Day-to-day life can be stressful. Between the responsibilities we juggle in our work lives and our personal lives, it’s only natural to seek time to unwind away from it all. For many people this time of relaxation comes when we log off from our typical duties and set out on vacation. Even small rituals while traveling — like sipping coffee on a balcony, reading by the pool, or playing a few calming rounds of online Sudoku — can help people slow down and mentally recharge during a busy trip.

At Sudoku Bliss, we know the importance of picking the right destination, but sometimes even more important than the city is the accommodations you stay in. While hotels are a popular place for people on vacation, many Americans have turned their attention to Airbnb rentals for a more unique, private experience.

To learn which popular vacation destinations across the country offer the most peaceful stays, we collected more than 9.5 million Airbnb reviews in 100 U.S. cities. We then analyzed reviews for mentions of 45 keywords related to relaxation to calculate the percentage of rental reviews by city that mention a relaxing experience. Read on to learn which locations topped our list.

Key Takeaways

• Sonoma, CA, and Santa Fe, NM, are home to the most relaxing Airbnb rentals in the U.S., according to visitor reviews.
• Honolulu, HI, and Miami Beach, FL, are home to the least relaxing Airbnb rentals in the U.S., according to visitor reviews.
• 43% of Airbnb rentals across the U.S. are considered a relaxing stay.
• Quiet, cozy, and peaceful are the top relaxation-related keywords mentioned among Airbnb reviews across the U.S.
• Bar Harbor, ME, and Sedona, AZ, are home to the most relaxing Airbnb rentals for larger groups.
• Asheville, NC, and Sedona, AZ, are the most relaxing vacation spots with the best value.

Cities Where Visitors Feel Most Relaxed

When you check into an Airbnb, you want it to feel relaxing, tranquil, and cozy. That’s why we analyzed reviews for mentions of those keywords as well as 42 others, because one of the best ways to know if a destination is worth the visit is to hear from those who’ve been there before. Overall, we found the West Coast dominated the rankings with 7 cities claiming a spot in the top 10.

Leading the way with the most relaxing Airbnbs is Sonoma, CA, as 68.29% of reviews praise their rental. Located about an hour west of Sacramento, this charming city offers a perfect spot for those seeking the California coast without the crowds found in other major cities.

Next up on our list of restful destinations is Santa Fe, NM, with 65.75% of visitor reviews mentioning a relaxing stay. Topping the list as the most used keywords for reviews are quiet, cozy, and peaceful, but when analyzing the most distinctive keywords, we found visitors noted they felt rejuvenated after their stay.

Coming in third place is Sedona, AZ, where travelers left reviews of calming Airbnb stays. When analyzing reviews city-wide, we discovered that 64.88% mention relaxation. Rounding out the top five are two more West Coast cities as Taos, NM, (63.04%) and Napa Valley, CA, (61.61%) claim fourth and fifth place, respectively.

In addition to our overall ranking, we also filtered listings to learn which cities are best for large groups seeking a relaxing getaway. To do this, we filtered our list to only include rentals that can accommodate groups of 5 or more. Then, we totaled keyword mentions and divided the count by the total number of reviews.

Leading the way for this ranking is Bar Harbor, ME, as 42.85% of visitor reviews include mentions of a relaxing stay. This is followed by Sedona, AZ, (38.00%), Joshua Tree, CA, (37.81%), Santa Fe, NM, (35.90%), and Sonoma, CA, (35.69%) in second, third, fourth, and fifth place, respectively.

Finally, we filtered rentals to only look at Airbnbs with super host status. After calculating the percentage of relaxing mentions in these cities, we found similar cities rising to the top once again as Sonoma, CA, claimed first place with 70.62% of reviews mentioning a relaxing visit. Santa Fe, NM, (66.85%) and Taos, NM, (65.59%) followed closely behind, ranking second and third for relaxing spots with super hosts.

Overall, we found 43% of Airbnb rentals across the U.S. are considered a relaxing stay according to past guests. Similarly, quiet, cozy, and peaceful are the top relaxation-related keywords mentioned in Airbnb reviews.

Where Relaxation and Value Are Best

Finding a relaxing destination for your vacation is typically only half the battle. The other half is ensuring you stay within your budget. That’s why we standardized each city’s relaxation score and its average guest value rating and averaged the two together to create a ranking for the relaxing vacation spots with the best value.

Topping the list is Asheville, NC, with a value-relaxation score of 1.60. Overall, Asheville Airbnbs had the highest value rating on average at 4.88 out of 5. In addition to value, Asheville rentals also earned the highest average accuracy rating (4.95) and tied for first with the highest average guest satisfaction rating (4.94), check-in rating (4.97), cleanliness rating (4.92), and communication rating (4.97).

Coming in second place with a value-relaxation score of 1.44 is Sedona, AZ. On average, rentals in Sedona earned a value rating of 4.85 out of 5 and tied for first place for the highest average location rating (4.95). This is followed by Santa Fe, NM, in third place with a value-relaxation score of 1.40. Joshua Tree, CA, (1.34) and Portland, OR, (1.30) follow closely behind in fourth and fifth place, respectively.

Enjoy a Relaxing Game on Vacation

Even in the country’s most relaxing destinations, true rest isn't about where you are but rather how you spend your time. So whether you’re relaxing in your Airbnb rental on vacation or are unwinding at home after work, it’s important to use those small moments for a mental escape.

At Sudoku Bliss, we think one of the best ways to relax is by challenging your mind to a game. Whether you’re a beginner focused on an easy or medium Sudoku puzzle or a mastermind seeking the difficulty of an expert or evil puzzle, we have the games to keep you entertained anywhere, anytime.

Methodology

In this study, we set out to learn which popular vacation spots across the U.S. are the most relaxing. To do this, we scraped hundreds of Airbnb rentals in each city and analyzed reviews for mentions of 45 keywords related to relaxation. We then found the total number of reviews with at least one keyword mention and divided that number by the total number of reviews per city to calculate a percentage of relaxing mentions. We then ranked cities from highest to lowest percentage to show where travelers most frequently mention relaxing stays.

In addition to the overall ranking, we also analyzed the percentage of relaxing mentions among rentals for larger groups (accommodating 5 or more people) and rentals with super hosts. Finally, we then standardized each city's relaxation score and guest value rating and averaged the two together to determine the most relaxing vacation spots with the best value.