What convinces you to go on vacation? Is it an opportunity to discover new places? The idea of spending a few weeks sunbathing? Or are you part of the growing trend of people leaving their best mattress behind and traveling with the goal of getting a good night's sleep?
The Hilton Trend Report, a survey of more than 10,000 travelers across nine countries, has found that the top reason people will want to travel in 2024 is to “rest and recharge.” Sleep tourism – or the chance to enjoy a good nap – is driving people's vacation choices, from what they pack to where they stay.
A good night's rest boosts travel choices
While the promise of a luxury hotel at the end of your trip may be enough to get you into a deep sleep, the Hilton report found that travelers are taking relaxation into their own hands.
Since even the best hotels can't promise quiet neighbors, 33 percent of respondents listened to music or a podcast to sleep on vacation, while 22 percent broke out their earplugs. However, with 10 percent of travelers carrying their own white noise machine, it may not be long before in-room noise machines become standard.
Gone are the days when you chose a hotel based on the pool, restaurant and proximity to local cultural sites. Nowadays everything revolves around the bed. Well, not entirely, but 27 percent of respondents said that “sticking with a trusted brand with a consistently good mattress” was important if they were traveling for relaxation.
We have long praised the virtue of the hotel bed, since luxury hotels tend to equip their rooms with the best luxury mattresses. (In fact, you can buy the Serta mattress that Hilton hotels use for your own home, and while it's a premium bed, it's cheaper than paying to spend every night at a Hilton.)
Beyond the mattress, 18 percent admitted to bringing their best pillow with them when traveling. Discerning pillow packers should look for a pillow menu (a fixture at five-star hotels) that includes a selection of pillows for you to choose from.
In response to this survey, Hilton has partnered with sleep science expert Dr. Rebecca Robbins to create a series of Hilton Sleep Retreats hosted at Grand Wailea's Kilolani Spa on Maui. While a vacation to Hawaii probably seems relaxing enough to many of us, these retreats take relaxation a step further, aiming to provide a “comprehensive journey into the science and practice of achieving restful, restful sleep.” .
If you're going to have to miss Hilton's sleep retreat, there are still ways to improve your sleep when you travel. Avoid the first night effect with our guide to better sleep while traveling and consider investing in some white noise for sleep, to prevent other guests from disturbing your sleep. Finally, choose a sleep mask that blocks light and you won't know where you're falling asleep; Maybe you're on Maui after all.
