For her annual break this year, Rukmini Singh, a 37-year-old corporate lawyer, did not go for a wine tour to Europe or a beach holiday to Thailand. Instead, she signed up for a five-night ‘Sleep with Six Senses’ programme at Six Senses Vana, near Dehradun.
The team combined data from her sleep tracker with expert consultations from wellness specialists and customised a programme for her— including mind-body practices like Yoga Nidra and meditation, calming therapies like Shirodhara, a traditional Ayurvedic treatment, and Tibetan sound journeys for relaxation. At `65,000 per night per person, she was also provided personalised dietary recommendations to optimise her nervous system function and enhance sleep quality.
Singh is not alone. Thanks to our stressful lives, most of us are sleep deprived. As per a report in the Indian Journal of Sleep Medicine, 61% Indians sleep less than seven hours on an average, while experts recommend seven-nine hours daily.
Little wonder, people are taking holidays just to rest and recharge. According to a report by search aggregator and travel agency Skyscanner, ‘Reset Jetters’, 70% Indian travellers say they feel more mindful about their overall health and wellbeing. Similarly, as per Hilton’s report ‘The 2024 Traveller’, the primary reason people wanted to travel was to rest and recharge. This included 55% Gen Z, 60% millennials, and 68% Gen X.
This emerging travel trend is being dubbed as ‘napcations’, ‘dream tourism’ or ‘sleep tourism’—offering guests the opportunity to enjoy quality sleep—and hotels and resorts across the globe are going all out to ensure you catch the necessary snooze time.
At the newly opened Fairmont Mumbai, there is an entire floor dedicated to wellness and longevity treatments, including a cryotherapy chamber that uses extreme cold (-85 degrees celsius) to reduce inflammation, accelerate muscle recovery, and boost circulation, all of which help with better sleep. A three-minute session in the cryotherapy chamber costs `6,500. There is also a hyperbaric oxygen pod, a pressurised chamber that delivers pure oxygen to your body. A 60-minute session also costs `6,500 and is supposed to help you sleep better.
At Ananda in the Himalayas, which is celebrating 25 years, the Sleep Enhancement Programme is offered for a minimum of seven nights, with 14 nights or more recommended for long-term benefits. It is tailored for individuals facing insomnia, sleep apnea, irregular sleep patterns, or excessive dreaming, often linked to emotional or physiological imbalances. They look at a three-pronged approach— physical restoration, mental stillness, and emotional healing—all through a combination of Ayurveda, yoga, and lifestyle correction. A seven-night package starts at `50,000 plus taxes, including therapies and meals.
“As travellers increasingly seek experiences that support their wellbeing, the concept of ‘sleep vacations’ has emerged as a compelling trend,” says Candice D’Cruz, Vice President, Luxury Brands, Asia Pacific, Hilton. At Conrad Properties across the globe, guests get premium sleep amenities such as Frette linens, high-quality mattress toppers, blackout curtains, etc., along with thoughtfully curated sleep-supportive rituals. These include essential oil-infused baths, nutritious late-night menus, calming herbal teas, nightcaps, and silky pyjamas!
While Conrad Bengaluru uses a sandalwood-infused room spray, known for its calming properties, as part of the evening turndown service, Conrad Bali presents a unique approach with the SWAY Sleep Therapy—a 60-minute immersive session (priced approximately $90) where guests are gently rocked in a cocoon-like hammock. This experience combines aromatherapy, guided meditation, natural soundscapes, and light massage to simulate the sensation of floating, encouraging deep relaxation. The idea is to make the guest feel as if he is in a cocoon or a womb.
Taking the same idea forward is The Beaumont Mayfair in London, where guests can stay in a cocoon. Called simply the ROOM (£1,840 per night), it is a 745-sq. ft. suite inside a three-storey stainless steel abstract sculpture of a crouching man at the hotel entrance. The bedroom of this suite lacks a TV, phone or even wall art—it’s completely bare. According to the hotel, the ROOM encourages its occupants to enter a different state of consciousness, to enjoy a quiet, meditative pause, a prelude to a good night’s sleep and the chance to withdraw from the busy world outside.
While luxury hotels have been providing pillow menus for nearly a decade now, some hotels are being more cognizant of people’s beliefs. The Hilton London Bankside, for instance, provides a vegan pillow menu to replace feather down pillows. So, you have pillows made of buckwheat hull, millet husks, etc.
The Soneva Soul Sleep Programme in the Maldives offers either seven ($4,650) or 14 days ($11,295) accommodation (meals not included). Their 360-degree programme encompasses nervous system rebalancing via mindfulness and meditation practices, daily movement through yoga and exercise classes and personalised sleep rituals such as herbal baths. Alongside, guests are encouraged to wake up in the morning to reset their circadian rhythm and walk barefoot to balance their body’s electromagnetic field.
While a holistic approach seems ideal, some hotels are banking on technology. The Kimpton Fitzroy in London, for instance, has a Room To Dream package, which gives guests a chance to experience lucid dreaming with the help of AI, via a VR headset and a specific herbal tea. In the morning, guests can send the description of their dream to an AI artist, who creates a visual interpretation of it. It can be added to any existing booking for £50.
The Mandarin Oriental has a sleep concierge at its Hyde Park property in London. She is a hypnotherapist. Starting at £500, guests can meet her in the spa for a sleep consultation and session tailored to their sleep issues. They can also ask for a private session, to help them drift to sleep. The Mandarin Oriental is planning sleep concierge pop-ups at its other hotels in Europe.
With weary and sleep deprived travellers, hotels are going all out to ensure you get those extra forty winks.
@smitabw
