I am here at Novotel Darling Square to fix my sleep. Novotel recently launched Everyday Longevity, a global brand strategy that began rolling out worldwide in March 2026. It’s built on a simple but powerful idea, that a longer, healthier life isn’t about dramatic overhauls, but about the small, intentional habits we repeat day after day that quietly add up over time. This new operating model sits on four pillars, Eat, Sleep, Move and Meet, encouraging guests to make everyday choices that support a fuller, happier life, whether they’re at home or travelling.
Sleep sits right at the heart of it, and Novotel has brought on Olivia Arezzolo, one of Australia’s leading sleep experts, as its Global Sleep Ambassador. It’s a genuinely thoughtful collaboration, and one that plays out from the moment you walk into the room, right down to the food on your plate.
Anyone who travels regularly knows sleep is often the first thing to suffer, whether it’s jet lag after a long-haul flight, an early departure, a late arrival, or simply bouncing between time zones. It’s less about having perfect sleep habits and more about needing realistic strategies for the nights when your routine is completely out the window, which is exactly the gap Sleep School for Real Life was designed to address.
The timing of this staycation couldn’t have been better. I’d recently moved and the exhaustion meant I hadn’t been sleeping all that well, so you can imagine my excitement knowing Olivia was hosting her Sleep School for Real Life at the Novotel Darling Square.
Check In and First Impressions – Executive King Suite 717
Check in was smooth and easy, with plenty of time to settle in before the evening ahead. I was rather amused to find my room number happened to be 717, one of my lucky numbers. I was then greeted by the lovely Sarah Lipkin from Accor, who would go on to co-host the evening alongside Olivia, before making my way up to my room.
The room was an Executive King Bedroom overlooking the Chinese Garden of Friendship, tastefully decorated and instantly calm and serene. It was clear the sleep focus of this experience started well before the sound bath or the dinner, it started right here in the room itself.
Waiting for me was a generous spread of complimentary locally sourced goodies, which was a lovely welcome into the Sleep School experience I was about to immerse myself in.
I still had time before the group was due to meet at 5pm, so I made the most of it, sinking into the large bed and watched some TV for a bit.
Sleep School Begins
Our small group of women gathered in the Pyrmont Bay room, the space felt instantly cosy, more like a slumber party than fireside chat. We joked that we should be lounging on the floor with blankets and cushions, snacks in hand, watching our favourite movies.
After introductions, Olivia walked us through her own history with sleep, the different patterns she’s experienced over the years and the research she’s spent so long immersed in. From there the conversation opened up and we each shared our own sleep stories, past and present.
We talked about the trends dominating the sleep conversation right now, sleep maxing and the endless list of so-called hacks doing the rounds. What became clear as everyone shared their experiences is that there’s no one size fits all approach. Some of us have had wildly different sleep patterns through different stages of life. Some of us sleep brilliantly without even trying.
One theme kept coming up though, devices. Whether it’s doom scrolling before bed, working late on a laptop or falling asleep to the TV, screens seem to be one of the biggest disruptors to good sleep right now. Nutrition came up too, both what we eat and the timing of our last meal before bed, and how much both can affect sleep and energy the next day.
Olivia also spoke about the physical environment we sleep in, bedding and room temperature especially. She explained that higher thread count cotton sheets can actually trap more heat and reduce breathability, so a lower to mid thread count often sleeps cooler and more comfortably, and pairing that with a cooler room makes it far easier for your body to properly wind down into sleep.
Given some of us in the room travel regularly, Olivia also touched on the more realistic side of sleep on the road, managing jet lag, actually sleeping well in a hotel room, and keeping your energy up when your routine is completely thrown off. She had tips too for parents dealing with broken sleep and for anyone juggling a busy, stressful schedule, a reminder that good sleep advice needs to work for real life, not just an ideal routine.
The Sleep Dinner
After the talk we headed downstairs to Pumphouse Restaurant for our sleep dinner, a wellness menu curated by the local chef and Olivia together, designed to aid easy digestion and support better sleep. It’s worth mentioning this ties into a wider commitment the hotel has made, with at least 25% of the menu now plant based, full transparency around where their fish is sourced, and produce that’s clean, fresh, seasonal and local. Novotel has also brought British food creator Alfie Steiner on board to bring fresh inspiration to their plant forward dining, so there’s real thought and expertise behind every course, not just good intentions.
We started with a creamy cauliflower soup, followed by barramundi on a bed of green beans (oily fish is known to promote sleep) with roasted root vegetables on the side, said to have a grounding effect and baked chicken served over a vegetable cous cous.
Sitting right on our table was a selection of fresh microgreens we could pick off and add to our meal as we went, a lovely little detail that ties back to Novotel’s partnership with Greenspace, who look after the hydroponic urban farming now woven into the hotel’s restaurants and cafes.
Dessert was a simple, beautiful plate of Greek yoghurt drizzled with fresh honey, sourced from Novotel’s own rooftop bees topped with fresh blueberries, kiwi and strawberries. Greek yoghurt, honey and fruits like kiwi and berries all support sleep because yoghurt provides tryptophan and calcium (which help the body produce melatonin), honey offers a small hit of natural sugar that can ease tryptophan into the brain, and the research on kiwi in particular, has been linked to improvements in sleep quality thanks to its high serotonin and antioxidant content.
Sound Healing
Once dinner wrapped up we had a short window to head back to our rooms and change into something more comfortable and warm, before meeting Sound Bath Facilitator Elizabeth “Bess” Wittingslow in the Tumbalong Room.
We lay on mats in a dimly lit room, wrapped ourselves in blankets and then advised to wear the silk sleep eye masks we’d been given earlier, so we could fully surrender to the sound and frequency Bess guided us through, which was designed to bring the nervous system into a state of relaxation before sleep.
An hour went by and I could barely move. I dropped into the most relaxing state of deep rest, close to slumber, and genuinely didn’t want to move. We stayed a little longer afterwards for a play with the angel cards Bess had set up at the front of the room, before heading back to our rooms. We were told to hydrate well before bed, so I took a warm shower, drank some water and cosied up in bed. It wasn’t long before the lights went out.
The Sleep Itself
I slept relatively well. The bed was seriously comfortable. I’m not one for sleeping with the air conditioning on, so I switched mine off for the night, and thankfully it wasn’t too warm, which worked in my favour. The bed was plush and inviting, the sheets were the right thread count, as Olivia had mentioned earlier the higher the thread count, the less breathability the cotton sheets beautifully dressed, the kind of setup that makes you want to climb straight in.
The lighting had been considered too, warm and soft rather than harsh or clinical, helping you wind down the moment you walked through the door. The draping over the windows did a great job of blocking out the light, which made a real difference once the sun came up the next morning. Even the bathroom felt fresh and recently renovated, like every detail had been thought through rather than added afterthought.
The Morning After
The next morning was a beautiful one and we were treated to a late checkout, which made the whole experience feel even more indulgent. I made my usual morning coffee using the Nespresso machine in my suite.
Then it was down to Pier Street Grill for breakfast at leisure, crafted from fresh, locally sourced ingredients. The hot breakfast was excellent, honestly some of the best eggs and bacon I’ve had in a long time. I also managed to fit in some fruit, a bircher and a couple of small pastries for good measure.
The Bigger Picture, Woven Into Everything
What struck me most about this stay is how thoughtfully it all comes together. Nothing felt added on for show, it all just quietly made sense as part of the same philosophy. A handful of partners sit behind the scenes making it happen. Greenspace looks after the hydroponic urban farming behind the microfarm produce I mentioned earlier. Too Good To Go, the world’s largest food marketplace app, connects the hotel with local businesses to help rescue food before it goes to waste. Rooftop Bees install and maintain corporate beehives, which is exactly where that honey on my breakfast plate came from. And a partnership with WWF’s Ocean Initiative means the hotel is doing its bit for healthier oceans too, alongside moving away from single use plastic across its amenities. It’s an intentional reminder that looking after ourselves as well as the planet aren’t really separate things, they add up together in the same small, everyday way the Longevity Everyday philosophy is all about.
What are we Addicted to?
The Executive King Suite I could’ve stayed another night in that bed and room, I felt very relaxed. The buffet breakfast – another round of those creamy eggs and bacon.
What do we need to be more Addicted?
I did find when the aircon was on in my room it rattled a bit.
Novotel Sydney Darling Square, 17 Little Pier St, Darling Harbour NSW 2000