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Staycation
Staycation: The Concept That Reinvents Weekends
Escaping without going far, right near home, in the most beautiful hotels, for 24 hours, 48 hours, or even longer…
What if true luxury today was not having to take a plane? Not rushing to pack a suitcase, not enduring the stress of connections or the hustle and bustle of airport terminals. What if real escape was simply gifting yourself a little break just a few kilometers from home? Welcome to the era of the staycation, a new travel philosophy that pairs proximity with indulgence, and short distances with grand getaways.
What Is a Staycation?
A blend of the words stay and vacation, the staycation is a trend that started in major American cities before gradually making its way to Europe. The concept? Taking a few days to treat yourself to a change of scenery… without leaving your region, your department, or even your own city. As our relationship with time, environment, and energy evolves, the staycation emerges as a chic and conscious answer to our thirst for escape.
No more Sunday night syndrome spent repacking. Here, you travel light, sometimes without any luggage at all, just with the desire to change your surroundings, slow down, and take care of yourself. Whether it’s for 24 hours, 48 hours, or a long weekend, these mini-vacations close to home have all the makings of a grand trip: five-star service, exclusive spas, terrace dinners, breathtaking views… but with an added simplicity.
A Golden Opportunity in the Low Season
Escaping without crossing the globe also means seizing often-overlooked opportunities. During weekdays, off-season, or outside public holidays, the most beautiful hotels open their doors at very attractive rates. It’s the perfect chance to stay in establishments usually reserved for special occasions without breaking the bank.
Imagine: a palace in the heart of Paris, a boutique hotel in Bordeaux, a Provençal bastide with a heated pool… all accessible for a night or two in an intimate atmosphere, far from tourist crowds. Even better: these hotels focus on the experience. Welcome cocktails, spa treatments, gourmet breakfasts, room service dinners… everything is designed to maximize the well-being of the local traveler.
The Rise of Local Hotels: Experiencing Your City Differently
Rediscovering your own city like a tourist is at the heart of the staycation. This rediscovery often involves staying at a hotel. Because the luxury of a hotel night is also not having to make your bed, enjoying breakfast served on crisp linens, or sinking into a bubble bath overlooking familiar rooftops suddenly transformed.
From prestigious chains to new urban hospitality gems, options abound. In almost every city, new hotels are emerging: arty concepts, intimate addresses, secret rooftops, or designer suites, all competing to offer a unique experience.
What if you slept in that five-star hotel downtown you’ve always admired from the outside? Or in that old manor house converted into a charming hotel just two metro stops away? Simply sleeping somewhere else, even just a few streets from home, can radically change your daily life.
Stay Some Days: Weekend Ideas Close to Home
For those lacking inspiration or wanting to book in a few clicks, the Stay Some Days platform is a treasure trove. With over 2,200 hotels available within 3 hours of home, the site offers a curated selection of unique addresses for a tailor-made escape. Whether you’re a city dweller craving greenery or a lover of design and architecture, there’s surely a hidden gem to discover nearby.
Weekend ideas include:
– A seaside hotel with a rooftop in Marseille for a sunset aperitif overlooking the sea and the calanques.
– An industrial loft in Burgundy for an arty-chic stay blending nature and heritage.
– A designer guesthouse in the Landes, steps from the ocean, to reconnect with the essentials.
– A spa hotel nestled in Champagne for a wellness getaway.
– A chic chalet in Haute-Savoie, with fireplace and spa, to savor the mountains even off-season.
– A château in Saint-Émilion for a royal weekend with wine tastings.
– A design hotel in central Paris to experience the capital differently.
– A contemporary farmhouse in Provence, surrounded by lavender, olive trees, and designer furniture.
– An eco-lodge in the forests of Périgord, to sleep among the trees with all the comfort of a boutique hotel.
– A renovated old farm in Dordogne, with golden stone walls and gourmet cuisine, for an authentic stay.
Each address is carefully selected to offer that little extra soul that transforms a simple weekend into a true memory. Whether dreaming of elegant countryside, invigorating ocean air, wine terroir, or urban design, Stay Some Days offers a refined selection of often overlooked but surprisingly close-by gems.
Reconnecting With Yourself, the Essentials, and Your Environment
Staycation is also a way to reconnect. Less travel means less stress and less carbon impact. It’s a more responsible way to travel, supporting local players, hoteliers, restaurateurs, artisans, while taking care of yourself.
It’s also a chance to dedicate quality time, alone, as a couple, or with friends. Reading in a plush armchair by the fireplace, trying a new gourmet restaurant, sleeping in late without thinking about an alarm… these small accessible luxuries form a new idea of travel: slower, gentler, more intimate.
Staycation Solo, as a Couple, or with Family: Who Is It For?
The good news? Staycation has no typical profile. It appeals to:
– Young professionals seeking a break without sacrificing vacation days
– Couples wanting to reconnect without organizing complex trips
– Families, thanks to kid-friendly hotels or houses with gardens
– Solo travelers who love spas, poolside reading, or cultural immersions
You can experience it in slow life mode, exploring forgotten museums, hidden boutiques, and Sunday markets. Or on the contrary, in festive mode, booking a starred table, a couples massage, or a night in a suite with a private jacuzzi. Each staycation adapts to your mood.
What If That’s the Real Luxury?
As lifestyles evolve and we seek to slow down without giving up pleasure, staycation redefines our relationship with travel. No need to travel thousands of kilometers to feel elsewhere. Sometimes, just changing your horizon, even for a few hours, can awaken the breath of escape.
Staycation is not a low-cost alternative; it’s a new way to experience everyday exception. Less artifice, more authenticity. Less distance, more emotion.
So, what if this weekend, you booked a hotel in your own city? Just to see what it feels like… to be somewhere else, right here.
Images Courtesy Stay Some Days, Les Petites Maisons, Chez Brens, Expérimental Biarritz, Hôtel Porte Brunet, Château Réal, Royal Champagne, Les Bassans, 70 Hectares et l’Océan, Les Roches Rouges, Lilly of the Valley, The Maybourne Riviera, Villa Flaka.
Article updated August 6, 2025
