Atour’s Pillows and Duvets Are Nearly As Profitable As Its Hotel Business

The hot search

The trending topic on Weibo reads: 亚朵卖枕头被子收入快赶上酒店主业 — “Atour’s revenue from selling pillows and duvets is almost catching up with its core hotel business.”

The discussion was sparked by Atour’s latest financial report, which impressed users because of the explosive growth of its “sleep retail” segment. One user, 芾米_9, posted a video with the topic and wrote:

“Atour’s retail revenue is almost catching up with its main business. Wow, I see so many people saying their pillows are super comfortable. Can some friends quickly tell me whether they’re actually good?” (亚朵的零售业务收入快赶上主页了，天呐看到好多人说他家枕头很舒服，有的朋友快说一下好不好用)

That post received 21 reposts, 153 comments, and 486 likes, showing real personal curiosity behind the financial headline.

A side business that is becoming the main business

Another user, 努力的瘦身的小胖子, posted a one-minute video and offered a clearer breakdown:

“Atour’s financial report has a lot of highlights. Sleep retail business such as pillows and duvets is exploding. In Q2, its revenue was only 150 million yuan behind its hotel franchise business, accounting for over 40% of total revenue. Turning guest rooms into the best offline experience store—get ‘planted’ while staying, buy online and take home—the side hustle is about to become the main business. Pretty impressive.” (亚朵财报很有看点，枕头被子等睡眠零售业务高速爆发，二季度收入和酒店加盟业务仅差1.5亿，占总营收超四成。把客房变成最好的线下体验店，住店种草、线上买回家，副业快要做成主业，也是很牛了)

That second post had 0 reposts, 1 comment, and 21 likes, but its framing captured the core of the story: Atour has turned its hotel rooms into physical showrooms for its sleep products.

Why this makes sense in China

Atour is a Chinese lifestyle hotel brand known for its cozy, design-driven rooms and a strong “deep sleep” brand image. For years, guests have asked where they can buy the pillows, mattresses, and bedding they used during their stay. The financial report suggests that this curiosity has become a serious revenue stream.

“种草” (zhòng cǎo), literally “planting grass,” is a key Chinese consumer-slang term referenced in the second post. It means being inspired to want something—often by seeing it used in a real-life setting. In Atour’s case, a hotel room becomes the ultimate种草 experience: you sleep on it, you love it, you buy it online after checkout.

Weibo users are not just impressed by the business strategy; many are also genuinely weighing whether the products live up to the hype. The hot search itself blends financial news with real-life consumer desire—exactly the kind of topic Chinese social media loves to chew on.