More Couples Are Into 'Sleep Divorce' on Vacation

Couples on vacation who really want some R&R may consider a novel way to travel: booking separate rooms. Dubbed "sleep divorce," USA Today reports that it's a growing travel fad, with 37% of couples in Hilton's 2025 Trends Report saying they don't sleep in the same bed on trips. While the idea may have been considered taboo in the past, people who just want a good night's sleep are using their vacations to make resting in ideal conditions a priority. At home, 35% of couples already opt to sleep separately, the Week reports, and for younger generations, it's much more normalized. A 2023 American Academy of Sleep Medicine survey found that 43% of millennial couples (versus 22% of boomers) sleep in separate rooms.

So what does sleep divorce look like on a trip? In simplest terms, it could just mean getting a double, though that doesn't solve all problems, such as partner snoring loudly. "Two full beds can give you some distance, but for couples who want a little more space, or are light sleepers, it's not always ideal," travel guide Stephanie Webb tells Sleepopolis. "I've heard from people who say it can feel more like a college roommate setup than a romantic retreat." Stays with multiple rooms, like villas, give plenty of sleeping options. In tighter spaces, adjoining rooms or two-bedroom suites are an option, and some hotels are even creating nooks for a second sleeping area.

For couples wary about sleeping apart, testing it out on a vacation can be a good way to see if such an arrangement is better in the long run. Marriage therapist Fatemeh Farahan tells USA Today that setting up romantic rituals prior to bedtime and again when waking up can make couples feel closer. "It's really about recognizing that sometimes healthiest relationship choices are the ones that acknowledge both partners' unique needs," she says. Other sleep trends in Hilton's report include a rise of vacationers using wellness and spa offerings at hotels in order to enhance sleep, and an uptick in trips full of hurkle-durkling, the Scottish practice of staying in bed all day, which one in five global travelers, especially younger ones, enjoy. (One sleep study has a warning for night owls.)