TRAVEL
BY KATIE JAMES WATKINSON
Hotel Vermont
Set on the eastern shore of Lake Champlain in downtown Burlington, Hotel Vermont offers a mountain escape and the thrill of a busy but not too loud city. Unwind at one of the outdoor firepits with a cup of herbal tea and a flannel blanket made by a local weaver. (Studies show that watching the flickering glow of flames for just five minutes can lower blood pressure.) When you’re ready to settle in, take a peek at the Bedtime Menu placed in each of the hotel’s 125 rooms (from $260 a night). À la carte options include nighttime helpers, like a lavender-scented aromatherapy diffuser, a facial kit from the skin-care line Ursa Major, a tray of milk and cookies (the tryptophan in milk can make you sleepy), and a plush teddy bear for cuddling. In the morning, head to the on-site Juniper Bar & Restaurant and reward yourself for a snooze well done by enjoying a stack of buttermilk pancakes with wild blueberries and Vermont maple syrup.
Murrieta Hot Springs Resort
This Southern California oasis 65 miles north of San Diego has more than 50 mineral-rich pools for your soaking pleasure. Book a Hillside King room (from $589 a night), which features blackout curtains, a soundscape machine, and a sleep guide with tips from the resort’s medical director, such as suggestions for sleep-inducing foods to eat for dinner. The pièce de résistance: a smart mattress by Bryte. Using the Bryte app, each person can set the mattress pressure to their liking on either side of the bed. The app also offers guided meditation sessions and an alarm function that makes the mattress gently vibrate to wake you when it’s time.
French Quarter Inn
Ask for the Sound Sleep Pillow Menu when you check into this Charleston, South Carolina, hotel to select from seven different pillows. Have a stiff neck from the plane ride? The firmish roll pillow can offer the support you need. Are you a heavy snorer? Try the contouring memory foam pillow. Expecting a bundle of joy? There’s a pillow for that too. Just let the concierge know your needs; they’ll provide a recommendation. Splurge on the special sleep package (from $399 a night) and you’ll get a suite with a handy guide curated by Dan Gartenberg, PhD, founder of the SleepSpace app, walking you through a healthy bedtime ritual and tips for overcoming jet lag. You’ll also get two eye masks, lavender-scented body products, and a pillow sachet. You can linger in bed— made up with ultra-soft European linens—all morning because checkout isn’t until 1 p.m.
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