Hilton’s 2027 Trends Report shows that spas, hydrothermal experiences and outdoor spaces are becoming concrete booking criteria, not optional extras.
For years, wellness was an add-on for hotels. The data now tells a different story. According to Hilton’s 2027 Trends Report, The Great Rebalance, a growing share of travellers choose where to stay based on what a hotel offers for recovery.
The survey data
The research surveyed 14,744 adults across 14 countries who plan to travel between July 2026 and June 2027. The markets were the United States, Mexico, Brazil, Colombia, the United Kingdom, Germany, Türkiye, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Australia, China, India, Japan and South Korea.
The clearest finding concerns water-based experiences. Some 61% of respondents said they are more likely to try them while travelling, ideally in company.
This translates into specific booking decisions. One in five respondents (20%) would choose a property for its sauna or steam room, while 29% would book for the pool.
Thermal areas therefore become a true point of differentiation, especially when hotels weave them into the guest journey instead of isolating them in the spa. Hilton, for example, treats thermal bathing as a social practice, well suited to guests who also seek connection while travelling.
Sleep, relaxation and the outdoors
Fresh air also shapes how people relax on the road. In fact, 35% of respondents would book a hotel specifically for outdoor spaces designed for relaxation.
The research shows that genuine recovery is a central purpose of a hotel stay. Accordingly, 32% of respondents would book a hotel specifically for spaces designed to support deep sleep.
Hilton groups these findings under the label “Wellness, Rewired”, which describes the meeting of technology, nature, human connection and restorative experiences. Conrad Orlando illustrates the trend: its outdoor water garden has recorded 60% year-on-year growth in outdoor hydrotherapy treatments.
What this means for the industry
The numbers confirm a direction that Hilton’s wellness leaders outlined back in 2023: taking wellbeing beyond the walls of the spa and gym, with touchpoints spread across guestrooms, public areas and outdoor spaces.
For hoteliers, the message is twofold. First, wellness is no longer just a service to offer. It is a factor that steers the booking decision. Second, large spas do not necessarily make the difference. What matters are water, nature and relaxation experiences that are designed coherently and spread across the whole stay.
Source: Spa Business
Image credit: Hilton
