What do The Westin, Equinox Hotels, 1Hotel, Six Senses and Park Hyatt New York all have in common? Aside from being world-class hotels, they’re leading a new era in hospitality: sleep tourism.
A 2024 Hilton report revealed the number one reason guests book a holiday is now “rest and recovery.” Searches for “sleep retreats” have surged 35% year-on-year, and the Global Wellness Institute reports that guests are willing to pay $100 or more per night for sleep-optimised offerings. This isn’t a wellness fad. It’s a commercially strategic movement that drives rebookings, brand trust, and guest transformation.
As Australia’s Leading Sleep Expert and Sleep Tourism Advisor to global icons including The Westin, I couldn’t be more thrilled. Deeper, richer, more restorative rest — night after night? I’m here for it. And I trust… so are you.
What Is Sleep Tourism?
Sleep tourism refers to immersive experiences designed to enhance deep rest, recovery and rejuvenation. While many hotels offer a pillow menu, blackout curtains or lavender sprays, true sleep optimisation goes far beyond the basics. It incorporates circadian lighting, sensory design, expert-guided rituals, chrononutrition, and behavioural frameworks such as CBT-I (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Insomnia).
Hotels that lead in this space partner with sleep experts, integrate educational content into digital platforms, and design experiences so powerful that guests don’t just sleep better — they return.
Why Now?
Our global sleep crisis has hit a peak. According to Gallup (2023), sleep is at its worst since records began in 1942.
42% of Australians sleep fewer than 6 hours a night (IKEA Global Sleep Study, 2025)
● Australia ranks 5th worst globally for sleep quality
● 22% rely on medication to fall asleep
● Only 36% of women get the sleep they need (Gallup, 2023)
● 81% of perimenopausal women report regular sleep disruptions (YouGov x Pukka, 2025)
As these statistics surge, so too does the demand for sleep-centric wellness. Hotels can either evolve with it or risk falling behind. Soon, sleep tourism will shift from a luxury to an expectation — the reason you’re booked out… or not.
Who’s Doing It Well?
The Westin
Famed for their Heavenly Bed, The Westin has evolved sleep into a cornerstone of their brand. Their latest initiative, Sleep Training for Adults — a digital education series led by renowned sleep scientist Dr. Cheri Mah — offers guests personalised insights into chronotypes, circadian alignment, and recovery routines via the Westin app.
In 2024, to celebrate the opening of The Westin Vietnam, we co-created a Wellness Weekend that brought sleep tourism to life:
● A signature keynote on the neuroscience of sleep
● Soothing Sleep Meditation beneath candlelight and stars
● Eat Well, Sleep Well menu crafted through chrononutrition
● Take-home Sleep Kit to continue rituals — and encourage rebooking
The results? 3.2M+ social views, a 200% spike in digital engagement, and increased bookings. In Tokyo, we delivered a similar experience, earning reviews like, “the best sleep I’ve ever had.”
Forbes has called The Westin’s approach “a pioneering integration of wellness science into hospitality.”
Equinox Hotels
True to their performance-first philosophy, Equinox Hotels made sleep central to their guest promise. In partnership with neuroscientist Dr. Matthew Walker, they launched the Equinox Sleep Lab — an in-room recovery program rooted in behavioural sleep science, chronobiology, and elite performance techniques.
From Swedish-engineered soundproofing to magnesium amenities, circadian lighting and guided rituals, every element is precision-engineered to support sleep. As Forbes wrote, “Equinox isn’t just offering rest. They’re redefining recovery.”
1 Hotel
Best known for sustainable luxury, 1 Hotel has embraced restorative sleep as a core brand pillar. Their recent Melbourne opening was met with glowing reviews, with Elle calling it “a haven for the conscious traveller.”
At 1 Hotel, rooms are designed for rest: organic mattresses, HEPA-filtered air, circadian-aware lighting, and natural materials that calm the senses. Beyond the bedroom, curated rituals include breathwork, sleep meditation, and spa therapies — all curated in partnership with wellness experts.
The result is what Condé Nast Traveler dubbed “a sleep sanctuary built for the modern minimalist.”
Park Hyatt New York
Reimagining rest for the luxury traveller, Park Hyatt New York’s Bryte Restorative Sleep Suite is a category-defining innovation. The suite combines AI-powered smart beds, adaptive circadian lighting, and bespoke wind-down rituals to deliver a deep sleep experience unlike any other.
The results? Glowing accolades from Forbes and Condé Nast Traveler, who praised it as “a game-changer” and “an experience designed for the sleep-deprived elite.”
Coverage from Business Insider, Qantas Travel Insider, Escape, and Body+Soul further cement its media value — showing that sleep, when designed with intention, drives results.
Six Senses
Globally acclaimed for integrative wellness, Six Senses leads with their science-based Sleep Program. Guests undergo wellness screenings, biometric tracking, and bespoke coaching. Rituals like yoga nidra, circadian-aligned menus, and guided meditations are personalised to each individual’s rest profile.
According to News.com.au, “Six Senses doesn’t just offer better sleep. They engineer it.”
As one of their most rebooked programs, demand for Six Senses’ Sleep Program continues to soar, driving both loyalty and lifetime guest value.
Sleep tourism isn’t just a wellness play. It’s a media moment, a commercial advantage, and a way to deliver on your brand promise in a way guests will rave about.
Top-tier coverage. Elevated brand status. Deeper loyalty. More rebookings. This is more than sleep. This is strategy. And it’s here to stay. Get on board or get left behind – these are your options, choose wisely.
Written by Olivia Arezzolo, Australia’s Leading Sleep Expert, Keynote Speaker and Sleep Tourism Advisor to brands such as The Westin. With 500+ media features across The Today Show, The Morning Show, Channel 7/9/10 and News.com.au, partnerships with IKEA, Sealy, Samsung, Audible, Toyota and Medibank, an international best seller in 10 countries, and a community of 260k across social channels, Olivia is redefining rest as a performance tool, so we can sleep, lead and thrive. hello@thesleepretreat.com.au
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