Hotel Jet-Lag Cures For Holiday Travelers

December 26, 2012 at 5:45 PM | by Chanize | Comments (2)

No doubt many of you are traipsing around the world this holiday season, visiting friends and family. But unforch, the downside of jetsetting is the inevitable jetlag setting in. We�ve read and written about nearly every cure out there and damn near tried them all. Many are bunk, but these hotels� jet-lag packages, spa treatments, amenities have actually worked on us, so we�re passing the info along so you can recover more quickly.

London: The Flotation Bed therapies (75 minutes/$185) at the InterContinental London Park Lane�s spa have been a godsend after a transatlantic flight that�s too long to consider a hop, but too short to get Ambien-ed out. Businessmen swear by the day spa�s quick and efficient capsule-like bed where you�re wrapped in a foil blanket.

The dry, weightless flotation device almost immediately eases the strain of being cooped on an airplane seat for hours. There�s a variety additions for the floats a less intense 45-minute Exotic Frangipani and Coconut Milk therapy, but for hardcore refreshing the Musclease Aromas Spa Ocean Float involves a scented pressure point facial massage and scalp treatment, which relaxes the tensest of muscles. We were knocked out in minutes and awoke feeling as if we could bike around Hyde Park, just outside the hotel, without breaking a sweat. And we did.

New York: Traveling to the �city that never sleeps� doesn�t help when you�re barely able to function, so that�s why The Benjamin�s free �Sleep Concierge� service is a godsend.

To make sure that you get comfortable there are 12 different types of pillows to choose from, including satin and a special anti-snore option. The bed itself is custom-designed for the hotel (well, what bed isn�t these days?) and is a Serta mattress with foam cushioning, covered with 100% Egyptian cotton, and 400- thread count sheets by Anichini, as well as a down-filled comforter and triple sheeting.

For a little playfulness, the Sleep Concierge can arrange for a nighttime snack of milk and cookies, but we thought the bedside white noise machine was much more useful.

Berlin: Jet-lag doesn�t help if you have sleeping problems to begin with, so that�s why the DeepSleep Package at the Swiss�tel Berlin is a double-hitter with stressed execs.

The package is part of a Chrono-Health Concept developed by sleep consultant Dr. Michael Feld, which can be booked for �60 ($79) on top of the room rate. And hey, not only does it help with sleep, it is even said to assist with weight loss! The concept is quite complicated and uses a combo of light and sound therapy, power napping, breathing thin air, aromatherapy, and ingesting dietary supplements. To be honest, it is a bit involved, which is the only downside. Having the process explained to you after you�ve arrived from a long flight might take a few goes (it did for us).

First you sit for 30-minutes in front of a bright lamp (or use the �light-to-go� designed as a headset). Then, you sip a �power drink� made of herbs that have an energizing effect (although it doesn�t look so great). An aromatherapy session follows using lemongrass essences and citrus oils, which helps with feeling more awake. There�s much more to the process, including mountain air being pumped into your room, and an evening DeepSleep Drink to help one wind down physically and mentally, at the proper hour.

We loved the sound pillow which plays �binaural beats� to increase the level of relaxing sleep brainwaves. Now, we�ve given you all the scientific hoo-haa to it all, but the bottom line is that after a day of going through this ritual, we were ready to face Berlin full-speed ahead, and that was worth all of the mumbo-jumbo to get there.

Other Mention-worthy Cures:

A Shower That Cured Us Of Our Jet-Lag

The Mandarin Oriental Las Vegas�s Re-energizing Jet-Lag Experience Preps You For Late Nights

[Photo:The Benjamin]

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