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Don’t expect to get a good night’s sleep at these popular vacation spots

Bring the noise canceling headphones

By Amanda Teague Published September 24, 2024

Hong Kong — carloyuen / Pixabay

A recent study by Onebed has identified the top tourist destinations where a peaceful night’s sleep might be the hardest to find. Based on factors such as noise levels, poor hotel sleep reviews, and tourist volume, the study highlights destinations notorious for sleep disruptions.

Hong Kong tops the list as the most sleep-challenging destination, with an overwhelming 73% of negative hotel reviews citing poor sleep quality, largely due to its noise levels.

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Cancun, Mexico, follows closely, where lively nightlife and elevated noise make restful sleep elusive for many visitors.

Las Vegas, known for its constant flow of tourists– over 40 million annually– and 24/7 entertainment, also ranks high, with late-night noise and clubs staying open until 4 a.m. contributing to its sleep challenges.

The full list

Hotel room bed — Pexels / Pixabay

The top 10 tourist destinations where a good night’s sleep is hardest to find are as follows:

Hong Kong
Cancun, Mexico
Las Vegas, Nevada
Shanghai, China
Istanbul, Turkey
Marrakech, Morocco
Cairo, Egypt
Amsterdam, Netherlands
Paris, France
Rome, Italy

Shanghai, China, ranks high on the list due to noise levels reaching 85 dBA, and 62% of negative reviews from 4-star hotels focused on sleep quality. With nightlife stretching until 5 a.m., finding rest in this bustling city proves difficult for many.

Cairo, Egypt, comes in 7th place with a poor air quality index of 138 AQI and 57% of negative sleep reviews. Rome, Italy, rounds out the list with 56% of hotel sleep reviews being negative. Also, Rome’s nightlife, which continues until 4 a.m., makes restful nights hard to come by in the Eternal City.

Dylan Tollemache, Co-Founder and CEO of Onebed, commented on the findings, saying, “Quality sleep is essential, yet it’s often overlooked when planning a trip. It’s surprising to see just how much noise and nightlife can impact sleep quality in popular destinations. Places like Hong Kong and Cancun may be on many bucket lists, but the reality of trying to sleep in these lively cities can be quite different. What stands out is how even a city’s charm and energy can sometimes mean compromising on a good night’s rest—something travelers might not anticipate when booking their stay.”

Contributor

Amanda, an accomplished freelance writer from Columbus, Ohio, is a dedicated explorer of both the world and the written word…

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