Holiday Inn Express is testing a very different kind of alarm clock — one that ditches the harsh beeping sound and replaces it with something far gentler: smell. Instead of jolting guests awake, the new bedside device releases timed bursts of familiar aromas like cinnamon roll, fresh coffee, or citrus, designed to coax people out of sleep rather than shock them into consciousness.
It might sound like a novelty at first, but the hotel chain says the idea grew from a simple question: why do mornings have to feel so aggressive? Smell is one of the few senses that remains partly active during sleep, and the aim is to create what the brand calls a “kinder first moment of the day” — something many travellers could probably appreciate.
That said, scent has its limits. Smoke alarms still rely on noise for a reason: during deep sleep, the brain’s sense of smell is largely switched off, making scent unreliable in emergencies. Even smelling salts only work when held directly under someone’s nose, triggering a sharp reflex rather than gently waking them. When it comes to real danger, sound is still the only stimulus proven to cut through every stage of sleep — which is why fire alarms stay loud, not fragrant.
