The Scots have long understood this impulse, giving it a name: 'hurkle-durkling', a 200-year-old term describing the quiet pleasure of lingering in bed long after the day has begun. Two centuries on, its wisdom feels more relevant than ever. As the trend towards slower travel gathers pace, some of the world’s most considered hotels are shaping experiences that reward stillness as much as exploration.

Perhaps the most striking of these bed-friendly escapes is found at Time + Tide in Zambia’s South Luangwa National Park. Set along a curve of the Luangwa River, each camp sits within one of Africa’s richest wildlife landscapes.

From beneath crisp linen sheets, guests wake to the bright chatter of Lilian’s lovebirds or the sharp bark of baboons greeting the morning. With canvas walls open to the air, the bush stirs into view while remaining under the covers: a herd of elephants lumbering down to the water’s edge and giraffe pausing mid-feed among the trees. Step onto a private verandah, and the perspective widens. Even an outdoor shower becomes a vantage point. In such a setting, hurkle-durkling feels entirely justified.

For a more uplifting experience, travellers can retreat to Argos in Cappadocia, a unique cave hotel carved into the rocky slopes of Uçhisar. Overlooking the undulating Pigeon Valley with Mount Erciyes rising in the distance, the setting feels suspended between earth and sky.

Here, guests are treated to the spectacular hot air balloon parades that this region is famous for, drifting past the windows while the morning is savoured from bed. In a Jacuzzi Suite, the sky fills with colour as a private hot tub becomes a front-row seat to the spectacle, turning the moment into something almost surreal. Balloons fly regularly throughout the year, but the warmer months are when this stunning sight is at its most impressive. 

For some, the joy of completely unwinding can only come from truly disconnecting from everything. At the Conrad Singapore Orchard tranquillity is key. The city hum fades behind closed doors as the outside world recedes into distant irrelevance.

The hotel’s signature Sleep-to-Wake ritual begins with a calming tea brewed from native botanicals, while gentle tones from an in-room sound bath settle the space into a soft, deliberate stillness. Swathed in luxurious linens and supported by a curated pillow menu, the bed becomes a cocoon where time loosens its grip. Here, time spent hurkle-durkling is treated as essential.

For those who prefer their culture delivered without stepping beyond the suite, Rocco Forte’s Musical Room Service turns private space into a stage. Across the brand’s city hotels, in-suite dining can be accompanied by live performances arranged in partnership with local theatres and musicians, allowing evenings of culinary and musical artistry to unfold in a space entirely your own.

At The Balmoral in Edinburgh, the experience takes on a distinctly Scottish character. In partnership with Reel Time, a leading local entertainment company, the hotel offers guests of the Glamis Suite a personalised piping lesson woven into a curated dining experience. The flavours of Scottish cuisine are accompanied by the unmistakable sound of traditional pipes, before a post-dinner masterclass invites participation, turning spectators into part of the performance itself.

Just because the body isn’t engaged does not mean the mind must follow. At the University Arms in Cambridge, rest takes the form of a reading retreat, where hours slip easily between pages in the quiet elegance of a private suite.

The hotel’s ‘Stay for the Story’ experience is a two-night literary escape designed for complete immersion. On arrival, phones can be entrusted to the Book Butler, inviting a rare kind of digital silence. In their place comes a curated reading list, a personal journal, and unhurried mornings marked only by breakfast and the slow turning of pages.

Long entwined with the city’s literary heritage, the hotel tailors each stay to individual tastes through one-to-one reading consultations with a Book Butler, while books arrive discreetly at the door as needed. Entire days can unfold without stepping outside, and late check-out extends the pleasure of lingering. Wonderful at any time, but best enjoyed during the cosy British winters.

At the heart of these experiences lies a leisurely mindset, one where rest is intentional. Far from 'doing nothing', the mental and physical benefits of slowing down are unquestionable. And in a world where time is the rarest currency, the ability to rest freely may be the truest form of modern luxury.