Life is short, but your to-do list? We know that feels extra-long at times. There’s always something you can be doing — from tackling those work emails that have been sitting in your inbox for far too long and signing the kids up for activities to organizing that drawer. (You know the one.)
With the daily pressures of life popping up unexpectedly and the “shoulds” perpetually ringing in our heads, it’s no wonder that nearly half of Americans report frequently experiencing stress, an increase of 16 full points over the past two decades. We crave an escape, but planning a vacation itinerary can feel like just one more to-do on the list.
Permission to pause: Checked in, calendar cleared, and doing nothing beautifully. (Photo Credit: @lisamowry)
It doesn’t have to. Enter the Do Nothing Vacation, otherwise known as a “Slowcation.” This type of trip is centered on rest, relaxation, and disconnecting from all those pressures we feel. It lacks rigid schedules and itineraries bursting with activities, and replaces them with relaxation, spontaneity, and simplicity — maybe even a few naps. Bonus points for those.
Naturally, some places are better suited than others for Do Nothing getaways. These hotels are perfect for checking in and chilling out — no guilt (or calendar appointments) required.
Kimpton Rowan Palm Springs
An incredible retreat with a practically in-your-face mountain view, Kimpton Rowan radiates ethereal desert beauty, from the rooftop deck to the window in your guest room. The 153 soothing, spacious guest rooms and suites offer a restful retreat above the lively downtown Palm Springs. It’s like you’re living right on top of the action — but the action is entirely optional.
Where the hardest decision of the day is poolside or roomside. (Photo Credit: @rowanpalmsprings)
Savor fresh, California-inspired fare straight from the grill. (Photo Credit: @rowanpalmsprings)
Check in and chill out at Kimpton Rowan Palm Springs. (Photo Credit: @rowanpalmsprings)
Follow your whims from the expansive rooftop pool to the pickleball courts (six, to be exact) to the lobby bar with a two-story cinematic window peering out to the San Jacinto Mountains and a bluebird sky. If spending some QT in your serene suite is more your vibe, creamy neutrals, calming blues, and eye-catching textures will surround you as you take in the view from your floor-to-ceiling window.
Plus, enjoy custom Atelier Bloem bath products and savor fresh, California-inspired fare from the grill at the award-winning restaurant 4 Saints, located on the top floor. Put simply, Kimpton Rowan Palm Springs is like a desert oasis for doing the least (in the best way).
Kimpton Hotel Arras
Tucked into the Blue Ridge Mountains, Asheville, North Carolina, has a magnetic kind of charm, where indie spirit meets rugged nature. Visitors come for the craft breweries and creative food scene, but stay for scenic strolls and mountain views. There’s something quietly luxurious about being able to get all of that from your home-away-from-home, Kimpton Hotel Arras.
Unplugged, unbothered, and exactly where you’re supposed to be. (Photo Credit: @tsgasheville)
This is your sign to slow down, stay in, and let the view do the work. (Photo Credit: @hotelarras)
Their Pack Square location places you steps from galleries, shops, breweries, and cafes to peruse as you please. Asheville’s eclectic, so don’t worry about dressing up — or, anything, really. It’s that type of destination.
Back at the hotel, Urban Exhale spa treatments, floor-to-ceiling windows, and room service from Bargello, the in-house Mediterranean restaurant helmed by Chef Tyler Slade, will make doing nothing really feel like something (special). And if you’re staying in, you’ll still have a sense of place because above each bed is a stunning work by Asheville artist Catherine Murphy of Haw Creek Forge.
Kimpton Kitalay Samui
On the enchanting island of Koh Samui in Thailand, this resort conjures the romance of a village intimately connected to the sea. From one of 138 rooms, suites or villas, many with their own private pool, guests spend time looking out over the ocean (in between pool dips, refreshing showers, and naps).
When the itinerary says “relax” and actually means it. (Photo Credit: @tonifscher)
There are 6 outdoor pools at Kitalay Samui, but fret not — one of the most challenging decisions you’ll make all day is which one to visit when. Onsite Kitavaree Spa offers Thai, Swedish, and deep-tissue massage, alongside other services such as herbal foot reflexology and facial treatments.
If you’re up for seeing where two wheels take you, hop on a flat-tire bike (no reservations required) that’s perfect for beach rides, or borrow a standard model for trips around the resort.
Kimpton Shorebreak Resort Huntington Beach
Huntington Beach, California — aka Surf City, USA — is known for its expansive beaches and vibrant surf culture. Shorebreak, right off the Pacific Coast Highway, is full of light, bright, perfectly California coastal guestrooms, each with its own balcony overlooking the beach and the Pacific Ocean.
Huntington Beach is Surf City, USA. (Photo Credit: @pacifichideaway)
Because the beach is built for deep breaths, late mornings, and absolutely no rushing. (Photo Credit: @shorebreakresort)
Walk-in showers and soft seating (perfect for cracking open a book or posting up for a Netflix binge) can be found in each room, but when you’re ready to venture out on your own time, custom Kimpton beach cruisers from PUBLIC Bikes are available for guests to borrow for a pedal down the Huntington Beach Bike Path, which connects the city to the charming Newport Beach pier.
Back at the hotel, dinner from Pacific Hideaway includes fresh-caught Mahi tacos, crispy pork katsu, shrimp bucatini, and more — served up in a colorful and totally chill atmosphere (or, if you’d rather, in the comfort of your hotel room).
Kimpton Cottonwood Hotel
Omaha, Nebraska is a city with a burgeoning arts and cultural scene. Still, you won’t even need to leave your hotel to experience much of it — when you stay at Kimpton Cottonwood Hotel, the historic former Blackstone Hotel (an Omaha icon) dating to 1916.
No alarms, no agendas — just a very good place to be. (Photo Credit: @danadamewoodphotography)
Cottonwood reinterprets roaring twenties nostalgia with a contemporary eye. Every corner of the building hums with history, giving your “do nothing” stay a unique sense of place and time. Enjoy poolside grilling and DJ sets while you lounge — and then lounge some more — by the pool in a cozy cabana. Hit the hot tub on chillier days.
Hungry while you do a whole lot of nothing? Cottonwood’s five dining outlets have you covered, with everything from steaks (this is Omaha, after all) to seasonal salads.
Kimpton Grand Roatán Resort and Spa
Travel all the way to Honduras and do nothing? That’s kind of the point at Kimpton Grand Roatán, where two outdoor pools, the beach, lapping waves, and lush, swaying palms seem to whisper “live moment to moment.”
The art of doing nothing, perfected. (Photo Credit: @_yanisworld)
The pace is decidedly relaxed in Roatán, so watching surfers and divers come in from the depths over a fresh-muddled mojito is an everyday activity. Saunter over to the spa when you’re ready to do nothing horizontally, and soak up the crisp, airy atmosphere of your bungalow as long as you like — the floor-to-ceiling windows frame up the Caribbean Sea flawlessly.
The phrase “do nothing activities” might sound like a contradiction, but at Grand Roatán, they’re an art form. Think restorative yoga (just a handful of deeply relaxing poses) or sound baths that let you fully unplug without lifting a finger.
Fredericksburg, Texas
When you’re envisioning a Do Nothing Vacation, a city that has a million things to do seems counterintuitive. A quaint town with lazy Main Street shopping and gallery hopping, an excellent (yet totally approachable) local wine scene, and friendly locals who are genuinely glad to have you visit — whatever that looks like? That sounds more like it.
Shop like a local in Fredericksburg. (Photo Credit: Spencer Imbrock)
Fredericksburg, Texas, in the heart of Texas Hill Country, is that quaint little town. Post up at the coming-in-2027 Kimpton hotel in the heart of downtown. It’s a stylish retreat set to blend seamlessly with Fredericksburg’s smile-inducing, slow-living style, and will feature a great restaurant, a chic lobby bar, and a poolside lounge that’ll tempt you to swap sightseeing for sipping and staycationing.
When it comes to a “do nothing” trip, the most you have to do is get to one of these fantastic hotels. Then, let the rest come naturally.
