Treatments and services

For other clients who might need a little more help to feel properly rested, an evening of sleep therapy may be the answer, which is where all-encompassing sleep programmes come in. At a number of Six Senses properties, guests can participate in a sleep wellness programme that analyses their sleep patterns, boosts the immune system and allows for complete relaxation.

At Six Senses Kaplankaya, a five-night programme includes a wellness screening, sleep tracking, meditation and yoga sessions, and spa treatments such as a 60-minute Watsu massage and a traditional Turkish hammam session.

Closer to home, Chewton Glen in the New Forest encourages a full circadian rhythm with its Sleep Soundly Spa Evening, which aims to reduce muscle inflammation and identify imbalances in clients’ energy.

While the treatment is designed to allow for the best possible chance of a good night’s sleep, Kerry Hudson, Iconic Luxury Hotels’ group spa director, advises clients to consider the circumstances of their appointment, such as the time they visit and with whom.

“We guide guests to book the treatment as late in the evening as possible and on an evening where they have no commitments,” she says. “We are also now seeing an increase of solo guests who are booking specific and detailed treatments to ensure they gain maximum benefit.”

But being committed to guests’ wellbeing goes beyond the guest room and spa, according to Rob Arrow, director and head of partnerships at agency Cherry Travel.

“The modern hotel and resort experience transcends mere accommodation,” he says. “Extending the focus on sleep throughout the hotel or resort experience involves rethinking traditional service timings.”

This is something The Nautilus has considered. Along with its pillow menu and duvet rotation, the resort offers a flexible dining timetable and has an After Dark programme, which allows guests to sleep, eat and partake in activities at a time that suits them.

No passing fad

Experts expect that sleep retreats aren’t just a fad, and will quickly become a mainstay of the wellness scene. Amanda Al-Masri, global vice-president of wellness at Hilton Hotels & Resorts, believes “sleep tourism as a trend is here to stay”, but also that the conversation will die down soon “simply because it will become embedded in our travel experiences”.

As sleep health becomes a more solidified part of the wellness travel scene, clients will come to expect sleep-focused services as a standard part of their stay.

Dr Rebecca Robbins, associate sleep scientist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, predicts “travellers will increasingly look for sleep-specific amenities, sleep-enhancing food and drink, as well as targeted programmes when choosing their hotels”.

The opportunity here for the trade is lucrative, as increasing numbers of travellers seek ways to combine their holiday with the quest for a good night’s sleep. Rest assured, this is a trend that’s here to stay.