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Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 16, 2001
 

For More Information
Kimberly Kalkhoff
(319) 235-1025

IOWA-BASED HEARTLAND INNS OF AMERICA
PROVIDES A PERFECT SLEEP FOR GUESTS
IOWA FACTORY AWARDED MANUFACTURING CONTRACT

Waterloo, Iowa—Heartland Inns of America, LLC, recently awarded an $800,000 contract to the Serta Mattress Company to design and produce custom mattresses for the Heartland Inns located in several Iowa communities and Eau Claire, Wis.

The Serta Factory in Clear Lake, Iowa, manufactured 2,500 Serta Perfect Sleeper®  mattresses with 12-inch deep pillow tops and Serta box springs.  Each bed in the hotels owned and operated by Heartland Inns of America will be replaced by July 23.

“We think the fundamentals of the hotel experience for our guests start with a great night’s sleep,” says Sandy Minard, director of operations of Heartland Inns of America.  “By purchasing the best Perfect Sleeper offered by Serta, we are making sure every guest at Heartland Inn will find the mattress as comfortable or even more comfortable than the one they have at home.”

Hotels typically replace beds on an “as-needed” basis or during a major renovation.  Some Heartland Inn mattresses being replaced are less than a year old and had years remaining in their useful life.   However, the hotel group wanted to offer guests a unique amenity.

“Different amenities appeal to different guests, whether it’s a swimming pool, complimentary breakfast or in-room coffee maker,” explains Minard.  “But everyone wants a good night’s sleep.  A part of our service philosophy is customer satisfaction and these beds demonstrate our dedication to service.  We’re providing comfort you might only dream of finding at home.”

Recent guests have confirmed that this move indeed creates a more restful environment.  “The new beds are great.  They provided the best sleep I’ve had in a hotel,” said recent guest Jim Severin of Omaha, Neb.

Heartland Inns initially contacted several companies in its pursuit of the most comfortable mattress.  The company narrowed its search to two mattress suppliers and purchased six to seven beds from each company.

Hotel guests at two locations participated in the mattress selection process during a “sleep test” conducted this spring.  Guests who slept overnight on a test mattress provided their opinion of its comfort level to hotel management to aid in the decision-making process. “I was able to sleep comfortably on the Serta without experiencing any pain from my chronic fibromyalgia,” said Pam Lux, an employee of White Glove Cleaning Services in Spencer, Iowa, who was a guest during the testing period.

Although none of the test mattresses received negative comments, the mattress with the most positive responses from guests was chosen.  Heartland Inn’s management then customized the sleep set to their specifications.

Executives felt it was important for the nearly million-dollar project to involve another Iowa company.  Heartland Inns of America began operation in 1984 and is headquartered in Waterloo.
 

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