What convinces you to go on holiday? Is it an opportunity to discover new places? The thought of enjoying the sun for a few weeks? Or are you part of the growing trend of people leaving their best mattress behind and traveling with the goal of a good night’s sleep?
The Hilton Trend Report, a survey of more than 10,000 travelers from nine countries, found that the top reason people want to travel in 2024 is to “rest and recharge.” Sleep tourism – or the chance for a good night’s sleep – motivates people’s holiday choices, from what they pack to where they stay.
A good night’s sleep determines the travel choice
While the promise of a luxury hotel at the end of your trip may be enough to get you a good night’s sleep, the Hilton report shows that travelers are taking relaxation into their own hands.
Because even the best hotels can’t promise quiet neighbors, 33 percent of respondents listened to music or a podcast to help them sleep while on vacation, while 22 percent pulled out the earplugs. Although 10 percent of travelers bring their own white noise machines, it may not be long before in-room audio equipment becomes standard.
And gone are the days when you would choose a hotel based on its pool, restaurant and proximity to local cultural attractions. Nowadays it’s all about the bed. Okay, not quite, but 27 percent of survey respondents said that “staying with a trusted brand with a consistently good mattress” was important when traveling to relax.
We have long extolled the virtue of the hotel bed, as luxury hotels tend to equip their rooms with the best luxury mattresses. (You can use the Serta mattress used by Hilton hotels for your own home, and even though it’s a premium bed, it’s cheaper than paying to spend every night in a Hilton.)
In addition to the mattress, 18 percent admitted to taking their best pillow with them when they travel. Discerning pillow packers should look out for a pillow menu – a staple of five-star hotels – with a selection of pillows to choose from.
In response to this research, Hilton collaborated with sleep scientist Dr. Rebecca Robbins to create a series of Hilton sleep retreats hosted in the Kilolani Spa of Grand Wailea in Maui. While a vacation to Hawaii probably sounds restful enough for many of us, these retreats take relaxation one step further, aiming to provide a “comprehensive journey into the science and practice of achieving restful, restorative sleep.”
If you have to miss the Hilton Sleep Retreat, there are still ways to improve your sleep when you travel. Avoid the first night effect with our guide to better sleep on the road, and consider investing in some white noise for sleep to keep other guests from disrupting your sleep. Finally, choose a light-blocking sleep mask and you won’t know where you’ll fall asleep – you might be in Maui after all.