Sleep tourism and the quest for high quality slumber

A woman in a robe stretches her arms from a bed in front of a large window

Every hotel should aim to give guests a good night's sleep — and some are going above and beyond to do so

(Image credit: Chinnapong via Getty Images)

published 22 October 2023

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More and more travelers are hitting the snooze button on their alarms, trading a morning of sightseeing for extra ZZZs.

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For some sleep tourists, the specific goal of their trip is to change their habits so they can go home and have restorative slumber, while others just see the sleep and wellness offerings at their hotels as an added perk that will help them feel refreshed on vacation. Westerfield says one reason sleep tourism is becoming increasingly popular is because "post-pandemic, there's a focus more on wellness and self-care and prioritizing the importance of quality sleep every night for physical and mental wellbeing."

Each room at Equinox Hotel New York is designed to give guests a good night's sleep, with blackout blinds and king-sized mattresses made of temperature-regulating natural materials. The hotel goes even further with its Art + Science of Sleep package, a two-night stay that includes cryotherapy treatments that increase oxygen and blood flow, meals that boost melatonin production and a 30-minute immersive session on the Wave Table, which provides the equivalent of three hours of sleep.

Fairmont Century Plaza in Los Angeles offers a "biohacking treatment" it says not just improves sleep quality, but also promotes mindfulness and helps combat stress. There are several steps to the treatment, including spending time in the Oakworks Curva Lounger anti-gravity chair, donning compression boots that increase circulation and reduce inflammation, and wearing LED face visors that use red, blue and amber light to boost metabolism and blood circulation and generate collagen.

Six Senses has a Sleep and Wellness Program for offer at several of its resorts, with a guide who will help guests track their sleep, figure out the optimal time to go to bed and suggest foods to stay away from before hitting the hay. Each location puts its own spin on the program. At Six Senses Ninh Van Bay in Vietnam, guests will receive a wellness screening, personalized yoga and yoga nidra sessions, and massages, while the Ibiza property expands on that with extras including a facial, sound healing treatment and localized cryotherapy session.

Raffles Doha sets guests up for sleeping success before they even arrive. The all-suite hotel contacts travelers not long after they book their reservations to develop an itinerary for their stay and ascertain their linen and pillow preferences. "It's all completely customized," Christian Hirt, managing director of Raffles & Fairmont Doha, told The Week. There is butler service for each suite to ensure that the temperature is ideal for slumber and that all needs — sleep-related or otherwise — are met.

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Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.