How To Treat Your Vacation Like An Actual Vacation

Throughout my twenties, I treated partying and traveling synonymously. When I went to Paris in the summer of 2018, I spent my entire trip celebrating France’s World Cup win by marching around the streets, drinking champagne. A vacation to the Greek Islands? No better time to check out every club Paros, Ios, and Naxos had to offer. But as I’ve entered my thirties, I’ve begun to embrace a rising trend in travel: sleep tourism.

According to Hilton’s 2025 Global Travel Trends Report, there’s been a significant increase in those who prioritize better sleep and relaxation while traveling. In fact, 49% of the travelers they polled listed rest and recharging as one of the reasons they’re planning vacations in the first place. So when Hilton and Amex invited me to the Waldorf Astoria Los Cabos Pedregal to experience how their Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card can unlock travel experiences focused on unwinding, relaxing, and reconnecting with yourself, I couldn’t wait to book my flight.

Arriving at the ocean-front hotel felt restorative enough, but as I reviewed my itinerary, I learned that the trip would be jam-packed with activities designed to slow down my nervous system. Each day would begin with beachside yoga, end with a sound bath, and include other moments of leisure ranging from a spa treatment to attending a cacao ceremony. (If you’ve never heard of the latter, think an Ayahuasca retreat-lite.)

“We all live busy lives and sometimes we get overwhelmed with all the things that we have to do in order to be ‘productive’ or to achieve a goal. We all deserve a huge pat on the back for that but also a moment of pause to break and rest,” says wellness expert and influencer Phyllicia Bonanno, who accompanied us on the trip as part of her work with Alo Moves. “You know when people say they need a vacation from their vacation? Well why not actually allow your vacation to serve its true purpose?”

With this imperative in mind, I leaned into the experience wholeheartedly. In our free-time, I read Elaine Dundy’s The Dud Avocado by the pool (nothing calms my mind more than reading), took piping-hot baths (enhanced by different salts and elixirs provided by the hotel), and tried to stay off my cellphone as much as possible (with mixed results). “Rest doesn’t always have to be sleeping. But taking a moment away from our everyday life to rest and restore in various ways that allow our mind and body to be rejuvenated,” says Bonanno. “Many need meditation but don’t do it because it is difficult to sit still and be in your own thoughts. However, meditation can also look like walking on the beach. Giving yourself the space to feel the sand, listen to the waves, and just breathe.”

And while the Aspire card’s benefits makes it easier for members to experience sleep tourism at participating Hilton Resorts like the one I traveled to in Cabo — especially since you can earn 14x Hilton Honors Bonus Points for purchases made on the property — Bonanno stresses that there are many ways to achieve this level of relaxation in your very own home. “Vacation and paradise aren’t just a place, but a mindset. Set a timer and give yourself an hour or two just for self-care. Schedule it just like you would anything wise you’d do in a day and make it important,” she says. “It could be a yoga class, taking a walk in the park, listening to a sound bath meditation. However, the most important part is to put your phone away. Detaching yourself from your everyday busy life is the key to relaxation and creating the sensation of being ‘away.’”

Since I’ve been home, I’ve taken Bonanno’s advice to heart, trading the alarm on my cellphone for a proper alarm clock, and started doing a 10 minute meditation before bed each night. I might not be at the beach, but I’m certainly sleeping like I am.