Dive Brief:
- Hilton is launching Hilton Sleep Retreats at Grand Wailea, A Waldorf Astoria Resort in Wailea, Hawaii, with the potential to expand to additional markets in the coming months, the company announced Friday.
- The series of retreats were made in partnership with sleep expert Dr. Rebecca Robbins and will feature lectures on the “science of restfulness,” as well as spa services developed to reduce jet lag, optimize circadian rhythms and release “sleep-enhancing” hormones, Hilton said.
- Sleep tourism is an increasingly popular branch of wellness tourism, and Hilton has been ramping up its sleep offerings to meet traveler demand for stays that “rest and recharge,” the company said.
Dive Insight:
The first series of Sleep Retreats will take place at Grand Wailea’s open-air Kilolani Spa, which opened last month.
Robbins, who is an assistant professor in medicine and associate scientist at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, as well as a nationally known sleep expert and author, will lead sessions at the retreats designed to provide “an all-encompassing journey into the science and practice of achieving restful, restorative sleep,” according to Hilton. Sleep Retreats will also include sleep-promoting meals and the opportunity for guests to design a personalized sleep schedule.
“Understanding the vital role sleep plays in our lives goes much deeper than just knowing we need it. It's about nurturing and prioritizing it, especially in our fast-moving world where being constantly on the go is the norm," said Robbins, who added that the retreats will be “a wonderful demonstration of how this knowledge can be brought to life – whether traveling or at home.”
Travelers said “rest and relaxation” is their biggest priority for trips this year, according to Hilton’s 2024 Trends Report, released in October.
Some of Hilton’s properties currently include amenities designed to promote good sleep. Rooms at the newly launched Tempo by Hilton hotels include “power down” features aimed at fostering a good sleep experience. Canopy by Hilton hotel beds feature gel memory foam mattresses and cooling technology by Serta, and Motto by Hilton rooms were designed to be sound-absorbing.
Meanwhile, Hilton has also tapped Robbins for insight on how the company can offer “the best night’s rest possible” across its portfolio, according to the announcement.
Amanda Al-Masri, Hilton’s global vice president of wellness, said in a statement that the company “aim[s] to be a catalyst for wellness, starting with a great night’s sleep.”
Sleep tourism is one branch of wellness tourism, one of the fastest-growing travel segments, according to the Global Wellness Institute. Hilton is one of several hotel groups baking wellness amenities into overall hotel design, including rooms that foster good sleep.
