Best hotels worldwide for 'sleep tourism': why a good night's sleep is the hottest thing for business travellers

International travel may be a joy, but it can also frequently leave one more exhausted than before you set out - particularly if it is for business purposes, rather than leisure (although who among us hasn’t uttered the phrase ‘I need a holiday to recover from my holiday’ in our time). Which is why it's little surprise that sleep-focused holidays - or sleep retreats- are gaining traction as a popular trend in the travel industry - particularly for urban professionals. Instead of jumping on a jet plane with the intention of jam-packing your to-do list with sightseeing or meetings, many a sleep-deprived holidaymaker is boarding a jumbo with the express purpose of finding somewhere amazing to sleep. It’s not as decadent or counter-intuitive as it sounds. Our own report on the rise of sleep tourism noted ‘sleep deprivation is a growing scourge and with as many as one-in-five people in the UK not getting enough according to Mental Health UK, it is driving sufferers to make ‘sleep’ the focus and goal of holidays. For the permanently busy professional, a work trip centered around restoration makes for a very welcome break. Many hotels are responding to the trend by optimising standard rooms for sleep, adding in specific design elements that are aimed to boost the level of positive and restorative sleep guests experience when staying with them.’What is a sleep retreat?As the name suggests, a sleep retreat is a trip where you prioritise getting quality sleep. You can get basic add-ons, from pillow menus, sleepy teas, and bath salts, or upgrade to things such as multi-day programmes guided by specialists and clinicians. Are sleep retreats worth it?Surely, you may ask, I can sleep at home? And yet so many of us are not. As mentioned, more than one in five UK adults don't get adequate sleep every night, while a 2022 study by Nuffield Health shows that year 74% of UK adults experienced a decline in quality sleep over the past 12 months - suggesting things might be getting work. We know sleep to be the body's main restorative process, and vital to basic functioning: lack of sleep can lead to mood changes, weight gain, weakened immunity, and even more serious medical conditions in the cases of long-term insomnia. Taking a sleep retreat, then, can be a good way of recalibrating your sleeping regime and bedtime habits, help identify why you have difficulty nodding off, and provide skills and tactics for maintaining good sleep hygiene once you're home. All that, and it can provide a lovely week in the land of nod. Carillon Miami Wellness ResortIf 'sleep retreats' smack a little of coastal American wellness hoodoo to you, well, then, might as well head to the States. The Carillon Miami Wellness Resort is a lush hotel with an award-winning sleep programme. This all-suite beachfront hotel goes above and beyond in the realm of helping you nap. Firstly, you'll nap on a sun-lounger, with headphones and a mask, in a glowing purple room that uses infrared and electromagnetic tech to help you feel snoozy. Then there is a soak in the Epsom bath to end all Epsom baths (800 pounds in the tub), before a 20-minute meditation pod, which lulls you with rhythmic beats and coloured light. Additionally, the hotel has integrative health treatments, including physical therapy and acupuncture, to help realign your body and make your body feel great. Wellness hoodoo? Who cares when it makes you feel this great. Hästens Sleep SpaThere are mattress makers and there are Mattress Makers, and Swedish company Hästens is the latter. They create some of the world's most opulent, comfy, expensive mattresses - they designed a bed for Drake that cost a cool US$395,000. Now, they've opened a Sleep Spa hotel in Coimbra, Portugal. An adult-only accommodation, with only 15 rooms, the Sleep Spa is located in Coimbra's stunning city centre. Why is it noteworthy? For most of us, it offers the only opportunity we'll have to sleep on one of the very best mattresses in the world - purportedly a singularly comfortable, dreamy experience. Royal Palm BeachcomberIt may seem counter-intuitive to fly to sun-drenched Mauritius purely for a kip, but this is no ordinary forty winks. The Royal Palm Beachcomber calls their Sleep Sanctuary Retreat 'transformative' and it's designed to help burnt-out professionals who desperately need to repay their sleep debt. A six-day experience targets stress through healing treatments to promote relaxation, leading to a good night's rest. The itinerary blends a balance of physical movement, pampering treatments, and Reiki, designed to bring peace to frazzled brains - all within a tranquil experience. There are also tension-relieving head massages, to allow guests to utterly surrender to sound sleep. Bahia Wellness Retreat Spa, TenerifeIt's not hard to spy the appeal of heading to a luxury resort, styled on a traditional 19th-century Canarian colonial villa, and overlooking the Atlantic. Of course, there's the year-round Canarian sunshine to soak up (not to mention 20 restaurants and bars on site), but it also has an award-winning four-night Sleep Recovery Immersion. With accommodation for two people, this programme is comprised of disparate wellness activities and treatments designed to aid blissful slumber. There are physiotherapy sessions, muscle relaxation workshops, breathing sessions with professionals, thalassotherapy, a Total Calm ritual, a neuromodulation session, and meditation. Testimony cites this as one of the most effective sleep retreats to help recalibrate your sleeping habits. Rosewood LondonThe Rosewood is a beloved London haunt, housed in a gorgeously restored Edwardian mansion, with the feel of a country home - despite being located in Holborn. In 2022, they launched the Alchemy of Sleep programme - a series of treatments, experiments, classes, and consultations with experts to help each guest develop a personalised game plan for getting better sleep in their daily lives, post-hotel stay. Expect calming massages and meditation sessions. The hotel also has an in-room beauty sleep kit by Votary, which features amenities that assist in getting a good night's sleep.

Best hotels worldwide for 'sleep tourism': why a good night's sleep is the hottest thing for business travellers

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Best hotels worldwide for 'sleep tourism': why a good night's sleep is the hottest thing for business travellers

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