Business of Leisure: Snooozzze Luxuriously

‘Sleep’ now finds a whole new meaning in the luxury catalogue.

Premium properties are investing in sleep curators and therapists to design packages that work to ease the physical and emotional stress of a guest, induce good sleep such that the guest heads out the next day for a business meeting or leisure feeling completely charged and refreshed.

Targeting tired guests, especially the jet-lagged having flown by long-haul flights, are premium resorts offering serene delights such as pillows sprayed with heavenly pillow mist, lavender silk eye masks, stress reliever sprays made of essential oils including distilled lime, peppermint and lemon,  rejuvenating massages focused on joints to relieve tension, and a soothing platter filled with foods rich in tryptophan, melatonin and vitamin B6 to calm the senses and induce peaceful sleep.

Despite being a necessity, sleep is now considered a luxury, with people finding it hard to clock in the average eight hours needed each night.

Data from Sleep Cycle calls India as one of the five most sleep deprived nations in the world, with people here sleeping an average of 6 hours and 20 minutes.

Chronic sleep deprivation is often associated with a negative outcome in health, and said to trigger obesity, diabetes, heart problems.

Capitalising on this are properties in India and Asia that look to entice globe-trotting clients with customised sleep-focused packages.

Says Amaan Kidwai, general manager, ITC Gardenia, Bengaluru, “We believe that the primary reason for a guest to choose any hotel is to ensure a good night’s sleep and there isn’t a substitute for that. This belief led us to initiate research nearly a decade ago and implement practices that enhance the quality of sleep experienced by guests at our hotels.’’

A responsible luxury initiative by ITC Hotels, the sleep ‘experience’ carries a holistic approach, allowing guests to choose from a variety of pillows, some that absorb the weight of the head evenly in all directions, being especially useful for easing headaches, some that provide natural hypoallergenic comfort,  and others designed for those suffering from spondylitis.  Amongst the other offerings on the sleep menu are culinary delights like buttermilk pancakes with bananas, lotus seeds and milk, and other delectable concocted with calming ingredients composed of potassium, melatonin and Vitamin B6 that soothe the senses.

“To refresh and infuse the exhausted minds and bodies of guests, we provide peaceful sleep through customised mattresses, natural fibre sheets and farm-to-table organic food. One goes back filled with positive energy to face the rat race of life again,” says Rati Karwal, general manager, Jim’s Jungle Retreat, a luxury wildlife resort at Jim Corbett.  

Certain resorts have started special slumber treatments consisting of relaxing massages and therapies.  “Most guests travel on long-haul flights and thus we created the Slumber Guru concept to help them combat the effects of jetlag by leaving them feeling relaxed and ready for a good night’s sleep on their first night at the property,” says Clare Bromilow, cluster marketing manager, Anantara Kihavah Maldives Villas.  The Slumber Guru concept involves having a  spa therapist help with an oil bath complete with candles and rose petals, followed by a massage using ylang ylang or lavener essential oil on the villa deck.

EYES WIDE SHUT

• Sleep is considered a luxury with people finding it hard to clock in an eight hours rest per night
   
• Certain resorts have started special slumber treatments consisting of relaxing massages