In 2026, luxury is being measured differently. As well as the view from the balcony, it’s also about how rested the guest feels. Life today is fast. Deep sleep and quiet moments can be hard to come by. As a result, more people are seeking wellness experiences on holiday: wellness that’s not your typical spa treatment, but often more grounded and holistic.
The focus has shifted from pampering to creating resilience. Many hotels now offer therapies like sound healing, breathwork, and cold-plunge therapy to help guests reset their baseline stress levels. Other practices like tea rituals and meditation help to quieten the mind, preparing guests for deep sleep.
Recognising rest as the ultimate luxury, Hotel Belmar in Costa Rica recently introduced a Deep Sleep Ritual. Elevating its turndown service, the sleep ritual is designed to connect guests with the natural rhythm of Monteverde’s cloud forest. A thoughtful and smart move, considering it’s exactly what the market demands right now.
The rise of the $400 billion slumber
The always-on culture taking over major cities is reaching breaking point. In the UK, 63% of people reported feeling stressed at least weekly in 2024, a figure fuelled by economic uncertainty and blurred lines of remote work.
This is both a mental burden and a physiological one. 80% of British adults identify this chronic stress as the primary thief of their sleep. And it’s led to what could be described as an exhaustion economy, where productivity and mental well-being are consistently eroded.
For many, the traditional holiday, once defined by adventurous nights out and packed itineraries, no longer feels like a solution. Instead, a new priority has emerged. Among people looking to make wellness the focus of their holiday, 43% want to specifically improve their quality of sleep while away.
As the demand for restorative escapes skyrockets, a new trend has emerged in the travel sector. According to HTF Market Intelligence, the global sleep tourism sector is projected to grow by $400 billion between 2023 and 2028 – an annual growth rate of nearly 8%. So how are hotels catering to this demand?
A deep sleep in a cloud forest
Hotel Belmar became the second lodging option in Costa Rica’s Monteverde community when it opened its doors in 1985. The family-managed, independent property has developed an organic hospitality model over the years. Its eco-friendly practices include farm-to-table dining, providing non-toxic, biodegradable amenities, and using a biodigester to break down organic waste and generate clean gas energy. In 2019, Hotel Belmar achieved carbon neutrality, becoming Monteverde’s First Certified Carbon-Neutral Hotel.
As part of the farm-to-table dining concept, the hotel offers a herbal infusion selection with botanicals harvested from its own gardens and Finca Madre Tierra, its regenerative farm. The blend varies seasonally, featuring sleep-inducing botanicals such as lemongrass, chamomile, and mint, to help prepare the body for restorative rest. This Deep Sleep Ritual is inspired by the region’s deep heritage of botanical knowledge and forest healing traditions.
Paired with the infusion is a Good Night Guide. A printed card on their bedside table provides tips for restful sleep guided by circadian rhythms. On the reverse, the card includes a QR code linking to a 10-minute guided meditation or Yin Yoga session. The ritual is simple, but the result is effective.
Check in and tune out
As slow travel and sleep tourism grow, we can expect to see more experiences like this. At Hotel Belmar, the inspiration for the new turndown ritual grew organically from guest feedback. Many guests commented on the impact of the herbal selections helping them sleep deeply, especially on the first night after travelling. It also caters to the wider trend of people wanting to improve their quality of sleep while on holiday.
As slow travel and sleep tourism move from niche trends to industry priorities, Hotel Belmar leans into this with a ritual born directly from its guests’ needs. The new turndown service grew organically from a recurring theme in guest feedback: the hotel’s herbal selections helped them achieve deep, restorative rest, even on that notoriously difficult first night of travel. Through its sleep ritual, Hotel Belmar is answering a global call for travel that refreshes and energises.
