A Premier King room at Equinox Hotel New York.
Sleep tourism is one of the fastest growing travel trends around the globe but for Equinox Hotels, the focus on a good night’s rest is just part of the brand’s DNA.
So, when I decided National Sleep Awareness Month was a perfect time to try to improve my zzzz’s, I immediately booked a sleepcation at Equinox Hotel New York. It was eye-opening – and, more importantly, eye-shutting.
I originally considered the hotel’s two-night package, The Art + Science of Sleep by Equinox Hotels, which includes Cryotherapy and the popular Sleep Wave Table that provides the equivalent of three hours of sleep in just 30 minutes. But their spa menu is extensive and I was so tempted by many of the other offerings that I ended up creating my own restful itinerary. I will definitely go back to try those two treatments at some point, though, because I heard guests raving about them.
What I learned about sleep during my stay can really be summed up in three words: Dark. Quiet. Cool. This is the Equinox Hotels’ science-based sleep mantra, which I’ll explain in detail when I tell you more about the rooms. But I also learned that surrounding yourself with the right tools, resources and an environment that’s conducive to helping you do your best in every area of your life can make a huge difference in how you sleep. Because, to sleep well, you have to live well.
Here's how Equinox Hotel New York encourages that:
High-performance design
The indoor lap pool at Equinox Hotel New York.
Located in trendy Hudson Yards, Equinox Hotel New York has set the design bar high with a striking, minimalist aesthetic that lives up to the brand’s high-performance ethos. It’s an ode to luxury and wellness, fueled by state of the art technology – and human beings – dedicated to helping you live your best, healthiest life.
Of course, there’s an Equinox Fitness Club and, at 60,000 square feet, it’s their largest and most luxurious one. It spans two floors and features an indoor saltwater lap pool and an outdoor dipping pool, all with stunning views that make working out so much more enjoyable. As a hotel guest, you’re considered a member during your stay so you can take advantage of all of it. This, in itself, is a great reason to choose the hotel when you’re in New York.
Rooms optimized for sleep
My room at Equinox Hotel New York.
Because Equinox understands that sleep is key to performance, they’ve optimized every room to provide the most restful experience. In a city that never sleeps, this is revolutionary – and effective.
My Deluxe King room, with its floor to ceiling windows overlooking the Hudson River, made me feel like I was on a cruise ship, where I tend to sleep best. The room was well-appointed with so much attention to detail. Everything in the room is specifically designed to help you sleep better, from the clinical grade filtered air to the mini bar filled with high performance snacks and products like magnesium cream and valerian root sleep drops. There’s a book on your bedside table featuring AM/PM rituals designed to support circadian rhythm and even specific AM/PM shower gels incorporating locally grown herbs to promote either vitality or relaxation.
Sleep, according to Equinox Hotels, is all about Dark. Quiet. Cool.
The piece de resistance, though, is the magic button on the room’s iPad that promises Dark Quiet Cool. One click and the lights go off, the blackout shades and the temperature come down and you are ready to head off to dreamland via Equinox Hotels’ all-natural, proprietary sleep system.
That includes a handcrafted bed topped with a cushy, supportive mattress, luxury linens and pillows that are just right. The “acoustically isolated” rooms ensure peace and quiet and the fact that the temperature stayed low even in the middle of the night was miraculous to me. I usually wake up sweating and parched in hotels because the air is so dry but I was actually able to keep the cozy comforter on all night because it was so comfortable.
Restful spa treatments
The Spa at Equinox Hotel New York.
I’m always up for new spa treatments and The Spa by Equinox Hotels features some of the industry’s most state of the art, high tech experiences. These are the ones I tried:
Detox Dome
I felt like I was climbing into an MRI machine for this treatment, which is designed to detox the body quickly. MLX i3Dome uses far infrared rays, plasma and light to reduce stress, strengthen the immune system and rejuvenate the skin. If you’re claustrophobia, this treatment is probably not for you because it gets very hot in there and you can’t really move around. Although I felt great when I got out, I only lasted for 15 minutes of the 30-minute treatment.
Icoone Roboderm Detox & Slimming Lymphatic Drainage
I’ve never experienced anything like this treatment! First, I had to put on a full bodysuit so the device wouldn’t directly touch my skin – the device being the Icoone Roboderm, an octopus-like machine from which my therapist used two “tentacles” to perform a deep lymphatic massage. This treatment is meant to help firm and tone skin, reduce the appearance of cellulite, improve circulation and digestion and actually shape and contour the body. The suction feels kind of like cupping and is a little weird but not really uncomfortable. I definitely felt (and looked) less bloated afterwards and there may even have been a little more definition in my waistline but this is one of those treatments that needs to be done on a regular basis to really experience dramatic results.
NutriDrip NutriSleep
This was my third treatment of the day and I should have done it in the evening because it was so relaxing, I could easily have gone back to my room and fallen asleep for the night afterwards. IV Therapy has become very popular and this exclusive Equinox Drip is specifically designed to improve sleep patterns. Packed with essential nutrients, vitamins and minerals like magnesium, glycine, taurine plus, calcium, zinc and vitamins C, B-Complex and B5, the 60 minute drip helps remind your body how to sleep. Chilling out in one of the spa’s relaxation pods overlooking the water while the good stuff flows through your bloodstream just adds to the zen feeling.
Chilling out in a relaxation pod at the Spa at Equinox Hotel New York.
CBD Relief Massage
If you’ve never tried a CBD massage, you must! As someone who loves loves loves massages, I was pleasantly surprised to come out of this one feeling blissfully revitalized rather than blissfully loopy. The use of CBD in the deep tissue massage really targets sore muscles and aids in flexibility – both of which I desperately need. This was just an overall joy and I left there, ready to deal with the crowds and craziness of the city, then sleep like a baby that night.
Dr. Lava Devgan’s Glass Skin Microinfusion Microneedling Facial
Wow! I know it may not sound appealing to have your face pricked by a microneedle, but I can tell you it’s totally worth it. The itsy bitsy holes (which you can’t see at all) allow the high-powered serum to seep into skin and work its magic to create a smooth as glass complexion. My skin looked so much plumper, brighter, healthier afterwards and I’ve been using Dr. Devgan’s Hyaluronic Serum (which you get to bring home) to keep it that way. I highly recommend this facial.
Dark. Quiet. Cool.
A sleepcation at Equinox Hotel New York is the stuff of dreams.
My two nights at Equinox Hotel New York were literally the stuff that dreams are made of. After waking up surprisingly refreshed both mornings, I started to rethink my whole sleep routine at home. Although all of the Equinox Hotel’s bedding is available for purchase, I’m going to first see how I can incorporate the apparently effective Dark. Quiet. Cool. philosophy into my own life.
I can’t guarantee that I’ll start working out but I will definitely treat myself to more regular spa treatments — and more luxury sleepcations.
