At the Royal Champagne Hotel & Spa, a wellness resort in the Champagne region of France, when the turn-down staff preps guest rooms for the evening, sometimes they’re not just closing the blinds and placing slippers at the side of the bed (though they do that, too). For a select group of guests, they’re also spritzing the air with a calming mist, queueing up a Morphée box (a small speaker that leads a guided meditation session), prepping a house-made herbal tea, and laying out a satin sleep mask and melatonin-based drops next to the pillow chocolates.
This routine is part of the hotel’s Royal Sleep Experience, a program launched in spring 2022 that’s geared at helping (often jet-lagged) travelers improve their sleep. The Royal Sleep Experience is part of a new effort at the hotel to help guests get more rest on their vacation. For Vincent Parinaud, general manager of the Royal Champagne, it’s about going back to the basics of hospitality.
“Sleep is the foundation of the hotel business,” says Parinaud, adding that the program was created because “a good night’s rest is the most important factor when it comes to overall health and well-being.”
While the Royal Champagne’s offerings are, dare we say, dreamy, it’s not the only hospitality brand that has launched initiatives for catching quality Zzzzs—in fact, it’s part of an increasing number of hotels worldwide that are developing rejuvenating sleep programs for their guests.
Bob van den Oord, regional vice president of Langham Hospitality Group, which also rolled out sleep programs at the more than 30 Langham hotels worldwide in 2022, says, “Our sleep program was deliberately designed to enhance the wellness of our guests with new rituals and habits that they can take home and use long after they have stayed with us.”
According to the CDC, more than a third of American adults are not getting enough sleep. And the American Academy of Sleep Medicine recommends at least seven hours each night for optimal health—too little sleep is associated with an increased risk of developing chronic conditions, ranging from high blood pressure to frequent mental distress. New studies have raised awareness about the importance of sleep, especially after a pandemic that saw more people struggling to get good sleep. According to the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, 40 percent of adults reported a reduction in their sleep quality. And if you’re one of the many chronic sufferers of poor sleep, having your lodging stack the sleep deck could really have its benefits.
Whether you’re looking for a few extra sleep aids by your bedside or a multi-day immersion in the art of rest, we’ve rounded up several of the best sleep programs around the world for the next time you want to (actually) feel refreshed after your vacation.
Guests at the Langham Hotel in Chicago can order relaxing bath salts from the hotel’s Sweet Dream Menu.
Courtesy of the Langham Hotel Chicago
The Langham Chicago
- Chicago, Illinois
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When the Langham brand decided to revamp its sleep wellness offerings, it partnered with the World Sleep Society, a nonprofit dedicated to advancing sleep health. At the Chicago location, what was unveiled is the Sweet Dreams Menu, which allows guests to order a selection of wellness-related items to use during their stay, including weighted blankets, a variety of pillows (including one infused with lavender), white noise sleep machines, CBD-based treats, and bedtime reading in the form of a special edition of the World Sleep Society Healthier Sleep Magazine. During the day, guests can also visit the Chuan Spa, which offers sleep-focused treatments, like massages and auricular ear therapy. It’s not part of the Sweet Dreams Menu, but it is geared toward helping guests sleep better.
Lake Nona Wave Hotel
- Orlando, Florida
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This Orlando-based hotel, which opened in December 2021, wants to help travelers hack their sleep with its five tech-forward Well+ech rooms. The dedicated room category aims to help travelers sleep better, with such features as the AI-powered Restorative Bed by Bryte (which has a matrix of 90 intelligent cushions that sense and relieve pressure spikes), a snoring aid by SleepScore, View Smart Windows with tinting that changes throughout the day and night to help cue guests that it’s time for bed, and a Sound + Sleep SE Sleep Sound Machine.
The Cadogan, a Belmond Hotel
- London, United Kingdom
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In 2021, the Cadogan in London’s Chelsea neighborhood, brought on Malminder Gill, a hypnotherapist and sleep expert, as its sleep concierge to help guests get a deeper sleep. Each guest room has a meditation recording available on an iPad app to lull travelers into slumber, where Gill’s voice overlays soothing ambient sounds to lead guests into deeper sleep. Guests can also order weighted blankets and a variety of pillows, bedtime tea (developed by Gill), and a relaxing pillow mist to aid in getting a restful night of sleep.
Six Senses Douro Valley
- Douro Valley, Portugal
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For those looking to really reset their sleep, many of the Six Senses properties offer immersive multi-night programs to help establish a good rest routine, which they say will ultimately improve sleep patterns and restore energy levels. At the Douro Valley location in Portugal, guests can work on improving their sleep habits between tastings in the famed wine region. Guests’ sleep patterns are monitored through technology in the beds, and after two nights the Six Senses sleep doctor analyzes the results and provides feedback. (The package is offered as a three-, five-, or seven-day stay.) Guests also receive a 90-minute spa treatment each day of their stay, a personalized one-hour fitness or wellness activity each day (like yoga or meditation), and nutritional guidance on foods to avoid to sleep better.
If you’d like a night cap, hit the “Champagne, please!” button on the in-room phone at the Royal Champagne Hotel & Spa.
Courtesy of the Royal Champagne Hotel & Spa
The Royal Champagne Hotel & Spa
- Champillon, France
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To help support a better night’s sleep, this wellness-focused hotel in the Champagne region of France partnered with French beauty brand Aime to craft an experience to help guests develop a bedtime ritual. Beyond the in-room amenities (including melatonin-based drops and a satin eye mask), the package offers a dedicated sleep-friendly menu at the property’s Le Bellevue restaurant (which includes a special “Sleeping Beauty” mocktail) and a candle massage aimed at improving sleep quality. Even those who don’t book the package will sleep well, as each room is also equipped with blackout curtains, soundproof walls, and a deep soaking tub. And this being an iconic region for bubbly, the in-room phone even has a “Champagne, please!” button, which signals a trolley cart with a variety of locally produced champagnes to be sent to your room for a nightcap, which can be enjoyed on your private balcony overlooking the grapevines.
Miraval Arizona
- Tucson, Arizona
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Miraval Arizona’s resident sleep & dream specialist, Leah Ann Bolen, has some tricks for travelers looking for a reset. Bolen creates a variety of lectures and meditation practices designed to help guests who visit the Tucson resort feel rejuvenated and well-rested. She also leads a handful of workshops, like one called “Awakening the Dream,” that is meant to help guests “enhance, recall, and connect with dreams for insight and inspiration.” Bolen says it will help with guests’ overall well-being.
The Benjamin
- New York City
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No matter how you like to sleep—on your stomach, on your back, or maybe spooning with a partner—the Benjamin in New York City’s Midtown East neighborhood has a pillow for you. The hotel’s Rest & Renew program offers a curated pillow menu, so guests can order the pillow that best suits their sleep needs. Some include an anti-snore pillow (which reduces snoring by elevating the chin) for back sleepers, a water-filled cushion recommended for stomach sleepers, and even one with ultra-thin speakers for a “soothing sound experience” geared toward stomach sleepers. The hotel also offers sleep masks, earplugs, blackout curtains, noise machines, and a lullaby music library.
Anantara Peace Haven, Tangalle Resort
- Tangalle, Sri Lanka
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Sri Lanka has strong ties to Ayurveda traditions, which are geared toward improving well-being naturally. And the Anantara Peace Haven helps sleep-deprived guests tap into those traditions with a more holistic journey. The five-day program kicks off with a consultation with the resort’s resident Ayurveda doctor to map out a plan for sleep habits, diet, and exercise going forward. During their stay, guests go on nature walks, experience personalized yoga sessions, and sample a slew of inclusive spa treatments, ranging from massages to acupuncture. At day’s end, there’s a technology blackout, meaning guests can’t use their devices and all other electronics are shut down, so you can enjoy a Slumber Guru ritual, which includes an aromatherapy bath, without distractions.
Carmel Valley Ranch’s surroundings inspire serenity, but its in-house hypnotist inspires Zzzzs.
Courtesy of Carmel Valley Ranch
Carmel Valley Ranch
- Carmel Valley, California
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Situated on 500 acres and featuring vineyards, gardens, and views of the Santa Lucia Mountains, the Carmel Valley Ranch in Carmel, California, already has a soothing setting. But the retreat takes relaxation a step further with its in-house hypnotherapist who crafts sleep-focused treatments for its guests. During Hypno-Health: Wellness for Mind & Spirit, Dr. Bee Epstein-Shepherd teaches one-on-one classes on self-hypnosis techniques. And don’t worry about forgetting what you learned—she’ll provide you with a session recording so you can bring the practice home with you.
Hotel Figueroa
- Los Angeles, California
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Counting sheep should be easy in Hotel Figueroa’s Rest & Recovery Suite, also known as your “den of zen.” This hip downtown Los Angeles hotel offers highly personalized sleep packages. A week before your stay, you’ll be prompted to order a completely customized pillow based on your firmness preferences, usual sleeping position, and weight. Upon your arrival, your new pillow will be on your Eight Sleep smart mattress, which adjusts its temperature throughout the night to keep you comfortable and tracks your sleep via sensors. In the morning, sip a health supplement shape shake and use the in-room massage gun to help you relieve tension-filled muscle knots.
The Lotte New York Palace
- New York City
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Though it’s located in the city that never sleeps, the Lotte New York Palace’s Hästens Ultimate Sleep Suite should be able to help you snooze all night long. In the main bedroom (the suite also has a guest room with two queen beds), sleep seekers will find the holy grail of beds: the Hästens Vividus bed. At $300,000 per bed, it takes roughly 350 hours to make just one, and less than a dozen people are qualified to make it. The suite also comes with keepsake Hästens pajamas and slippers tailored to guests’ sizes. The suite is 43 stories up in Midtown Manhattan.
Castle Hot Springs
- Morristown, Arizona
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For those looking for a deep dive into their sleep wellness, Castle Hot Springs in Arizona offers immersive Sleep Retreats throughout the year (the next being May 18–21, 2023). The four-day program includes sleep lectures by sleep researcher and author Dr. Rebecca Robbins, who helps guests better understand their own unique sleep patterns. During the program, attendees will also learn how to track their sleep, so they can identify what is hindering their rest at home and find ways to correct it. And, if all else fails, the daily activities, which include stand-up paddleboard yoga, hiking, archery, pickleball, and using the resort’s via ferrata (the first in the state), should tire guests out.
This article was originally written in 2022 and has since been updated with new information.
