Would You Try a 'Scent-Based' Alarm Clock?
By On Air With Ryan Seacrest
October 13, 2025
Would you consider waking up to a smell? Holiday Inn Express is rolling out a really weird but kind of genius idea: Instead of waking you up with a buzzing alarm, they’re installing scent-based alarm clocks in rooms.
When it’s time to get up, the device acts like a diffuser and releases breakfast smells like coffee, bacon, blueberry muffins, or even fruit scents like mango or pear, depending on where you are.
They’ll start this in hotels across Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Singapore, and Thailand.
The idea comes from research showing that 58% of travelers in the Asia Pacific say a pleasant scent helps make waking up better.
They’re calling it the “Breakfast Alarm Clock,” trying to help guests ease into their morning — and maybe make sure they don’t skip breakfast while traveling?
Could you walk up to a smell versus a sound? Listen back for more
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This story originally appeared in On Air With Ryan Seacrest