Silence: The newest luxury travel amenity

What is the latest trend in luxury travel? Listen. Yes, it's silence. The world's wealthy travelers are not just paying to get away from it all, they are paying not to hear it all either. We're now seeing hotels – from luxury resorts to business-travel chains – marketing things like noise-free zones, triple-paned glass, soundproof walls, and serene settings where you can actually hear a pin drop. Some of this is related to the “mindfulness” trend that made Zen gardens, meditation rooms and Eat, Pray, Love best sellers. But a growing number of destinations are promoting the absence of noise, not as part of a broader spiritual message, but as a virtue all on its own. At the Fairmont hotel in Vancouver, Canada, the brand created the chain's first “Quiet Floor,” with no bellmen, no housekeeping, and no room service between the hours of 8am and 8pm. At Chewton Glen, a luxury resort in Hampshire, England, guestroom doors are built with a concealed hatch through which staff can deliver room service without making a sound. And the Beverly Hills Hotel in Los Angeles is now finishing a three-year restoration that paid particular attention to noise reduction – including TVs that are programmed so that they can’t exceed a maximum volume. In a world that seems to be trending ever louder... many people are finding that peace and quiet is well worth paying for.