Odd Travel Job: Sleep Director

Question: What is the correct job title for a traveling man or woman that gets to romp around in bed all day and test hotel mattresses?

If your answer was a “Prostitute” then your mind needs cleansing and we will go no further with such raunchy talk in the workplace, even if they fit the bill. However, if you said “Sleep Director” then you probably heard the alarms sound because that is the correct answer, my friends. Sleep Directors have the fabulous and odd job of testing out all those cozy hotel beds before you do. According to Ted’s List, which includes three odd jobs this month, most hotel chains employ “Sleep Directors” or people who can tell if a mattress is too firm or too soft, and whether the design of the hotel room will keep you from dozing into dream worlds.

Now this bit of trivia was something I read over a week ago and it bothered me a little on the inside. I mean, it bothered me to the point of trying to find out more about this unusual gig. Do I personally wish to become a Sleep Director? Yawn, not quite. I’m just curious to know the qualifications. In my searches I was only able to find this job ad for a Mattress Tester. The employer seeking Mattress Tester 44 notes that their benefits package is quite competitive and that salary is determined by sleep experience. Additionally they are an Equal Opportunity Employer, but Federal law prohibits employment of extraterrestrials.

The madness!!! Is this for real? If there are any real Mattress Testers or Sleep Directors out there I beg you to leave a comment. Heck, if there are any extraterrestrials out there in the blogosphere make your presence known as well.

We are peaceful bloggers.

Photo of the Day (9/30/06)


This picture totally reminds me of My Favorite Martian for some very odd reason. Could it be all the three-eyed alien like figures? Hmm… Out of the Gadling Flickr poolSunToad took this one almost a year ago at a Halloween celebration in Tokyo Disneyland. While it’s still rather early to think about Halloween I thought the glowing eyes and lights and overall cuteness of the creatures deserved a moment of fame. Besides it makes me think of traveling out of this world.