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UK: European managed vacation rental business Awaze has reported a sharp rise in demand for wellness-related features among younger travellers, with Gen Z emerging as the main driver of the trend.
The company, which manages more than 100,000 properties across 20 countries and hosts around six million guests a year, said younger consumers now rank physical and mental wellbeing as their top discretionary spending priority ahead of fashion, homewares and beauty. The shift is influencing booking patterns across the UK holiday rental market, particularly for properties offering hot tubs, saunas or cold-water therapy.
More than half of Gen Z respondents (52%) said they had taken a wellness-focused UK break in the past three years, almost double the proportion of older travellers, and the same share said they were likely to do so again within the next 12 months. Awaze said younger couples and adult groups are now among its fastest-growing booking cohorts.
Hot tub properties now account for 55 per cent of all Awaze bookings, up from under 40 per cent before the pandemic, and the company said guest reviews mentioning wellness or relaxation are five times more likely to receive a five-star rating. Awaze’s data also indicates that owners offering wellness features are seeing stronger financial returns: units with hot tubs recorded 51 per cent higher average weekly rates and 45 per cent higher occupancy compared with those without.
Despite cost-of-living pressures, 43 per cent of Gen Z travellers reported increasing their spend on travel in the past year, and 59 per cent said they would pay at least £250 more per person for a break centred on wellness facilities. Awaze recorded a four per cent year-on-year uplift in occupancy across its portfolio in Q3 2025, driven partly by “shoulder season” demand from younger guests booking relaxation-focused short breaks.
Matthew Price, CEO at Awaze, said: “Experiences centred around wellbeing and relaxation are increasingly replacing traditional forms of non-essential spending. As self-care becomes more of a priority, features like hot tubs, saunas and hot and cold water therapy are evolving from nice-to-haves to must-haves. Owners who are investing in wellness features are benefitting through higher occupancy levels and stronger year-round returns.”
One example highlighted by Awaze is Trelay Holiday Park in Cornwall, which has invested in eight new lodges with private spa-style facilities. The operator said existing units with hot tubs had already achieved average booking values between 34 and 42 per cent higher year-on-year compared with units without.
The trend was a key discussion point at Awaze’s Hoseasons owners’ conference in Brighton last week, where the company told owners that wellness-led upgrades are likely to remain a major booking influence heading into 2026.
Highlights
- Gen Z now ranks physical and mental wellbeing as its top discretionary spending priority.
- 52% of Gen Z travellers have taken a wellness-focused UK break in the last three years.
- Hot tub properties represent 55% of A waze bookings (up from <40% pre-pandemic).
- Properties with hot tubs achieve 51% higher weekly rates and 45% higher occupancy.
- 59% of Gen Z travellers would spend £250+ extra for a wellness-focused stay.
- Awaze recorded a 4% occupancy uplift in Q3 2025, partly driven by shoulder-season wellness demand.
- Case study: Trelay Holiday Park’s hot tub units had 34-42% higher booking values year-on-year.
