Holiday Inn Express has introduced – for a limited time – the hotel industry’s first scent-based alarm clock; doing away with an alarm tone and replacing it with a diffuser-style scent comprising various tempting breakfast options.
The trial, however, is only being carried out across Holiday Inn Express’ operations in Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Thailand and Singapore.
The concept was inspired by new research commissioned by Holiday Inn Express, that found 58% of travellers in Asia Pacific say a pleasant smell helps, or would help, them feel better when they wake up, especially while travelling.
When asked which scents would lift their morning mood, respondents named coffee or tea (56%), bacon and eggs (43% in Australia), baked goods (38%) and fresh fruit (30%). These top picks have now been bottled into three familiar wake-up scents available with the Breakfast Alarm Clock: Coffee, Bacon and Blueberry Muffin in Australia and New Zealand, as well as Nashi Pear in Japan, and Mango in Singapore and Thailand.
Dean Jones, Vice President of Commercial, East Asia & Pacific, IHG Hotels & Resorts, said: “We know from the research that travellers across Asia Pacific are struggling with sleep, and many skip breakfast when they travel – sometimes to save money. We’ve intentionally designed the Holiday Inn Express experience with the best of both worlds: everything needed for a proper night’s sleep, plus a free hot breakfast. We want guests to maximise their stay with us, whether it’s for work or leisure, or both – and the research has been a great way to direct our attention to do more of what matters most.
“Holiday Inn Express is about offering guests more of what matters, so we wanted to take this to new heights with something that we know guests will never forget. Waking up and maintaining a routine while travelling can be harder than it sounds, which is something the research underscored for us. But we also know the power of scent: that first whiff of coffee or fresh croissant can work wonders – especially when it’s free.”
The Breakfast Alarm Clock experience is available for a limited time from 20 October 2025 in Australia, New Zealand, Japan and selected hotels in Thailand and Singapore.
