Best of Rest: Hästens Sleep-Spa Hotel
Books and bedtime have long been one of life’s most relaxing rituals. So when Portugal’s family-owned O Valor do Tempo luxury group had the chance to build its first hotel near the famous Joanina Library, part of the UNESCO World Heritage– listed University of Coimbra, it looked to that combination for inspiration. But how to create a bedtime experience that does justice to a world-renowned library? By partnering with Hästens, makers of exceptional handcrafted mattresses and other sleep accessories and one of the world’s leading experts in a good night’s rest.
“We wanted to create the ultimate place for well-being, with books addressing wellbeing of the mind and sleep, well-being of the body,” says Tiago Quaresma, managing director of O Valor do Tempo. Accordingly, while the 16-andolder “micro-hotel” has shared spaces, including dining areas and a rooftop lounge—both available only to in-house guests—the main focus is on the 15 bedrooms (at a standard room rate of around $599 per night). Each accommodation features a Hästens limitededition Herlewing bed and a bathroom lined with 1,200 hand-carved, gold-plated marble book spines that correspond to actual titles guests can borrow. Drawing on its nearly 170 years of expertise, Hästens has trained the staff in the best practices of sleep as well as created an in-room channel of doctorled sleep-health videos, plus time-specific music playlists (available on the Hästens app) and an entire menu of pillows.
VIP experiences include private access to the Joanina and to rare, century-old books, but Quaresma stresses that the main purpose of the hotel, slated to open this month, is to be a “place of tranquility and exclusivity.” As such, even the service aligns with those ends: Food and drink are included in the rate, to reduce in-person interactions. “We don’t want to overwhelm people with too much,” he says. “We just want them to have a good rest.”