NO ORDINARY BEDTIME ROUTINE HERE. At a luxury hotel on the edge of Hyderabad, I was greeted with a thoughtful sleep kit: a tray of healthy nibbles, a glassful of specialty warm milk, pillow sprays infused with calming essential oils, and a bedside pamphlet illustrating simple yoga poses. Everything felt designed to encourage rest.
At ITC Kohenur, part of The Luxury Collection in Hyderabad’s HITEC City, the emphasis is intentional. I was staying here to recharge, and the hotel’s approach to sleep reflects a broader strategy across ITC Limited’s portfolio of luxury properties. “I can give you all the bells and whistles; but if I haven’t invested in giving you good sleep, I have no reason to be in the business,” says Nakul Anand, executive director, ITC Limited, whose company represents more than a hundred hotels in India.
On the 14th floor of the diamond-inspired, LEED Platinum-certified building, Wellness Rooms are tailored for guests who need serious rest. These rooms include vitamin C-infused showers with optimized pressure to invigorate and refresh, indoor plants to improve air quality, yoga mats for gentle stretches, and well-being associates who function like personal sleep concierges. My bedside sleep kit contained an eye mask and other natural sleep aids; it’s part of ITC’s “Sleep Like a Baby Kit,” first introduced in 2017 to improve guest sleep across its luxury collection. The program covers light levels, a curated meditative music playlist, multiglazed windows for sound and thermal insulation, and room design that supports restorative sleep.
“The research is premised on the belief that a person doesn’t sleep by bed alone, and that all five senses have a bearing on a great night’s sleep,” explains Bindu Panicker, general manager of corporate communications for ITC Limited Hotels Division. Indeed, science links good sleep with improved cognitive function, physical health, and emotional balance. Dr. Jeffrey Durmer, chief medical officer and cofounder of FusionHealth, cautions that chronic sleep loss accelerates health risks and contributes to conditions such as metabolic dysfunction and impaired immunity.
Wellness retreats are also integrating traditional and modern therapies to tackle sleep issues. In the Catskills, the YO1 Wellness Center blends Ayurveda, naturopathy, yoga and contemporary treatments. Rhoda Climenhaga, lead acupuncturist at YO1, notes that many sleep problems stem from not winding down: being overly active into the evening. She recommends creating at least an hour or two of quiet, low-activity time before bed and avoiding heavy late meals.
The hospitality industry has adopted sleep-focused amenities widely. Pillow menus, blackout curtains, eye masks, and earplugs are commonplace in many hotels now. Gabrielle Blitz Rosen, who has led social media for major travel brands, observes that wellness programs centered on rest and relaxation are trending. New concepts such as silent dining venues and dedicated quiet spaces in resorts give guests room to pause, meditate and return to center — all of which support better sleep.
Recognition for quiet, sleep-friendly hotels has followed. In 2015 the Quietroom Foundation awarded the Hotel Regina Paris a top score at its Global Quiet Hotel Awards for soundproofing and guest-focused design. Criteria include location, room design, and construction that minimizes noise intrusion — crucial factors for restful stays in busy cities.
View from CitizenM New York Bowery hotel © ILONA KAUREMSZKY
Even in loud cities, hotels are finding ways to create calm. In New York’s Lower East Side, the CitizenM New York Bowery manages to deliver surprisingly peaceful nights. The world’s tallest modular hotel lets guests select sleep settings in compact rooms where large, insulated windows and king-size beds are paired with smart-room controls. An in-room MoodPad adjusts curtains, blinds, temperature and LED lighting with preset moods like “Gentle” for wake-up. The integration of audio and lighting into smart-room technology helps craft a consistent, soothing environment.
On the West Coast, Terranea Resort in Rancho Palos Verdes offers a “Sound Sleep” program that aligns spa treatments with guests’ circadian rhythms. Treatments are scheduled in time blocks — Morning & Early Afternoon, Bridging Time, and Late Afternoon & Evening — and therapists work with music and massage timing to ease stress and move energy through the body. Complementary scents and essential oils deepen relaxation and prepare guests for a restful night.
Terranea Resort couple’s spa treatment © TERRANEA RESORT
Other properties offer specialized services tied to sleep and dreams. At Monarch Beach Resort’s Miraval Life in Balance Spa, guests in Dana Point can book private dream sessions with an expert to explore dream work and its emotional benefits. In Northern Ireland, Hastings Hotels invested in 350 Cloud Beds for the Grand Central Hotel Belfast; these comfort-focused mattresses use deep pillow-top layers and thousands of pocket springs to deliver a “floating” sleep sensation.
In London, DUKES LONDON has introduced a Beditation Butler for guests in its Duchess Rooms. The Beditation ritual combines signature scents — like hyacinth and bluebell — with meditation podcasts, curated playlists and a selection of loose-leaf herbal teas designed to soothe and encourage a restorative night’s rest. The goal across these varied programs is consistent: design environments that minimize stressors, promote calm, and help guests reclaim the restorative power of sleep.