Never mind the dramatic view, the terry-cloth robe and the almond-scented soap. What you really want to bring back from that five-star hotel is the cool, classy feel of the sheets.

Megan Weber can tell you how to give your bed that touch of luxury. Weber, a buyer for the Ritz-Carlton company, helps hunt down the linens that ensure a good night's sleep at the hotel chain, which established its sheet cred a few years ago by using high-end linens by Italian makers Frette and, more recently, Fili D'oro.

But don't expect to re-create a night at the Ritz for Motel 6 prices. King-size sheets with princely aspirations start at $300 per set and average about $500. For $1,000 or so, you'll get linen so lustrous you could set the good china on it. In between are grades of linens, often from the same maker, that run the gamut from guest-worthy to glorious. Here's how Weber sorts them all out.

Fit for pharaohs

At ABC Carpet & Home, in Delray Beach, Fla. (near Weber's office in Coconut Grove), the linens department suggests a trip to the Casbah. Rich, lush fabrics by top makers, such as Signoria Firenze and Cottimaryanne, stack the shelves and swathe the showroom beds. The common thread? Almost all start with extra-long Egyptian cotton, whose fibers grow almost a half-inch longer than most other cotton fibers. Cleaned of impurities and combed smooth, the soft, silky strands create "the best sheets you can buy," says Weber. "The more you wash them, the softer they get." Weber stocks Ritz-Carlton retail stores with Egyptian-cotton sheets by Fili D'oro, in the Fili Casa line ($295 for a king-size set with two pillowcases at www.ritzcarlton.com).

Pima cotton, which originated in the U.S., is a respectable alternative, she says. Its extra-long fibers produce a similarly smooth hand, or feel. (Shorter cotton fibers break and twist, and eventually turn nubby.) Look for labels that specify "all-Egyptian" or "Supima," the trademark for all-pima fabric.

Alas, all-cotton sheets -- even with a kingly lineage -- have a wrinkle: Unless you can live with a few creases (or at the Ritz), you'll have to press them. People who abhor ironing often compromise with cotton-polyester sheets, which look good out of the dryer but lack the cool, breathable feel of all-cotton. Matouk, an American company, makes a sheet of Egyptian cotton and polyester whose relatively soft texture and elegant styling make it a popular choice. Called Porto-fino, the sheets run $275 for a king-size set with two pillowcases (for retailers, go to www.matouk.com).

Some sheetmakers forgo cotton in favor of wood pulp, which can be dissolved in a solvent and then spun and woven. Such lyocell fabric is also known by the brand name Tencel. Modal, another wood-pulp product, breathes well and is twice as absorbent as cotton. It often shows up at stores, including Bed Bath & Beyond, as stretchy, jerseylike sheets for less than $100. The best wood-pulp products can be "amazing," says Weber. At ABC Carpet & Home, she points to a set of sheets, made in Italy, that drape like satin and feel like silk with a dash of cashmere. Called Legna, from SDH Enterprises, they cost $850 for a king-size set with two pillowcases (for stores, go to www.sdhonline.com).

Count caveat

No cheat sheet on linens would be complete without a discussion of thread count -- the number of horizontal and vertical threads per square inch. Because leading manufacturers rely on the longer, thinner fibers characteristic of Egyptian cotton, "they get more per square inch," says Weber. With good-quality sheets, that usually translates into counts of 200 to 600. Thanks to innovative weaving, the Amante line, by the Sferra Brothers, manages a record-busting 1,020 per square inch. The fabric is dense enough to wind King Tut and is priced accordingly ($1,300 for a king-size set and a pair of pillowcases at www.pioneerlinens.com).

But before you start counting threads instead of sheep, be warned: To capitalize on thread-count cachet, some makers use several-ply yarn and then count each ply separately. Thus, a set that claims a 600-thread count, says Weber, "may actually be a 300-thread count, and not the best cotton." Unlike U.S. companies, which market their thread count, many European companies don't even list it on the label.

Which weave

Why do some sheets look as crisp as a nun's wimple, and others practically slither? It's all in the loom technique, says Weber. A basket weave, which uses equal numbers of horizontal and vertical threads, results in the cool, linenlike fabric known as percale. A satin weave, which has more vertical threads, creates the silkier sateen. Many people prefer sateen for its sensuous, slightly heavier feel, but Weber is a percale person: "I like the feel of crisp cotton at night."

At the ABC Carpet & Home showroom, Weber lingers over a set by Yves Delorme, in the Elysée line, whose snowy-white sheets shimmer. "They're beautiful, soft and clean," she says. A king-size set with a pair of pillowcases costs $560 (visit www.yvesdelorme.com to find local retailers).

No matter what the weave, raw sheeting does not become the stuff of dreams until it undergoes the finishing process. This often includes immersing it in a solution to improve the texture and enhance the sheen. Italian makers set the standard for both weaving and finishing, says Weber. Many luxury sheets start out in Italy.

As for workmanship, the best linens have well-executed embroidery, deep hems and smooth, closely stitched seams. Fitted sheets should be deep enough to fit an oversize mattress -- at least 14 inches -- and have a generous amount of elastic around the edges. Along with fiber quality, such details justify the high prices. "The styling and finish is what you're paying for," says Weber.

Still, Weber hopes to identify at least one set of lower-cost sheets she wouldn't kick out of bed. At Linens 'n Things she pores over the possibilities, which include an all-pima set with plastic-looking braided trim that's "horrible" and another that sports a nice, double-pleated hem but offers no clue as to fiber content. Finally, at Bed Bath & Beyond, she spots a set in Egyptian cotton with a legitimate 300-thread count, nice feel and respectable heft. "It's a decent sateen sheet," says Weber of the set, made by Wamsutta. And at $120 for a king-size set, "the price is fantastic."

--Research: Elizabeth Kountze

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