal to a wider range of sleepers than advertised. 

I also reacquainted myself with the Luxury Firm Saatva Loom & Leaf (one of my favorite mattresses for back pain) and was reminded of how Saatva's only all-foam bed comforted me through a particularly bad flareup of my lower back injury. (Read all about it in my Saatva Loom & Leaf mattress review.) 

Next to that were the Saatva Latex Hybrid (which I preferred for stomach sleeping) and the Saatva Memory Foam Hybrid (which I liked for side sleeping; learn more about that one in our Saatva Memory Foam Hybrid mattress review.) 

Saatva has mattresses for younger folks, as well. I was able to view the Saatva Youth Mattress and Saatva Crib Mattress up close. I couldn't test those myself, obviously. 

Darion would find me every so often to see how I was doing and answer any questions I had (including my query about navigating the confusing Solaire remote). However, the kiosks were also helpful in providing detailed information for each mattress I tested when I needed it.

During my visit, I had the opportunity to observe Darion and his staff in action as customers trickled in on a late Wednesday morning. Their experiences were a lot like mine, though some customers were more inclined to get their answers directly from Saatva Sleep Guides than the kiosks. This bespoke approach to mattress shopping allows Saatva to meet consumers at their level.

The philosophy behind Saatva Viewing Rooms

After trying every Saatva mattress on-site (aside from the ones for babies and children, of course), I was curious to know more about the brand's intentions to enter the physical realm after being an online-only entity. 

I sat down with Laura Goldstein, Vice President of Content and Communications at Saatva, who shed some light on the brand's pivot to brick-and-mortar and why the Saatva Viewing Room experience is like none other in the sleep industry. 

Laura Goldstein

Laura oversees Saatva's content marketing, social media, public relations, and internal communications. Her favorite Saatva mattress is the Saatva Latex Hybrid: "It has a great combination of contouring and support, and I love the quality of latex. It's buoyant and resilient so you don't ever feel like you're sinking in too deeply, which I prefer."

So why does Saatva want to establish a physical presence? According to Laura, Viewing Rooms allow Saatva to cater to the entire market since the majority of consumers (roughly 80%) still prefer to be hands-on before deciding to buy a new bed. (Saatva does offer a 365-night trial with every mattress but charges $99 for returns – a small fee relative to the overall cost of a mattress, but still money most people would rather not part with.)

Laura also believes that Saatva Viewing Rooms give the brand a chance "to show off our products, our customer service, and deliver a beautiful, relaxed atmosphere where people can learn about [our] products at their own pace." It's a way to bring the Saatva brand experience to life away from the computer screen, she adds.

How are Saatva Viewing Rooms different from other mattress stores?

What sets a Saatva Viewing Room apart from a typical mattress retail store is its overall vibe. I mentioned to Laura that upon walking into Saatva Viewing Room Philadelphia, I didn't feel like I was entering a typical mattress store but rather a chic, inviting space where I could pull up and relax.

And that's the whole point. Saatva Viewing Rooms are beautifully maintained, low-pressure environments where shoppers can take their time in taking everything in. Laura describes it as "an oasis in the middle of a busy shopping district," with "beautiful lighting and lovely architectural ceilings that lead you through the space."

These spaces are designed to be multifunctional as well, she adds. Last year, Saatva partnered with the Illinois Chapter of the American Heart Association to host a symposium about the importance of sleep for heart health at the Saatva Viewing Room in Chicago.

Saatva Sleep Guides are on the premises to answer questions and guide you toward the right mattress. However, Laura reminds me that they're not commissioned salespeople but "trained Saatva experts" who are well-versed in other brands, too. (Case in point: Darion and I chatted a bit about our experiences with Tempur-Pedic.) 

This results in shoppers receiving "great education and customer service" while feeling at ease to simply browse at their leisure since there's no pressure from Saatva Sleep Guides to close a sale to collect commission. "We just want you to find what's right for you – even if it's not one of ours," Laura says.

Meanwhile, each Saatva mattress on display has an accompanying kiosk where customers who prefer a self-serve approach can learn as much about the product as they'd like at their own pace. Saatva has a partnership with Samsung, which provides every Saatva Viewing Room with touchscreen tablets. 

While those kiosks provide pricing information (at MSRP), you can't order directly from them. Instead, there's a larger kiosk situated at the front of the store where customers can place an order for their new mattress, with optional assistance from a Saatva Sleep Guide. You can also simply whip out your smartphone and buy from Saatva.com yourself, right on the spot.

Either way, you'll be able to avail yourself of the discounted prices from Saatva mattress sales online and avoid the typical markups that come with buying from a physical mattress store. 

What else can we expect from Saatva in the future?

Saatva currently has 16 Viewing Rooms in major metro areas across the US and aims to open four more locations by the end of 2024. (Two of those four new Viewing Rooms recently opened in Manhasset, NY, and Paramus, NJ.) What else can consumers look forward to from Saatva?

Aside from more Viewing Room locations, Laura says shoppers can anticipate "continued product innovations," calling out the recent release of the Saatva RX, a luxury mattress designed for people with severe and chronic back issues. (You can read my Saatva RX mattress review to see how I got on with it as someone with mild scoliosis and occasional back injuries.)

It's not just mattresses, either. Saatva now sells bed frames, furnishings, and even area rugs – with "more bedroom accessories in the works," according to Laura. All of these items are on display at Saatva's Viewing Rooms and available to buy online, along with Saatva bedding, pillows, and sleep accessories like eye masks. 

As for a candle that exudes the sweet scent of a Saatva Viewing Room? Well, now you can buy one of Saatva's aromatherapy candles for a similar experience to help you relax at home.

Saatva Viewing Rooms: My final thoughts

When I found out that Saatva was opening a Viewing Room in my hometown of Philadelphia, I made it a point to pay a visit as soon as I could. As a professional mattress tester for five years now, I've covered Saatva extensively and even reviewed several of its products. I imagined the opportunity to try all of Saatva's beds in one place would be an incredible experience. I wasn't let down.

A Saatva Viewing Room is not your typical mattress store. That's a compliment. A lot of planning and attention went into creating a space where shoppers can feel at ease browsing at their own pace. I felt that during my visit, and witnessed other shoppers exploring at their leisure as Darion and his team stepped in to help whenever they were called upon.

Then there's the overall vibe – bright, wide-open, welcoming. Most mattress stores I've visited have skewed toward cooler, darker tones (perhaps to simulate the ideal sleep environment) and/or have dedicated rooms for privacy when testing beds, which I don't necessarily object to, either. Still, I like that Saatva has been ambitious enough to put its stamp on what it thinks the in-person mattress shopping experience should be like.

Of course, I had a lot of fun trying every Saatva mattress I could – especially the Saatva Classic, a popular bed that somehow eluded me until that day. Perhaps my biggest surprise of the day was discovering how much I enjoyed the beefier Saatva HD and Saatva Zenhaven latex beds. Pair either with the Saatva Adjustable Base Plus and its soothing full-body massage and I'll be sleeping soundly every night. 

Special thanks to Darion Ridley, Manager of Saatva Viewing Room Philadelphia, and Laura Goldstein, Saatva's Vice President of Content & Communications, for sharing their time and expertise.