Simba Hybrid Luxe mattress review 2024: a premium mattress with a traditional feel

Simba Hybrid Luxe mattress review: Two-minute review

The Simba Hybrid Luxe mattress is a high-end hybrid that sits at the top of this British sleep brand's range. The complex, 31cm deep, 10-layer design includes foams, springs and wool, and aims to deliver a dreamily comfortable and supportive night's sleep. I've been testing it out in all major areas of performance, including pressure relief, motion isolation, edge support, cooling, and ease of setup, to see if it's worthy of inclusion in our best mattress guide.

I called the Simba Hybrid Luxe mattress in to review over a year ago, and spent three weeks sleeping on it for the initial testing period. Since then, it has been in my spare room, and I (and various guests) have slept on it intermittently. 

This is a firmer mattress that you sleep 'on' instead of 'in'. It delivers good support, with a comfortably cushioned – although not squishy – sleep surface that's easy to move about on. I'd confidently recommend it to back or stomach sleepers, and although I also found it comfortable in a side sleeper position, other some side sleepers might prefer a softer model with more body contouring (head to our best mattress for side sleepers guide for alternatives). Temperature regulation is decent, and edge support is impressive. 

While the responsive surface will suit many people, it does mean there is some motion transfer with the Simba Hybrid Luxe. That means it's not going to be the best choice for anyone who has a restless bedmate and doesn't want to be disturbed by their nocturnal movements. 

The 10-layer design, with multiple tiers of springs and foams, means this mattress is firmly in the high-end price bracket. Regular Simba mattress sales and deals mean it's not too difficult to avoid paying RRP – you'll typically be able to pick up a double for around £1,380, with a free mattress protector. Even with that discount, the Luxe is undercut by many competitors' luxury hybrid models. If you're on the fence, be aware there's a 200 night sleep trial, so you'll have time to make sure it's the right fit for you. Read on for my full Simba Hybrid Luxe mattress review.

Simba Hybrid Luxe mattress review: Price

• Double is £2,299 (RRP), but sales mean it's often around £1,380
• Free mattress protector usually bundled in
• More expensive than many competitors' luxury hybrid options

The Simba Hybrid Luxe is a luxury mattress with high-end pricing. Like many sleep brands, Simba runs regular mattress sales, which means you can mostly ignore that RRP, but it's still one of the most expensive models we've tested (only the likes of Tempur will put a bigger dent in your wallet). 

The Luxe sits at the top of Simba's range, with the same pricing as the organic GO (which, arguably, is a more compelling prospect if you're spending that much). There are two similar but cheaper options, both of which we've also tested – read about those in our Simba Hybrid Original review and Simba Hybrid Pro review. 

Here are the RRPs for each size of the Simba Hybrid Luxe mattress, along with the discounted prices you'll often pay:

• Single: RRP £1,579 (usually £947)
• Small double: RRP £2,299 (usually £1,380)
• Double: RRP £2,299 (usually £1,380)
• King: RRP £2,399 (usually £1,440)
• Super king: RRP £2,749 (usually £1,650)

Offers of 40% off are common, and if you're lucky you might see 45% off or even 50% off (the Black Friday mattress deals can be an especially good time to buy). If you head to Simba's site and the Luxe is full price, unless you're really desperate, it's worth hanging on – a sale will usually appear within the month. 

You'll typically find a free mattress protector bundled in, and free delivery either to your front door or to your room of choice is included in the price. A 200-night trial and 10-year warranty aren't the most generous on the market, but they're still decent. 

Simba Hybrid Luxe mattress review: specs

Simba Hybrid Luxe review: materials and design

• 10-layer, 31cm thick, hybrid design
• Three layers of pressure-relieving foam, supportive micro-springs
• Graphite-infused 'Simbatex' foam instead of memory foam

The Simba Hybrid Luxe mattress has a complex, 10-layer design and clocks in at a chunky 31cm thick (which means you'll probably need to buy some special deep sheets). Let's take a closer look at each of those layers, and what they're designed to do. 

At the top, you'll find a hypoallergenic, knitted cover. As is the case with many luxury mattresses, this cover can be zipped off for washing. Simba recommends washing at 40°C on a reduced spin cycle (not hot enough to kill off dust mites, but a standard washing guide for this kind of thing). It's not suitable for tumble drying, ironing or dry cleaning. Simba will usually bundle in a mattress protector for free, as well. 

An extra touch is that the cover has eight handles, to make moving it around easier, That's useful because this mattress is pretty heavy and bulky (note: handles aren't included on the small double). These handles feel sturdy and reliable. 

Beneath the cover is a layer of bamboo-infused wool, designed to be naturally temperature-regulating (i.e. it should keep you cool in the summer and cosy in winter). This sits on top of the first of this mattress' foam layers.

Instead of traditional memory foam, this bed uses the brand's own 'Simbatex' foam. (This appears through the whole Simba range, down to the cheaper all-foam models, one of which you can read about in our Simbatex Foam Mattress review.) It boasts an open-cell design to help make it more efficient at dissipating heat, and here is infused with graphite to boost cooling powers further. All the foams in the mattress are CertiPUR certified, meaning they meet certain health and environmental standards.

In the middle of the mattress you'll find three layers of springs – two made from cone-shaped titanium 'Aerocoils' and one made from carbon steel. The upper coils are designed to respond to your movements to relive pressure, while the lower ones are more geared towards support. These are sandwiched between foam layers, with bolstered the edges to ensure the perimeter of this mattress is nice and sturdy. Finally, at the very bottom you'll find a foam base, zoned to provide extra firmness or softness as required.

At 31cm, this is one of the thickest mattresses I've come across (most luxury models clock in at 28cm deep). That might be a positive thing – for example, making it easier to get into and out of bed – but do be prepared for a big, heavy mattress. Also be aware that you might need to purchase deep sheets, and if you're thinking of adding a topper, that'll likely tip it into 'ridiculously tall' territory.

Overall, I have no complaints about build quality; everything feels well put together, reliable and high quality. It's made in a UK factory, and the materials are entirely recyclable. However, there's nothing about this that screams 'luxury', as you might expect considering the price. And the name. The inside certainly packs plenty of features, but from the outside this just looks like your regular, albeit well-made, bed. 

Design score: 4.5 out of 5

Simba Hybrid Luxe mattress review: comfort

• Medium-firm feel that's especially good for back or stomach sleepers
• Cushioned sleep surface, but no sink-in memory foam contouring
• Sturdily supportive all over

The Simba Hybrid Luxe is a mattress you sleep 'on top of' rather than sinking into – there's none of the body hugging feel you'll find with most memory foam models. That's not to say it's like sleeping on a brick; the upper wool layer provides some comfortable cushioning, and the springs contour to your body shape underneath you. It's responsive and easy to move about on, with a tiny bit of bounce.

Overall, I'd rate the Simba Hybrid Luxe around an 8/10 on the firmness front (Simba simply calls it 'medium firm'). That level of firmness should be ideal for back sleepers and stomach sleepers, as these positions require a little more sturdiness in order to keep the spine properly aligned.

That tallies with my experience with the Luxe. I'm an average weight, and mostly fall sleep on my back, occasionally turning over to my side during the night. I found the Simba Hybrid Luxe provided a perfect amount of cushioning and support when lying on my back or my stomach. 

I also found it comfortable in both a side-lying position, although it should be noted that my preference is for a firmer mattress. Those seeking squishy softness won't find it here, and I suspect some side sleepers might prefer a mattress that offers more give around the hips and shoulders. (This is quite a subjective category, so head to the Customer reviews section of our Simba Hybrid Luxe review for more on what others thought about the comfort and support levels here.)

For my initial three-week testing period, it felt firmly supportive all over, but I have noticed that a year or so on, this mattress has started to feel a little softer in the middle compared to around the edges. This is backed up by my tests: when I placed my 8kg weight in the centre, it sank in by around 6.5cm, compared to around 5.3cm on the edges. it is also starting to develop a very slight dip where my hips would lie, although not enough to be of real concern. 

Comfort score: 4.5 out of 5

Simba Hybrid Luxe mattress review: temperature regulation

• Sleeps neutral, with no issues with trapping heat
• Springs provide space for air to circulate, boosting breathability
• Simbatex foam is designed to sleep cooler than memory foam

During my tests, I've never had an issue with overheating on the Simba Luxe mattress. While the sleep surface does warm up to body temperature (i.e. it doesn't stay cold to the touch, as some specialist cooling beds are designed to do), it doesn't cling on to body heat and radiate it back to you, as I've experienced with some foam mattresses. I've slept on this mattress in all seasons and overall I'd describe this as a neutral sleep experience, temperature-wise. 

That's actually more impressive than it sounds, as the foams used in mattresses can have a nasty habit of trapping body heat. Simba boasts that its own Simbatex foam (found in the upper foam layer of the Luxe) has '30 times the airflow of memory foam', thanks to its open-cell design. Here, it's also infused with graphite, which is designed to draw heat away from the body.

The other materials found in the Luxe are also geared towards temperature regulation. The multiple spring layers give somewhere for air to circulate, which is good news for breathability (and why, as a rule, hybrid mattresses are more breathable than all-foam models). The layer of wool that sits closest to the body is also known to be naturally temperature-regulating.

Temperature regulation score: 4.5 out of 5

Simba Hybrid Luxe mattress review: motion isolation

• Some motion transfer, due to the upper layers of springs 
• Perhaps not the best choice for couples, if one is a light sleeper

Motion isolation is to do with a mattress' ability to absorb movements. This is especially important if you share a bed, are a light sleeper and/or have a partner on a different sleep schedule to you, and don't want to be disturbed in the night. 

The Simba Hybrid Luxe has a more responsive sleep surface, and you can feel if there is someone else moving around in the bed next to you. To gain an objective view of how the Luxe performs in terms of motion isolation, I completed Tom's Guide's usual test: I placed an empty wine glass in the centre of the mattress, and then dropped my 8kg weight on to the bed, at distances of 4, 10 and 25 inches away from the glass, to mimic someone else in the bed moving position, getting up or back into bed, and so on. In my tests, the glass fell over at all but the furthest dropping distance. 

As a result, I wouldn't recommend this mattress to anyone who shares a bed with a fidgety partner, especially if they're a light sleeper themselves. Higher levels of motion transfer is often the payoff for having a more responsive sleeper surface – for better movement isolation, look fora softer memory foam model. 

Motion isolation score: 3.5 out of 5

Simba Hybrid Luxe mattress review: edge support

• Good edge support around the full perimeter of the mattress
• Possible to confidently sleep right up to the edges

Edge support refers to how sturdy the mattress feels around the perimeter. This is important if you want to be able to confidently sleep up to the edges of the mattress without fear of rolling off, and also if you want to be able to sit on or push up off the edges of the mattress in the morning. 

Simba says the Luxe has two layers of 'Edge Lift Technology', geared specifically towards making sure the edges are sturdily supportive. It's not clear exactly what this technology looks like, but it seems to be doing its job. There's no sloping to speak of around the perimeter of the mattress; I could comfortably sleep right up to the edges, and I had no issues moving from a lying to sitting to standing position, using the mattress to support me. This is true of both the long and short edges of the bed. 

When I placed my 8kg weight on the side edges of the bed, it sank 5.3cm, and at the foot end it sank 5cm. As stated in the 'comfort' section, the mid-section of the bed feels slightly softer, with more sinkage during the weight test (6.5cm).

Edge support score: 5 out of 5

Simba Hybrid Luxe mattress review: setup

• Mattress delivered vacuum-packed, rolled and boxed
• Free, carbon-neutral delivery to your door or room of choice
• No issues with off-gassing

Simba offers free, carbon-neutral delivery on weekdays to most parts of the UK. You can pick your delivery day at checkout, and for a fee you can upgrade to a timed delivery slot or a weekend delivery. The Simba Hybrid Luxe is a mattress in a box, which means it arrives vacuum-packed and rolled. Even compressed, the Luxe is pretty chunky and heavy, which is why it's helpful that the 2-person delivery crew will bring the box to your room of choice, to save you man-handling it through your hallway (or, god forbid, up any stairs).

There's no option to upgrade to 'white glove delivery' (where the delivery people will unbox the mattress and remove the packaging for you), but the fact they'll take it to your bedroom removes the biggest potential pain-point. You can pay £40 for Simba to take away your old mattress for you, although not at the same time as delivering the new one, so you'll need to have space to store both for a week or two.

How long will you need to wait? In most cases, you should be able to schedule delivery within 3-4 working days, but if you're absolutely desperate for your new mattress, and order before 10am, you should be able to book in next-day delivery for a £40 fee.

There's a 200-night trial you can use to make sure you get on with the mattress, and if you don't, Simba will collect it for free too. Don't worry – you won't need to get it back into the box.

Once delivered, it was ready to sleep on after just an hour or two, and I had no issues with mattress off-gassing. There are a handful of reports of some off-gassing in other customer reviews, so this might depend on your sensitivity to smells, or it might vary item to item. 

Setup score: 4.5 out of 5

Simba Hybrid Luxe mattress review: customer reviews

• An average of 4.8/5 on the Simba site, over 4,400+ reviews (Feb 2023)
• Overwhelmingly positive comments from all sleep styles

To get a more rounded view of how the Simba Hybrid Luxe performs in the real world, for different people, preferences and body types, I took a look at the customer reviews. At time of writing, on the Simba website, this model has an average of 4.8 stars, based on over 4,400 reviews (Feb 2023). Many of Simba's mattresses are also available via Amazon, but there the reviews for the full range are mixed in together, so it's very difficult to gain insights on a specific model.

Helpfully, Simba asks commenters to select their sleep style (back, side, front), and the Luxe garnered very positive reviews from shoppers of all sleep styles, including a whole bunch of side sleepers. 

On the temperature front, it's a mixed bag. There's plenty of praise for the Luxe's cooling properties, but also quite a few people that find it warm in the night. Interestingly, of the latter group, the comments are general framed as a positive attribute rather than as part of a complaint about overheating. (Overall, I'd say most comments tally with my assessment of 'comfortably rather than problematically warm'.)

In fact, it's quite difficult to find trends in those reviews that aren't so positive. Some people find it too firm, and complain a few say it has led to achy shoulders, but there are also plenty of people who complain that it's too soft. Similarly, there some complaints of motion transfer, but also plenty of praise. 

Should you buy the Simba Hybrid Luxe mattress?

The Simba Hybrid Luxe is a very comfortable mattress, and especially for people like me who prefer a more responsive sleep surface rather than one that you sink into. It's supportive enough to be a good pick for back or stomach sleepers, as well as side sleepers who know they prefer a slightly firmer bed. It boasts a comfortably cushioned sleep surface, excellent edge support and decent temperature regulation. It fell down slightly on motion transfer – it's probably not the best pick for light sleepers who share a bed – and I'm surprised to see that it is starting to show slight signs of dipping in the centre after a year or so of use.

The other slight question mark is over value for money. While I do believe in paying for quality when it comes to mattresses, and the complexity of the design mean the price is probably justified, there are a few competitor products that cost less but offer a similar look and feel. The Luxe is a good all-rounder, but I'm not sure it's necessarily exceptional enough to warrant that higher price tag.

Simba Hybrid Luxe mattress review: also consider

Brook + Wilde Elite mattress
Another high-end hybrid, the Elite has the benefit of letting you pick your firmness level (and swap to another one if you get it wrong). The sleep feel is fairly similar to the Simba Luxe – responsive, with only a little sink-in. Ongoing issues with Brook + Wilde mean that you shouldn't order it right now; see our review for more details.
Read our Brook + Wilde Elite mattress review

Simba Hybrid mattress
Simba's core range of three hybrids all include breathable Simbatex foam and bouncy Aerocoil microsprings. The cheapest Hybrid original has a pared-back design with fewer springs and no wool layer, but you're getting many of the same innovative materials you'll find in the Luxe. The Pro sits in the middle of the range, if you want to split the difference. 

Emma Premium mattress
If you like that body-hug of memory foam, but still want a hybrid mattress, try the Emma Premium. This brand's foam is dreamily cushioning, and especially comfortable for side sleepers (although beware it can sleep slightly warm, compared to the Simba).
Read our Emma Premium mattress review. 

How I tested the Simba Hybrid Luxe mattress

I initially called the Simba Hybrid Luxe mattress in to review over a year ago, and spent three weeks sleeping on it for the initial testing period. Since then, it has been in my spare room, and I (and various guests) have slept on it intermittently. As a result, I've been able to test it out in a range of temperature conditions, and well as getting something of an idea of how it wears over time. Generally, I've used it with a 10.5 tog synthetic duvet, and cotton sheets. 

I asked sleepers of a range of body types and sleep preferences to give their view of the mattress after sleeping on it, and used this to inform my review. To get an objective view of things like softness, motion isolation and edge support, I also conducted tests using weights – you'll find details of these tests in each relevant section.