Sleep tourism is waking up – from pillow sprays to €15,000 hotel mattresses

It is therefore no surprise that efforts are being made to promote sleep.

According to American market research, the sleep tourism market is estimated to grow by almost 8% and more than $400 billion between now and 2028.

Hotels all over the world want to offer and market a better night’s sleep.

For example, the Beaumont hotel in London has ROOM – a room within a sculpture designed by artist Antony Gormley. It is a dark cave without any distractions: no television, no telephone reception. The bedroom, covered in dark wood panels, obviously has a bed, but that is the only piece of furniture in it. Prices start from £655 (€767).

In Ireland, Dromoland Castle recently introduced a new sleep director, Ryan Logue, who can advise on everything from sleep-boosting scents such as lavender and chamomile to room temperature. The hotel’s new spa has also developed a ‘Sleep Well Smoothie’ and was named TripAdvisor’s Best Hotel for Sleep last year in 2023.

Hyatt hotels in New Zealand and Australia offer a special sleep program. For $50, guests can book a special sleep package, including bath salts, eye mask, tea and a special aromatic roll-on pen.

From pillow sprays to sleep coaches: sleep tourism is growing into a complete business model, with all kinds of products, relaxation equipment and a selection of the best beds – often in collaboration with an (exclusive) manufacturer. A unique night’s sleep in a special bed can leave the traveler so impressed that she wants to have such a bed at home – for example, Westin sells the Heavenly Beds.

The Dylan in Amsterdam has so-called FreshBeds: mattresses where, among other things, the temperature can be regulated and equipped with a medical HEPA filter, which ensures air purification and therefore hygiene. A single mattress has a retail value of € 15,000.

“Sleep is part of the broader trend of a healthy lifestyle,” says marketing manager Max Dijkema, “which people also want to continue in a hotel. By sleeping better you actually buy time for yourself: you are more rested and can therefore see more of the surrounding area, in this case Amsterdam.”

And the starting price for a room with such high-tech beds? €1,250.

In Switzerland, Alpina Gstaad is also tackling “one of the biggest health problems of our time” with new sleep suites, including climate-controlled beds and extras such as “blue light-blocking glasses”.

‘Sleep Suite’ – in a luxury hotel room with climate-controlled beds

“It is of course a smart marketing trick,” says catering trend watcher Vincent van Dijk.

“It responds to something that many people suffer from: sleep problems. If you can solve that by offering a package around it, that’s smart. After all, you can use everything: from technical gadgets and therapies to collaborations with bed manufacturers. Of course, it is about money for the hotels and it also strengthens their image.”

CitizenM, with more than a dozen hotels throughout Europe, has a so-called Brainwaves program that uses special music with scientifically researched frequencies, tones and rhythms to stimulate sleep.

However, sleep expert Floris Wouterson says that a night on a good mattress in a luxury hotel is not exactly the solution to all sleep problems.

“It is a tool, not a solution. Of course it is important to sleep in a good bed – after all, you spend about a third of your life in it, but it should not be the case that you sleep better in a hotel than at home… ‘a good night’s sleep’ in a hotel’ can mean that things are not completely in order at home.”

“The most important function of a hotel is that you can sleep well, but usually a stay is promoted with a beautiful view or a great restaurant, while sleeping comfort is often minimal, with a lot of noise and the wrong temperature in the room. ” he adds.

“It is good that bed rest is now also an important factor in the sale of an overnight stay.”

– Additional reporting by Pól Ó Conghaile