BURLINGTON, VT—Many hotels place a strong emphasis on creating the best physical sleep experience by upgrading mattresses, box springs and linens. However, Hotel Vermont, located here, recognizes that a truly restful night’s sleep takes more than a well-designed bed. Owned and operated by local hotelier Jay Canning, the 125-room property offers its Bed Time menu with a list of sleep-friendly amenities.
“Travelers often are affected by jet lag, a common cold or sniffles, nervousness about an upcoming important meeting or simply being away from home and getting used to a different environment,” said Hans van Wees, general manager of Hotel Vermont. “Travelers use an over-the-counter sleep-aid, cold medicine or prescription drugs to counter some of these symptoms. We feel there are more natural ways to sleep better.”
Attempting to embody an authentic Vermont experience, the hotel has cultivated local partnerships to create the menu. Intended to help guests get a good night’s sleep, amenities include a Lunaroma aromatherapy assortment, Vermont flannel pajama sets, Vermont teddy bears, bedtime stories and a hot toddy selection. Guests can call the front desk to reserve one or all of the amenities. A $5 service fee is added for in-room delivery.
Hotel Vermont’s locally sourced Lunaroma aromatherapy bath products ($18) provide a range of options designed to calm the senses. Expertly blended with essential oils, the aromatherapy selections are offered in six kits with various options, which include Immune Support, Relaxing, Executive, Lovers, Vermont and à la carte. For example, the Executive’s Kit features mixtures meant to reduce stress, while the Lover’s Kit offers sensual massage oils. Some of the property’s most popular blends are Bliss, Less Stress and Immune Support.
The Vermont Flannel Pajama Set ($95) gives guests an opportunity to snuggle up in bed or relax in the guestroom. “Flannel is the softest pajama material one could wish for,” said van Wees, “and the most practical in Vermont.”
Offered complimentary, the menu’s Bed Time Stories features a collection of books from the lobby’s library area. Hotel Vermont convenes with Vermont authors on a quarterly basis to find books that would help guests relax and fall asleep. The hotel also offers in-room books provided by Burlington Writers Workshop.
“In addition, we offer Vermont children’s books, such as Click Clack Moo and Where Does Joe Go?,” said van Wees. “Spending time with your kids reading is one of the most gratifying parenting experiences. Not to mention that research has shown that the use of electronic media immediately before bedtime makes for a restless night’s sleep and promotes nightmares.”
The Vermont Teddy Bear Company, based in Shelbourne, VT, is one of the largest producers of teddy bears and the largest seller of teddy bears by mail order and Internet. The company handcrafts each of its teddy bears and produces almost 500,000 teddy bears each year. And now the Vermont Teddy Bear ($85) is available to visitors staying at Hotel Vermont. The amenities menu includes six popular bears to choose from, such as the Fishing Bear, Snowshoe Bear, Skiing Bear, Snowboard Bear, Classic Bowtie Bear and the signature Hotel Vermont Bear.
For mixology aficionados, the menu offers a hot toddy ($14) to help fight a cold or provide a good night’s rest. Guests can choose Vermont Rum or Whistle Pig Whiskey for their hot toddy, which typically contains water with sugar and spices, and is served hot. “Hot toddies are our final answer to a night’s sleep after all else fails,” said van Wees. “Our mixologists have doctored up the ultimate sleep remedy.”
Since introducing the Bed Time menu with the opening of the hotel last year, guests have provided positive feedback. “Our guests love the bedtime options. Even if they do not use any of the menu items, it makes our guests think about their upcoming night’s sleep and makes them feel at home,” said van Wees. “The teddy bears have been most popular because they are a great gift to take home, even if you don’t sleep with one.”
In addition to the Bed Time menu, the hotel provides platform beds combined with high-thread-count linens, a down comforter and custom-designed Johnson Woolen Mills blanket, handmade from four generations in Johnson, VT. “We feature the best mattresses money can buy, and our guests frequently comment on the comfort of our beds,” said van Wees. “We will not rest until you do.”
Designed to reflect local Vermont aesthetics with a home-like feel, the hotel’s guestrooms include a manually operated window allowing fresh air in. Additionally, each room features built-in casework, providing places to work, lounge and sleep. LED lighting is used throughout the room, meeting the LEED-certified hotel’s energy goals. “We went through a thorough review process of what else makes a good night’s sleep: a calm mind, clear breathing pathways, comfortable clothing, a sense of security and a little pampering,” said van Wees. “We realized that a hotel experience starts with the basics—a good night’s rest.”