Sofitel has used the findings to create some new sleep rituals / photo: accor_sofitel
Global hotel brand Sofitel has partnered with researchers at Paris City University to understand better how people sleep when staying away from home.
The study, published in the Journal of Sleep Disorders and Therapy*, specifically looks at what conditions help travellers to minimise the ‘first-night effect’.
The first-night effect occurs when people go to bed in an unfamiliar place for the first time and their brains display heightened activity even after they close their eyes. Sofitel identified this as a widespread issue, given that 45 per cent of its guests only stayed for one night last year.
Special sleep room The sleep quality of 49 participants – based on duration, depth, regularity, interruptions, time to fall asleep and the wake-up phase – was first measured at home using a sensor under the mattress. Respiratory and cardiac rhythms were also recorded.
The same metrics were then observed for one night in a specially fitted-out room at Sofitel Paris Arc de Triomphe. The experience included a box spring mattress, topper, comforter and extensive selection of pillows – features that Sofitel has been offering in its MyBed experience since 2003.
On top of this, it took into account a host of other variables, including:
• a food menu with meals that avoid excess fat, salt, sugar and spice
• a pre-sleep meditation session and herbal tea
• an essential oil pillow spray
• a lip balm
• warm socks
• a silk sleep mask to provide total darkness
• calming white and pink noise generators during the process of falling asleep
• an optimal room temperature of 18˚C
• and silicone earplugs
Extra shut-eye On average, the participant’s sleep quality in the hotel room was 13.7 per cent higher than at home. They had 65 minutes extra shut-eye and 64 per cent fell asleep within 30 minutes.
Drawing on the study findings, Sofitel started phasing in new sleep rituals in its 120-plus hotels globally in July.
The offerings include light meals formulated to help guests fall asleep quicker, bespoke treatment protocols to improve sleep quality, relaxing playlists curated specially for the brand’s hotels and precise lighting and temperature adjustments.
* Alkobtawi, M et al. Enhancing First-Night Sleep Quality in Hotels: A Preliminary Study Utilizing Withings to Measure Sleep Patterns at Home and in Hotel Settings. Journal of Sleep Disorders & Therapy. Issue 1, 2024
Read more from this issue of Spa Business magazine
View contents of Spa Business 2024 issue 3
Editor's letter: At a crossroads
As the UK prepares to host this year's Global Wellness Summit, fresh research shows its wellness industry must address a number of issues if it's to maintain levels of unprecedented growth
Spa People: Charlotte Church
The Welsh singer talks about how growing up in the media spotlight has influenced The Dreaming, her healing retreat business
Spa People: Julia Bradbury
Leading a series of Walk Yourself Happy retreats based on her best-selling book and years of TV presenting
Spa People: Samantha Dunn
Shaking up the industry with her new, affordable DIY consultancy programme for entrepreneurs
News report: Big spenders
Finn Partners’ latest research shows how China’s high-net-worth women are redefining luxury travel
News report: Step back in time
Two new GWI reports analyse the growth of the global spa and hot springs markets over the past 10 to 15 years
Interview: Dillip Rajakarier
Following a 450 per cent increase in core revenues, Minor Hotels is planning 200 more properties. Megan Whitby sits down with its CEO
New opening: Kintsugi Space
Patrizia Bortolin talks to Lisa Starr about creating a transformative women-only sanctuary in Abu Dhabi
Research: To inform and inspire
The UK Spa Association has conducted its first survey of spa businesses in the country for 18 years. GM Bobby Griffiths unveils the numbers
Research: From wellness to wellbeing
A new study uncovers four wellness consumer market segments ripe for innovation. WELLSurvey co-author Kevin Kelly reveals the findings in a Spa Business exclusive
First person: To the source
Jane Kitchen takes to the sulphurous waters of Terme di Saturnia in Italy and shares details about its exciting upcoming sister site in Milan
Promotion: L'OCCITANE en Provence – the art of recovery
With an approach to wellbeing that’s both holistic and grounded in science, the latest massage from L’OCCITANE en Provence promises to have a powerfully-beneficial effect on customers, both in the spa and at home
New opening: Surrenne at The Emory
The £15k memberships at this wellness club in London sold out in just weeks. Creator Inge Theron tells us why
First person: Playful wellness
A Stella McCartney facial and Tracy Anderson studio are just two USPs Megan Whitby finds at Surrenne
Promotion: TechnoAlpin – naturally cool design
TechnoAlpin’s snow technology is not only an effective way to introduce gentle cold therapy into the spa environment, it’s also a powerful biophilic design element that can bring the wonder of nature indoors
Promotion: Biologique Recherche – potent partnership
A new anti-senescence serum from Biologique Recherche offers transformative results and raises the bar in anti-ageing skincare when combined with its iconic collagen formula
Promotion: Comfort Zone – A longer life for skin
Created to combat the visible signs of ageing, Comfort Zone’s latest range revamp is based on the company’s pioneering research into cutaneous cellular longevity
Promotion: G.M. COLLIN – Clinical excellence in skincare
With laboratories based in Montreal, G.M. Collin’s highly researched derma-corrective treatments have been helping skincare professionals deliver exceptional and exclusive results worldwide for many decades. We talk to VP Myriam Sayer
Sofitel has used the findings to create some new sleep rituals / photo: accor_sofitel
Global hotel brand Sofitel has partnered with researchers at Paris City University to understand better how people sleep when staying away from home.
The study, published in the Journal of Sleep Disorders and Therapy*, specifically looks at what conditions help travellers to minimise the ‘first-night effect’.
The first-night effect occurs when people go to bed in an unfamiliar place for the first time and their brains display heightened activity even after they close their eyes. Sofitel identified this as a widespread issue, given that 45 per cent of its guests only stayed for one night last year.
Special sleep room The sleep quality of 49 participants – based on duration, depth, regularity, interruptions, time to fall asleep and the wake-up phase – was first measured at home using a sensor under the mattress. Respiratory and cardiac rhythms were also recorded.
The same metrics were then observed for one night in a specially fitted-out room at Sofitel Paris Arc de Triomphe. The experience included a box spring mattress, topper, comforter and extensive selection of pillows – features that Sofitel has been offering in its MyBed experience since 2003.
On top of this, it took into account a host of other variables, including:
• a food menu with meals that avoid excess fat, salt, sugar and spice
• a pre-sleep meditation session and herbal tea
• an essential oil pillow spray
• a lip balm
• warm socks
• a silk sleep mask to provide total darkness
• calming white and pink noise generators during the process of falling asleep
• an optimal room temperature of 18˚C
• and silicone earplugs
Extra shut-eye On average, the participant’s sleep quality in the hotel room was 13.7 per cent higher than at home. They had 65 minutes extra shut-eye and 64 per cent fell asleep within 30 minutes.
Drawing on the study findings, Sofitel started phasing in new sleep rituals in its 120-plus hotels globally in July.
The offerings include light meals formulated to help guests fall asleep quicker, bespoke treatment protocols to improve sleep quality, relaxing playlists curated specially for the brand’s hotels and precise lighting and temperature adjustments.
* Alkobtawi, M et al. Enhancing First-Night Sleep Quality in Hotels: A Preliminary Study Utilizing Withings to Measure Sleep Patterns at Home and in Hotel Settings. Journal of Sleep Disorders & Therapy. Issue 1, 2024
Read more from this issue of Spa Business magazine
View contents of Spa Business 2024 issue 3
Editor's letter: At a crossroads
As the UK prepares to host this year's Global Wellness Summit, fresh research shows its wellness industry must address a number of issues if it's to maintain levels of unprecedented growth
Spa People: Charlotte Church
The Welsh singer talks about how growing up in the media spotlight has influenced The Dreaming, her healing retreat business
Spa People: Julia Bradbury
Leading a series of Walk Yourself Happy retreats based on her best-selling book and years of TV presenting
Spa People: Samantha Dunn
Shaking up the industry with her new, affordable DIY consultancy programme for entrepreneurs
News report: Big spenders
Finn Partners’ latest research shows how China’s high-net-worth women are redefining luxury travel
News report: Step back in time
Two new GWI reports analyse the growth of the global spa and hot springs markets over the past 10 to 15 years
Interview: Dillip Rajakarier
Following a 450 per cent increase in core revenues, Minor Hotels is planning 200 more properties. Megan Whitby sits down with its CEO
New opening: Kintsugi Space
Patrizia Bortolin talks to Lisa Starr about creating a transformative women-only sanctuary in Abu Dhabi
Research: To inform and inspire
The UK Spa Association has conducted its first survey of spa businesses in the country for 18 years. GM Bobby Griffiths unveils the numbers
Research: From wellness to wellbeing
A new study uncovers four wellness consumer market segments ripe for innovation. WELLSurvey co-author Kevin Kelly reveals the findings in a Spa Business exclusive
First person: To the source
Jane Kitchen takes to the sulphurous waters of Terme di Saturnia in Italy and shares details about its exciting upcoming sister site in Milan
Promotion: L'OCCITANE en Provence – the art of recovery
With an approach to wellbeing that’s both holistic and grounded in science, the latest massage from L’OCCITANE en Provence promises to have a powerfully-beneficial effect on customers, both in the spa and at home
New opening: Surrenne at The Emory
The £15k memberships at this wellness club in London sold out in just weeks. Creator Inge Theron tells us why
First person: Playful wellness
A Stella McCartney facial and Tracy Anderson studio are just two USPs Megan Whitby finds at Surrenne
Promotion: TechnoAlpin – naturally cool design
TechnoAlpin’s snow technology is not only an effective way to introduce gentle cold therapy into the spa environment, it’s also a powerful biophilic design element that can bring the wonder of nature indoors
Promotion: Biologique Recherche – potent partnership
A new anti-senescence serum from Biologique Recherche offers transformative results and raises the bar in anti-ageing skincare when combined with its iconic collagen formula
Promotion: Comfort Zone – A longer life for skin
Created to combat the visible signs of ageing, Comfort Zone’s latest range revamp is based on the company’s pioneering research into cutaneous cellular longevity
Promotion: G.M. COLLIN – Clinical excellence in skincare
With laboratories based in Montreal, G.M. Collin’s highly researched derma-corrective treatments have been helping skincare professionals deliver exceptional and exclusive results worldwide for many decades. We talk to VP Myriam Sayer
Fairmont Cheshire, The Mere, has opened today (10 July) in the Northwest of England with a
1,715sq m Fairmont Spa that has been designed using a ‘Wellness without Walls’ concept.
Wellness hotels generating less than US$1 million (€932,700, £785,200) – or 10 per cent of
total revenue from wellness and leisure – recorded the strongest RevPAR and TRevPAR growth
in 2025 across categories when compared with 2024, according to the latest Wellness Real
Estate Report by RLA Global, produced in partnership with P and L benchmarking firm HotStats.
Lefay Resorts, the portfolio of two luxury wellness properties in Italy, has added emotional
dance classes and group cold plunge sessions in response to market demand for social
connection.
Aditya Saluja, an industry leader in luxury wellness hospitality, has been
appointed as
commercial director of spa and wellness for the spa management division of
Minor Hotels,
MSpa International.
Preidlhof Luxury DolceVita Resort, a destination resort and spa in Naturno, South Tyrol in Italy,
will reveal a new spa in February 2027, which has been designed by wellness expert and
consultant Patrizia Bortolin.
Virgin Active has officially opened its redesigned Mayfair club, unveiling its latest Social Wellness Club and
signalling a significant evolution of its proposition.
