10-06-2025
California's Resort At Pelican Hill Spa Leans Into Sleep Tourism Trend
View of Resort at Pelican Hill in Newport Beach, California
The Resort at Pelican Hill in Newport Coast, California is tapping into the growing sleep tourism movement. The luxurious property in South Orange County kicked off its quarterly Buona Notte Nighttime Ritual series on May 8, to ignite a larger conversation about the intersection between sleep and wellness.
'Sleep tourism is the choice of travel experiences that support deep rest, relaxation and wellbeing,' explains the Spa at Pelican Hill's director Nichole Hester. 'Today's guests are looking beyond the standard amenities and choosing destinations designed to restore energy, reset their natural rhythms, and prioritize sleep as an essential part of their overall health.'
As part of their 7-9 p.m. program, the resort will offer some kind of masterclass element where guests can learn hands-on, expert-led self-care, along with additional relax-inducing activities. The kickoff, for example, featured an immersive nighttime skincare routine hosted by Barcelona-based luxury beauty brand Natura Bissé. The brand's renowned global skincare educator Yushing Foo led a 40-minute wind-down routine. Guests also took in a guided meditation and intimate self-reflection in the spa's relaxation room, while walking away with sleep-centric gifts from the hotel.
Following the success of its sold-out launch, the team decided to continue with an August 7 session. The event will feature a masterclass by Cord Coen, founder of vegan skincare and fragrance brand Zents, along with its sister brand Antara Organics.
Hester says the objective is to get guests' minds and bodies prepared for a good night's sleep to function at their highest capacity for the remainder of their visit at the hotel.
Spa at Pelican Hill in Newport Beach's relaxation room
'Wellness starts with rest because it creates the foundation for positive energy, ideas, and engagement,' she shares. 'We want to create relationships with our guests that nurture their well-being beyond their time in the spa. We use the term Benessere, which means to be well in your body and mind: focused, present, and ready to enjoy the moment. It's about abundance—fresh air, fresh, seasonal food, movement that creates energy, joy in simple pleasures and fostering connections with family and friends.'
While a spa service isn't required in order to purchase a $185 ticket to the intimate event, it can of course amplify relaxation and restoration for the frequent traveler or anyone generally in need of a reset.
The Spa at Pelican Hill offers 22 private treatment rooms designed for massages and facials, with 23,000 square feet devoted to a wall of flowing water, steam rooms, saunas and saltwater Roman soaking tubs. The calm of the spa complements the nature of the five-star, five diamond, Italian-inspired hotel as a whole. Designed as a coastal oasis, its coliseum pool features a backdrop of the Pacific Ocean, with scenic views of the luscious Pelican Hill Golf Club.
'The resort has a natural serenity that guests often comment on,' Hester says. 'We frequently hear that our guests sleep really well when they're here. While sleep tourism is a popular and likely enduring trend, we set out to create a spa-specific experience that amplifies the resort's organic tranquility, and paired it with a usable self-care routine.'
