You already know the must-haves for overnight flights and the keys to beating jet lag . But what about when you get to your hotel room…and find that it’s a little noisy, a little stuffy, a little cramped, or just plain not enough like home? Here, travel experts and sleep-challenged frequent travelers weigh in on how to get better sleep in an unfamiliar place.
- Bring your pillow from home.
“You never know what your hotel room will have—the pillows could be too hard or soft—so you’ll sleep better with your familiar pillow.”
—George Hobica, founder, AirfareWatchdog
- Request a high floor.
“I always request a hotel room on a high floor away from the elevator. That means I’m high above any street noise, fewer people walk past my room late at night, and I’m hopefully farther away from the ice machine and elevator used by housekeeping and room service. Before going to sleep, I take the spare pillows and place them at the base of the door (and any connecting room doors, which I like to avoid to start with).”
—Scott Mayerowitz, airlines and travel reporter, Associated Press
- Pack earplugs and run the fan.
“I never leave home without earplugs. And whenever possible I run the fan or air conditioner in the room for white noise all night long.”
—Sarah Schlichter, senior editor, Independent Traveler
- Download a white-noise app.
“I used to actually lug a sound machine around. Now I use the white-noise app Sleep Pillow . Ironically, the sound I use is of being inside an airplane. It blocks road, hall, and TV noise perfectly.”
—Katie McAllister
- Replay your day.
“I use this fool-proof meditation technique: Replay your day in reverse chronological order, scene by scene, starting with getting into bed, turning off the light, washing your face, and so on. You’ll knock yourself out in no time. (Oh, and make sure your feet aren’t cold.)”
—Pavia Rosati, CEO and founder, Fathom
- Request a tea kettle.
“Not all hotel rooms have coffee makers or tea kettles, but if you ask upon check-in, they will always come up with one for you. I always travel with a mix of Celestial Seasonings Sleepytime tea bags—a blend of chamomile, spearmint, lemon grass, etc. It’s usually enough to ease me into sleep; at the very least, it helps me unwind and smells good!”
–Patricia Schultz, author, 1,000 Places to See Before You Die
- Pack a binder clip and electrical tape.
“Two small items can help you get better sleep if you need a darker room. A small binder clip can keep pesky curtains closed, while a strip of electrical tape over blinking lights or a bright alarm clock face can help eliminate those annoyances.”
—Jonathan Sacks, traveler, Everybody Hates a Tourist
- Turn to familiar podcasts.
“Whether I’m sleeping in a noisy hotel room with loud neighbors or kids running through the halls, or a luxe hotel room in a far-off time zone, I relax to my nightly bedtime ritual of plugging in my earbuds and listening to my favorite podcasts.”
— Jen Leo, columnist, Los Angeles Times Web Buzz
- Make it smell like home.
“I am a terrible sleeper, but I’ve found that the L’Occitane en Provence’s Relaxing Pillow Mist lavender spray helps a little bit. If anything, I get the same smell in the hotel that I get at home. And it comes in a travel size, so it’s easy to travel with.”
—Ana Silva O’Reilly, founder, Mrs. O Around The World
- Take an evening dip.
“Hotel sleeping is more easily done after exercise. If possible, I always book a hotel with a pool and use it too. Nothing helps you sleep better than an evening swim.”
—Shers Gallagher
- Listen to a language lesson.
“Pimsleur audio language lessons put me to sleep! In a good way! So relaxing!”
—Ellen Jovin, communication skills expert, EllenJovin.com
- Read hotel reviews.
“Noise is a growing problem, I have found, with rooftop bars or outside bars and cafes. I use TripAdvisor to look up reviews about noise and also to see what type of area the hotel is located in, since there could be bars or clubs next door or across the street.”
—Bob Glaze, curator Globalphile.com
Be a smarter traveler: Sign up for Wendy Perrin’s newsletter .
