'Nap'cations: A perfect getaway to sleep in is India's new travel trend

When one thinks of a vacation, visiting popular attractions, trying new food, shopping and packed itineraries tend to be on the vision board. But a new trend has flipped this idea on its head — ‘Nap’cations. More and more Indians are seeking rest on vacations.

 

‘Nap’cations, a portmanteau of "nap" and "vacation", are all about escaping deadlines and chaos to catch up on sleep — apparently one of life’s most underrated luxuries. 

 

“I barely get time to sleep, so, this year, when I took my first break in July, I knew all I wanted to do was sleep on a comfortable hotel bed and wake up to a view of the mountains,” said 32-year-old Ashish Singh, a finance professional from Bengaluru.

 

Not wanting to travel all the way to Uttarakhand or Himachal, Singh booked a three-day stay at a villa property in Kerala’s Munnar.

 

“All I did from the moment I checked in was either sleep or order room service and maybe an occasional walk around the resort one night. Even my phone was unreachable most of the time!” he added.

 

Instead of ticking off bucket-list activities, ‘Nap’cations revolve around curated rest. Think blackout curtains, memory foam beds, herbal teas, rejuvenating spa sessions, and even anytime breakfasts.

 

Singh is not the only one to have taken to the trend. Several hotels and resorts have created packages to cater to a rising demand for such getaways.  

 

“We see guests increasingly seeking ‘Nap’cations – where unstructured time, restful sleep, and slow living take center stage. Our retreat is designed to offer them the freedom to pause, rejuvenate, and simply be,” said Gopal Krishna, general manager at Kinwani House, a part of Araiya Anthology, situated in Rishikesh.

 

The five-star property has been curating gentle wellness packages for those wanting to disconnect from itineraries.

 

“Whether that means sleeping in, lounging by our temperature-controlled pool, or enjoying mindful dining experiences. The idea is to create a sanctuary where rest and restoration feel natural,” Krishna added. 

 

Siddharth Yadav, vice president at MRS Hospitality which operates properties like Narendra Bhawan in Bikaner and Suryagarh in Jaisalmer, concurred. 

 

“Increasingly, we are seeing guests come in, seeking downtime from their everyday lives. This means a very different outlook to a holiday, where they are not going out to explore the city and its culture, but instead want to enjoy an elongated period of rest,” he says.

 

The trend has also gone international.

 

“At Relais & Châteaux Ceylon Tea Trails, we’ve noticed a growing number of guests seeking what we call ‘unstructured luxury’ — time and space to simply slow down, nap, and recharge without the pressure of itineraries. Guests often spend their days drifting between our lakeside gardens, suites, and verandahs, indulging in a curated spa ritual or ordering breakfast at any hour they please,” said Chamindra Goonewardane, director of sales and marketing at Resplendent Ceylon in Colombo, Sri Lanka.

 

The hotel also offers experiences like guided or unguided walks to aromatic baths and tea-infused treatments, to create an environment which is “restorative, deeply personal, and without obligation”. 

Sleep goals

• Several hotels and resorts have created packages to cater the demand
• They are curating gentle wellness packages for those wanting to disconnect from itineraries
• Experiences like guided or unguided walks to aromatic baths and tea-infused treatments are also arranged