Neither the plushest of duvets nor the darkest of blackout shades can lull a jet-lagged guest to sleep. In fact, the American Sleep Association found that nearly 93 percent of all travellers experience the time-zone twist at some point in their lifetimes. Passing through multiple zones often results in temporary insomnia, headaches, nausea, disorientation, fatigue, depression and more. But, more importantly, it can really put a damper on what could be a truly great vacation.
Since pill-popping and night-capping aren’t viable remedies for fighting off insomnia while on the road, hotel spas around the world have begun to offer treatments that go far beyond simple relaxation rituals. Rather, they feature massages, essential oils and other practiced methods of furthering sleep. In other words, they try to combat tossing and turning and get guests the sleep they need to explore a city with open, well-rested eyes.
Desert Dreams Massage (Red Mountain Resort in Ivins, Utah)
Drifting off to sleep in the desert couldn’t be easier with this 50-minute massage at Red Mountain Resort in Ivins, Utah. Ideally, therapists prefer to perform this light massage as a pre-bedtime ritual, using strokes similar to those used in Essalen and Lomi Lomi massages. A blend of lavender, chamomile and ylang ylang essential oils deepen the body’s ability to relax while counteracting insomnia.
Slumber Massage (Park Hyatt Beaver Creek in Beaver Creek, Colo.)
Park Hyatt Beaver Creek’s Allegria Spa partnered with the Center for Neuroacoustic Research to create this snooze-worthy treatment. Available for either 80 or 105 minutes, the massage battles insomnia with lavender and rose aromatherapy, hot stones, touch and sound frequency patterns. Most guests don’t make it through the treatment without dozing off, especially during the last 20 minutes when the sound waves sync up with a relaxing scalp and foot massage.
Shirodhara (Grand Hyatt Goa in Goa, India)
The name for this Ayurvedic therapy at the Grand Hyatt Goa in Goa, India comes from the Sanskrit words shiro (head) and dhara (flow). The treatment takes place on a hand-carved panchakarma table and begins when the therapists releases the flow of brahmi oil from a copper pot hanging above the guest’s head. The oil contains local herbs with calming and healing properties, and a constant stream of oil on the forehead induces feelings of relaxation and peace.
Villa Emilia (Grand Hotel Tremezzo in Tremezzo, Italy)
Anyone who has fantasized about spending the night amidst hot stones can fulfill their fantasy at the T Spa in the Grand Hotel Tremezzo in Tremezzo, Italy. The hotel recently finished a multi-million dollar project with designer Ruggero Venelli and opened Villa Emilia, an 18th-century villa located inside the T Spa. Villa guests can spend the day sleep-walking from treatment to bed and back again. The Jet-Lag Reviver will reacclimate your body, but all treatments will thoroughly relax you.
Gastein Healing Cave (Grand Park Hotel Bad Hofgastein in Gastein, Austria)
Although people have been pilgrimaging to Salzburg, Austria, to get a good night’s rest courtesy of sleep-inducing white gold (salt) hidden in the hills, the area’s true sleep secret lies a few meters outside the city, in the caves beneath the Grand Park Hotel Bad Hofgastein. The unique minerals and humidity in the caves are said to cure a number of ailments, from rheumatism to insomnia. Onsite doctors and therapists prescribe customized treatments according to the severity of each guest’s symptoms.
Private Bristol (Le Bristol Paris in Paris, France)
This luxurious treatment caters to business travelers, as well as anyone having a hard time getting to sleep while staying at the Le Bristol Paris in Paris, France. The 45-minute treatment combines a series of specialized massage techniques that alleviate leg cramps, anxiety, and effects from jet lag. The best part is that the Private Bristol is performed in-room, making it easy to drift off after the treatment does its trick.
Intuitive Blind Reflexology Massage. (Mandapa Ritz Carlton Reserve in Bali, Indonesia)
This rare treatment is performed by a blind therapist at the spa inside the Mandapa, a Ritz Carlton Reserve in Bali, Indonesia. The masseuse (who is also a certified Balinese healer) specializes in relieving areas of tension and anxiety in the body through a technique that’s said to offset insomnia and help regulate sleeping patterns long after the treatment has finished.