There’s no place like home—except, perhaps, a cozy hotel bed while on vacation.According to Hilton’s 2025 Trends Report, an astounding 66.7% of Americans report sleeping better in hotels than at home. This trend is fueling the rise of sleep tourism, where people travel with the specific aim of improving their rest and rejuvenation.“We travel to be inspired, but I wager that a large and growing number of us travel to get the rest that will allow us to return home restored and refreshed,” said Dr. Rebecca Robbins, a sleep scientist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital.Vacations often provide relief from daily stressors—whether personal or professional—which are some of the biggest contributors to sleep difficulties, she explained. Additionally, hotel rooms are often designed to optimize sleep quality, offering a sanctuary free from common household disturbances such as children, pets, electronics, old mattresses, and poor air quality.Interestingly, nearly half of travelers choose not to set alarms on vacation, allowing themselves to wake up naturally when they feel ready—an ideal scenario for improved sleep. However, not everyone finds it easy to drift off in an unfamiliar setting.“While vacations may create the perfect conditions for quality sleep, some people struggle due to factors like jet lag or simply being in a new environment,” Robbins noted. Sleep scientists even have a name for this phenomenon—the ‘first-night effect.’How To Manage Jet Lag?To minimize jet lag, Robbins suggests gradually adjusting your sleep schedule by 15 minutes per day in the direction of your destination’s time zone in the weeks leading up to a trip. Once on the plane, changing your phone or watch to the destination’s time and aligning your eating and sleeping patterns accordingly can help. Exposure to natural sunlight and fresh air upon arrival also supports circadian rhythm adjustment.Additionally, the same principles for good sleep at home apply on vacation: avoid heavy meals and alcohol before bedtime, as they can interfere with sleep quality.With sleep tourism on the rise, hotels are actively enhancing their sleep-friendly amenities. Robbins’ research suggests that sleep satisfaction is a key factor in determining whether travelers return to a particular hotel. Many establishments are now designing rooms to promote better sleep, incorporating elements such as premium bedding, blackout curtains, white noise machines, and customizable lighting.Hilton has been at the forefront of this trend, integrating “thoughtful, science-backed solutions” to help guests wake up refreshed, according to Amanda Al-Masri, the brand’s Global Vice President of Wellness. Some locations, like the Grand Wailea resort in Hawaii and the Conrad Orlando, offer dedicated Wellness Rooms equipped with aromatherapy, circadian lighting, and recovery tools designed to foster relaxation.Other hotels have introduced specialized sleep packages. The Conrad New York Downtown, for example, provides a Byredo travel kit featuring pillow spray, eye cream, and scented therapy balms as part of its “Goodnight Conrad” package. Meanwhile, the Tempo by Hilton brand has introduced Power Down amenities, including specialized mattresses, cooling linens, and a one-touch “Relax” button that creates an optimal sleep environment.This global wellness movement is gaining traction. In France, the Royal Champagne Hôtel and Spa offers a Royal Sleep Experience, complete with a soundproof suite, satin eye masks, and a high-tech meditation device. Spain’s Six Senses Ibiza even employs a sleep doctor to curate personalized programs featuring meditation, sound healing, and sleep tracking.
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