Travel

By Brooke Steinberg

These hotels mean business — and fun.

Travelers are prioritizing a good night’s sleep, amenities that promote a healthy lifestyle, and rooms with “smart” technology, according to a 2024 travel forecast from Hilton out this week.

Thanks to the rise in “bleisure” travel — adding a vacation to a work trip — jet-setters are extending the length of their hotel stays and looking to book resort destinations, especially all-inclusive properties.

To appease these travelers, hotels are adding Peloton bikes, pillow menus, digital room keys, plenty of outlets, wireless charging pads on nightstands, and more.

Hilton and Ipsos surveyed 10,000 travelers from nine countries, received video “diaries” from 60 US travelers, and interviewed dozens of Hilton “travel experts.”

Four themes for 2024 emerged from this research: sleep is a priority; connectivity and personalization are key; culture and experiences drive leisure travel decisions and business travel trends will redefine expectations.

Hotel chains are still recovering from COVID-19, and they’re trying to capitalize on “revenge travel” — the trend involves traveling more than usual for fun because you felt like you missed out on time and experiences due to the pandemic.

“Bleisure” has people bookending work trips with vacation days — spurring classic business hotels to make sure they have fun options and leisure hotels to add workplace amenities.

Hilton said it will be adding white noise machines, blackout shades and high-thread-count linens to rooms to help travelers sleep.

Electric car chargers on hotel properties and more online booking options will appeal to technology fans, while pickleball courts will provide another leisure aspect.

Hilton isn’t the only hotel chain looking to the future.

Hyatt Hotels announced last month that it’s growing its “luxury and lifestyle” offerings, including expanding its presence in “a flourishing new leisure market in Mexico.”

The Dream Valle de Guadalupe, due to open next year, features a vineyard, 61 guest rooms and villas, a luxury spa and three dining and nightlife venues, including a private tasting room and pool bar.

Marriott, meanwhile, has 225 luxury properties in the pipeline.

And the Ritz-Carlton announced last month the launch of its “Leave Better” campaign.

Leave Better “encourages guests to consider the memories they’ll create, the connections they’ll forge, the inspiration they’ll draw, and the level of revitalization they’ll experience that can only result through genuine comfort and care.”

Enriching classes, cultural programming and hands-on culinary experiences are some of the options on the itinerary.