Mandarin Oriental is introducing a Silent Night programme on 16 December at all its spas worldwide. Designed to serve as peaceful retreats, the spas will become completely silent for one night, with no music and no talking – not even for a therapist to enquire about massage pressure.

"It's experimental – we've never done anything like this before," said Jeremy McCarthy, group director of spa for Mandarin Oriental, who announced the plans at the ongoing Piscina & Wellness Barcelona trade show.

The initiative is Mandarin Oriental’s way of addressing the increasing need and desire for people to find time for stillness in a busy world, where technology has made it possible for us to be productive every moment of every day.

"There's a huge trend right now around meditation and mindfulness," said McCarthy. But he said he commonly hears from people who have tried meditation but not felt successful.

"A lot of people are curious, but frustrated because they can't do it," said McCarthy. "I'm trying to create things that aren't intimidating. This is an introductory step to get people to be comfortable with being alone with their thoughts."