It's not the fresh linens.
The Real Reason Sex Is Better in Hotels
Updated on Nov. 03, 2023
Hotel room sex isn’t just the norm for honeymooning couples. According to a 2018 survey from Hotel Tonight, almost half of Americans believe sex is better in hotels. It’s not necessarily the fresh linen or keycards that make hotel sex so special, either.
The survey found there are actually quite a few reasons why sex is better in hotels, Thrillist reports. One common cause is the novelty of the experience: Stepping away from your own bedroom and staying somewhere new is exciting, which translates to more excitement in the bedroom. Other research also shows that there’s a rush of dopamine when people have sex in hotels, according to HuffPost. Dopamine is a chemical that mediates pleasure in the brain, meaning it releases while experiencing things like sex and a good meal, among others.
In addition to the extra dopamine, it’s also important to consider that hotel rooms could mean couples are vacationing and taking a break from anxiety or stress, which are known to dampen your sex drive. The Hotel Tonight survey also found that the privacy of a hotel room makes the experience more relaxing and enjoyable. There’s a lot less stress knowing hotel staff will honor a “do not disturb” sign.
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Hotels are catching onto this trend, too. For example, look to Japan’s “love hotels” where partners can enjoy a short stay and extreme privacy. Relationship therapist Marissa Nelson even recommends vacationing to help heal marriages that are in trouble. Her business, Intimacy Moons, takes couples on vacation to Barbados for a few days, where they have a chance to reconnect, unwind, attend counseling sessions—and be intimate if they choose.
A change of scenery, privacy, and stepping away from day-to-day stress can all contribute to peoples’ love of hotel room sex.
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