Popular Destinations Where A Good Night’s Sleep Is Hard To Find

When we are traveling, most of us have the odd bad night’s sleep while getting used to a different bed. However, according to a recent study, some top tourist destinations have been revealed where getting a restful night might be the most challenging. The results were ranked based on factors such as average noise levels, negative hotel reviews related to sleep quality and the number of tourists in 2023.

Which popular destinations make a good night’s sleep hard to find?

A study run by Onebed evaluated which popular tourist destinations make it hard to have a good night’s sleep. The study took into account five key factors:

• Average noise levels in decibels
• Percentage of negative hotel reviews focused on sleep quality
• The air quality index
• The average number of tourists
• Nightclub opening hours

The data points were then weighted and combined into a composite score to rank each popular destination. Meanwhile, those with higher scores indicate greater challenges for enjoying a peaceful night’s sleep.

1. Hong Kong

Hong Kong is an exciting destination for shopping and for its lively nightlife. However, this number one popular destination has a composite score of 0.74. Hong Kong is the most sleep-disruptive tourist destination, with average noise levels of 91.4 dBA, and with night clubs operating until 5 am, this makes it an environment where a restful night’s sleep is hard to find.

2. Cancun, Mexico

Cancun is a hugely popular destination for American travelers, but even here, getting a good night’s sleep can be a challenge. This top city on the Mayan Riviera comes up at number two with a score of 0.68, Cancun features the highest noise level of 103 dBA among the top destinations in the study. Hotel reviews for the city see 66 percent citing sleep disruptions. Meanwhile, with nightclubs closing at 4 am, the party atmosphere and lively nightlife make it a true challenge to get a quiet night’s sleep.

3. Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

Probably unsurprising, Las Vegas is third on the list of places where it is difficult to enjoy a good night’s sleep. With a score of 0.67, and the fact that it is known as the city that never sleeps, Las Vegas proves its motto with high noise levels averaging 94 dBA. Meanwhile, 57 percent of the hotel reviews refer to sleep issues, and with so many tourists and nightlife lasting until 4 am, Las Vegas is hardly a peaceful retreat.

4. Shanghai, China

Coming in at number four, Shanghai in China has a score of 0.60. Meanwhile, the city has high noise levels of 85 dBA and 62 percent of 4-star hotel reviews relate to bad sleep quality. Here, the extended nightlife lasts until 5 am, which makes it truly challenging to get a good night’s sleep in this bustling metropolis.

5. Istanbul, Türkiye

Fifth place goes to Istanbul in Türkiye with a score of 0.59. Meanwhile, the city combines moderate noise levels of 59 dBA with a high percentage of negative sleep reviews at 71 percent of its 4-star hotels. Meanwhile, Istanbul’s vibrant culture and lively nightlife keeps people awake until 4 am, making it a sleep-challenging destination.

6. Marrakech, Morocco

Marrakech comes in as number six in the study with a score of 0.59, where noise levels reach 90 dBA and 60 percent of negative hotel reviews point to sleep quality issues. Lively nightlife here extends until 4 am, making it hard for travelers seeking peace and quiet.

7. Cairo, Egypt

Cairo in Egypt is an exciting destination, with the Pyramids of Giza as a major attraction, but it comes in seventh place for noise levels, with a score of 0.59. Here, noise levels are joined by bad air quality at 138 AQI. Moreover, 57 percent of hotel reviews were noise-related with nightclubs closing at 3 am.

8. Amsterdam, Netherlands

Coming in at number eight, Amsterdam in the Netherlands has a score of 0.54. While it features moderate noise levels at 65 dBA, the city’s nightlife runs until 5 am. Moreover, 54 percent of hotel reviews point to a negative sleep environment.

9. Paris, France

Paris is known as the City of Light and is one of the most romantic cities in the world. However, it places ninth in the study with a score of 0.54. Paris also ranks high in terms of sleep disruptions with noise levels averaging 79 dBA. Moreover, 52 percent of hotel reviews relate to sleep issues. With nightlife running until 5 am, it is a difficult place for a good night’s sleep.

10. Rome, Italy

The city of Rome comes up at number ten of the most popular tourist destinations where restful sleep is hard to come by. With a score of 0.50, the Italian city’s average noise level is 62.6 dBA, and  56 percent of hotel reviews relate to negative sleep issues. This, combined with nightlife extending until 4 am, reveals the challenges of getting a restful night’s sleep in the Eternal City.

The importance of a good night’s sleep

Speaking of the study, Dylan Tollemache, Co-Founder and CEO at Onebed said:

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.

When running the study, Onebed obtained average noise levels from SoundPrint, which give insights into the ambient noise of each city. Meanwhile, negative hotel reviews that focus on sleep issues were sourced through Google Travel, by considering “Sleep Quality” reviews on the most popular 4-star hotels in each destination.

The average annual number of tourists was compiled using Statista’s tourism data, while nightclub operating hours were reviewed as influencing late-night noise and activity levels.

The various data points were weighted and combined into a composite score to rank each popular destination, with higher scores indicating a greater challenge of enjoying a peaceful night’s sleep.

Readers can see the full input data in the study here.