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When it comes to booking a hotel, one of the most important considerations is sleep. And, if you don’t get it, you can guarantee the rest of your holiday will be impacted.
It’s estimated that more than a quarter (27%) of us are getting by on just six hours sleep per night. What’s more, our research actually revealed that 1 in 5 Brits are spending money on trying to sleep. So, it’s even more essential to get that all-important rest when booking your holiday.
With that in mind, we have analysed 141,156 Tripadvisor reviews in the most popular tourist destinations in the UK to uncover the best places to sleep.
We reviewed the top-rated three, mid-range hotels in each destination, counting the number of reviews mentioning the words ‘comfy’ and positive variations of ‘best sleep’ and ‘good night’s sleep’, so you can make a great choice for your summer getaways.
Manchester is the destination you are most likely to get a ‘good night sleep’
It’s official. For a well-rested break, you need to visit Manchester.
According to the Tripadvisor reviews analysed in the survey, the Northern city takes the top spot as the best place to sleep in our analysis of hotels.
We looked at the number of reviews for each hotel, mentioning the words ‘comfy’ and positive variations of ‘best sleep’ and ‘good night’s sleep’, to identify the best destination.
Manchester’s hotels boasted the largest number of reviews featuring the words analysed. This suggests that if you want to get a good sleep when visiting a new destination, you might want to book a room in this city.
Leeds, another Northern city, takes second place overall
Across the reviews for the three, top-rated hotels analysed in Leeds, 577 were based on ‘best sleep’, ‘good night sleep’ and their positive variations, as well as ‘comfy’. This makes it the second best city to sleep in, of the destinations analysed.
However, it all changes when it comes to the third best hotel of the UK locations reviews.
Brighton is the third best city for sleeping
According to the data analysed, Brighton takes the third place for the best place to sleep, overall, and is the first southern city to make an appearance.
Brighton boasts three hotels garnering 522 reviews mentioning the words ‘comfy’, as well as ‘best sleep’ and ‘good night sleep’ and the variations.
If you are planning your travels, you might want to start looking at these three destinations.
Manchester boasts the BEST hotel to sleep in of destinations reviewed
Not only that, but Manchester clinches the top spot when it comes to a specific hotel.
Of the three top-rated hotels on Tripadvisor for each destination analysed, Manchester boasts the very best for you to get some shut eye.
Manchester Airport’s Radisson Blu Hotel boasts the highest number of positive ‘sleep’ reviews
When surveying the data, 246 reviews of the hotel mentioned the words ‘comfy’ and variations of ‘best sleep’ and ‘good night sleep’, highlighting how this is the best hotel for getting that all-important rest.
It could also be that white noise helps you sleep by blocking out sleep interruptions, and the low hum of a jet engine can do just that. So, if you’re going abroad this year and flying from Manchester, it may be worth checking into the hotel the night before to kickstart your holiday off with a good night’s sleep. With rooms costing an average of £104-£162, it’s also a great value option for those looking for a night away.
Or, alternatively, you could even visit the hotel for a city break as the train only takes 17 minutes to get into the city centre, with prices starting at £4.80 for a return.
Cardiff is home to the second best hotel to sleep
Cardiff isn’t far behind when it comes to a good sleep. Future Inn Cardiff Bay, one of the top-rated hotels on Tripadvisor in the city, is also a great place to sleep according to the hotel analysis.
224 reviews referred to ‘comfy’ rooms and positive variations of ‘best sleep’ and ‘good night sleep’.
Brighton takes third spot again, with the third best hotel
It’s little surprise that the third best place to sleep, features one of the top-rated hotels when it comes to getting that rest.
We found 221 reviews for The Grand, Brighton, related back to sleep and positive variations of ‘best sleep’ and ‘good night sleep’ - making this the third best hotel of all 45 analysed.
Digging deeper into the data, however, we can see that chain hotels regularly take the top spot in destinations analysed.
In fact, in all locations, chain hotels were selected as some of the best places to sleep.
Chain hotels reign supreme in our hotel analysis
In each of the destinations analysed, chain hotels were featured in the top three best-rated, mid-range hotels. Highlighting that you don’t need to spend large amounts of money at independent hotels for a good sleep, especially if you can get a great value option.
The Radisson hotels, ibis and Malmaison were selected as some of the top-rated hotels in three destinations. In addition, the hotel that received the highest percentage of reviews mentioning sleep was the ibis Styles in Glasgow.
Sleep expert reveals seven tips for getting a good night’s sleep at a hotel
Research shows that people struggle to sleep on the first night of adapting to a new environment. Not only does it take them longer to fall asleep, but they have less REM sleep (the stage in which dreams occur) and sleep less, overall.
So, to help stop this from happening, Martin Seeley, CEO and sleep expert at MattressNextDay has shared his top tips for getting a good night’s sleep when away from home.
1. Ask for a room on a higher level and away from any lifts
When booking your room, consider requesting a room that’s on a higher level as that way you’re less likely to be disturbed by street-level noise, or noises coming from the hotel’s lobby or bar.
You should also make sure to request a room that’s away from the lift, as this is also prone to making noise that can keep you awake.
2. If something is keeping you awake in your room, request a new one
Whilst being overly polite is a very British habit, you should never feel like you can’t complain about your room to the hotel lobby. Perhaps the heating system in your room is broken or there’s a noise coming from the ventilation system that’s keeping you awake.
If this is the case or a similar scenario is the case, speak to the lobby and ask if you can be moved.
3. Turn your air conditioning to THIS temperature two hours before bed
Being too hot or too cold can disrupt your sleep so try and pick a room that has an air conditioning system, so you are in control of the temperature. At least two hours before bed, set it between 15.6 to 19.4 degrees Celsius as this creates the perfect sleep environment.
4. Ask the hotel for special requests
A little personalisation can go a long way in creating the perfect sleeping environment away from home. For example, did you know that some hotels have different pillows that are available through request? Perhaps you prefer an extra-firm pillow, or a hypoallergenic pillow if you suffer from dust allergies – just ask.
Similarly, if you find that your mattress is too hard, you could ask if they have anything to soften the sheets, such as a thick blanket. Or you could ask if there’s a recently renovated floor you could sleep on instead, as they’re more likely to have a newer mattress.
5. Try this deep breathing technique
If you have trouble falling asleep when away from home, you should try a breathing technique to help you sleep and our mind relax.
Known as the 4-7-8 technique, you should exhale completely, inhale quietly for four seconds, hold your breath for seven seconds then breathe out for eight. If you repeat this process four times, your lungs will take in a large amount of air. This allows more oxygen into your body and creates a deeper sense of calm.
6. Don’t let there be light
Did you know that light is the most important external factor that can impact your sleep? This is because this plays a central role in regulating your body’s internal clock (known as your circadian rhythm) and signals to your brain when you should be awake and when you should be resting. With this in mind, you should start dimming your lights or using more ambient lighting at nighttime. So, by the time you get to bed, your room is virtually black.
If blinking lights on televisions or alarm clocks disturb you, you should also pack a small roll of masking tape to cover these light sources. Or, a bulldog clip can be used to pinch hotel curtains that let in bright shafts of light in the morning.
7. Stick to your usual sleep schedule
One of the best ways to ensure a good night’s sleep at a hotel is to maintain your regular bedtime routine. If you wash your face before bed or like to journal, bring these items with you and carry out your bedtime routine as normal.
Also, going to bed and waking up at your normal time also helps regulate your circadian rhythm – just as blocking out light does.
For even more do’s and don’ts for the bedroom, read up on Britain’s secret bedtime hygiene habits.
Methodology:
MattressNextDay analysed the three best or top-rated, mid-range hotels on Tripadvisor, in 15 of the most popular UK destinations.
For each hotel, we counted the number of reviews mentioning ‘best sleep’ and ‘good night sleep’ and variations of those terms, as well as ‘comfy’. We then totalled the number of reviews to reveal the absolute best place to sleep.
Note: We have identified the 15 best locations for sleep in the UK.
Data analysed from 14/04/22 to 19/04/22.
