I am a tired person. I do everything I need to do to get a good night’s sleep, but I still often wake up dejectedly contemplating getting out of bed, counting the hours until I can climb into his arms once again.
Is it London that always demands more? Or am I one of those people who should go to bed at 9pm and sneak in and out for a few more hours? Either way, when I heard that sleep tourism was an emerging wellness trend, I decided I wanted to learn more about it.
This seems like a sharp contrast to the idea of going somewhere to explore and learn about that place, but research shows that sleep is what people really crave. Hilton found in a survey While Fortune states that “the number one reason people want to travel in 2024 is to relax and recharge,” Fortune says that “the sleep tourism market is predicted to grow by approximately 8% between 2023 and 2028, to over $400 billion.”
This is all well and good, and I often book holidays so I can return to London refreshed, but I find that many hotels don’t actually help my sleep, instead hindering it. a bunch of stupid little things. This is by no means a comprehensive list of things that annoy me: ridiculous and endless light switches; The lights of various mechanisms that either did not turn off or did not blink all night, and the air conditioner that made me furiously angry.
So I set out to test the following sleep retreats, which appeared with some skepticism in London. Here are my findings…
Laslett Sleeping Temple
Named after local activist Rhaune Laslett, this hotel is quintessential Notting Hill, more reminiscent of a night in your (rich) friend’s townhouse, complete with a record player and casement windows offering views of the iconic district. As for sleep, if you book the package, you can expect dinner at restaurant The Henderson, complete with Feragaia cocktails to shake off the sleep-inhibiting alcohol, followed by time in the room decked out with botanical skincare goodies from Votary with DIRTEA cocoa. tin and DROWSY silk sleep mask for a relaxing pre-sleep blend.
The magic here was in its simplicity – yes, the Charging Rooms have a treatment option, but I decided to listen to some music before bed instead. My plan worked and I left the next day feeling chirpy.
The West London Sleep Sanctuary package starts from £420 per night for a double room. To make a reservation, please visit living-rooms.co.uk
Four Seasons Hotel London at Park London Sleep Escape
The sale here is the Four Seasons Signature Deep Sleep Lavender Massage – a long name that really gives you all the information you need, but I must add, is it effective? I went at 8pm, then sort of stumbled upon the next lounge lounge and then the gorgeous bed, complete with pillow menu, and slept and slept and slept. The turndown service may have something to do with how bored I was of this situation: not only did they do the usual things like dim the lights and take off the slippers, they also set the temperature to 16-18 degrees (perfect for sleep) and applied ‘dimming’ to all appliance lights, which I found irresistible. When you need complete tranquility and want to be free from the hassle of the world, I recommend doing it alone.
Room rates start from £895 including VAT. Sleep Escape treatments start from £190 for 60 minutes. fourseasons.com
Corinthia London Superior Sleep Experience
Whenever I go to a luxury hotel, I sink into my bed and wonder how they offer such a superior level of comfort, hoping that I can achieve this at home. The answer may be a serious investment in the 172-year-old Hästens brand, which now provides beds in 35 rooms of the stately Whitehall Corinthia. The ‘ultimate sleep experience’ is largely based on the appeal of mattresses produced in Sweden using natural and breathable materials – with great success in my case. After dining al fresco at the courtyard restaurant The Garden (worth knowing for summer evenings), I drank mine and sleep overtook me before I even had a chance to perform my usual rituals (air freshener, hand cream, lip balm, magnesium pills). ).
Corinthia London room rates start from £800 per night. For more information please visit hastens.com
W Hotel Intentions Accommodation
Maybe you don’t immediately associate Soho with sleep—but W hopes to offer a haven in the storm through an Intention Stay, where the room comes complete with a suite of products curated by manifestation coach Roxie Nafousi. From the journal to the Anatome sleep incentive set, it’s all well thought out. Although I found it quite a change from the frantic pace of London and the quiet of my room overlooking the red lanterns of Chinatown, I decided to watch a movie fairly quickly (ET, solid choice) before doing some writing and relaxing. If you want something a little more intensely soporific, AWAY Spa also offers sessions from breathwork expert Jamie Clements, as well as author Ciara McGinely’s guided meditations to help bridge the gap between fight or flight and rest and relaxation. You can also try the Signature Essentials 60-minute De-Stress Massage and Express Facial, or head to the bar for a DIRTEA drink.
Intentions Stay is a £250 add-on to any room booking and includes a 90-minute spa treatment, classes, diary and comfort zone amenities that retail for over £70. Separate Your Intention marriott.com
1 Hotel Mayfair Relaxation and Reset Package
From the 1,300 plants that fill the hotel to the enormous amount of natural materials that give an instantly relaxing feel, including some elegant stone walls (they come from West Sussex), everything about 1 Hotel has been designed to feel like an oasis. The Relax and Reset package is all about showcasing the Bamford spa and its products and the hotel is rightly proud of this collaboration. My job involves testing many products, and rarely am I this impressed by the scent of B Silent Collection organic bath oil. Book a massage in the whitewashed wooden spa, return to the room for a bath, and then relax. It’s an environmentally conscious hotel, there’s a drinkable water dispenser (should be standard at these hotels) and they’ll even recycle/donate unwanted items – just leave the wooden block behind open to say you didn’t forget them. and they will find a home for them.
Prices start from £500 per night and this includes a £160 spa credit. Book with: 1hotels.com
Kimpton Fitzroy Dream Room
Before I talk about my night at the Kimpton Fitzroy, I’ll briefly describe the building’s impressive history: Built in 1898, Hotel Russell was designed by Charles Fitzroy Doll. This gave rise to the phrase ‘fully adorned’. On the staircase you will find a brass dragon called ‘Lucky George’; Its twin sank on the Titanic.
Now let’s move on to the sleep pack: When you enter your room, you’ll find a kit that includes headphones, a dream journal, a lucid dreaming guide, and LabTonica’s Unplugged series. The idea behind the title is to take you on an AI-driven journey designed to allow lucid dreaming; Like effectively zoning out with images changing before your eyes, when you ‘sleep’ your mind becomes buttery and soft – but in a clear way, meaning you are in control of your body and can manage what happens while you drift away. Dream expert Charlie Morley says it “helps people reduce stress and improve emotional processes, as well as improve sleep quality and sleep patterns.” I found the setup innovative and surprisingly effective, leaving me feeling inspired and rested the next day.
Prices start from £399 including room fee. breakfast. The Room To Dream package can be added to any Kimpton Fitzroy London room or suite booking for £50. kimptonfitzroylondon.com.