The rise of sleep tourism: From pillow sprays to luxury hotel mattresses costing €15,000

Temperature-controlled beds, muscle massagers, and professional sleep coaches are becoming the new trend in the travel industry, as sleep tourism is on the rise. With an estimated growth of almost 8% and over $400 billion by 2028, hotels worldwide are stepping up their game to offer the ultimate night’s rest.

In London, The Beaumont hotel offers ROOM, a unique dark cave room designed by artist Antony Gormley, with no distractions like TV or phone reception, starting at £655. In Ireland, Dromoland Castle has a new director of sleep, Ryan Logue, who provides advice on sleep aids and temperature control, earning the title of TripAdvisor’s Best Hotel for Sleep in 2023.

Hyatt hotels in New Zealand and Australia offer a special sleep program for $50, including bath salts and eye masks. The Dylan in Amsterdam features FreshBeds with temperature regulation and air purification, valued at €15,000 per mattress.

Switzerland’s The Alpina Gstaad introduces Sleep Suites with climate-controlled beds and blue light-blocking glasses. Vincent van Dijk, a Dutch hospitality trend-watcher, sees this trend as a smart marketing strategy to address the common issue of sleep problems.

While luxury hotels offer high-tech beds and sleep packages, sleep expert Floris Wouterson reminds us that a good night’s sleep in a hotel is not a permanent solution to sleep issues. Despite the allure of fancy amenities, the most crucial aspect of a hotel stay should be the quality of sleep it provides.