ADVERTISEMENTWe’ve had Hot Girl Summer, Hot Vax Summer and Brat Summer… Now it’s time for Convent Summer.
Confused? Don’t be.
Apparently, summers have to be defined by a cultural phenomenon, with a trend that needs to neatly encompass the warmest season.
Before you start Gen Z bashing and get all “this damn generation this… and this sodding generation that…”, this is hardly a new phenomenon. It dates back to 1967’s Summer of Love, when the counterculture hippie movement converged to promote peace, love and understanding.
Last year’s Brat Summer was culturally ubiquitous, a sort of aesthetic that doubled as a way of life – all based on Charli XCX’s chart-topping juggernaut that even made it into the dictionary.
But its time has passed, and so too has the delirious chaos that characterised it.
Summer 2025 is all about peace and quiet for Gen Z. Specifically, the kind found in convents and monasteries.
It’s partly about seeking out cooler temperatures due to heatwaves, but mostly about vows of silence that allow people to disconnect.
This new trend helms from a viral TikTok clip from user @mc667868, who shared how wonderful her silent stay was at a Catholic monastery.
The clip, which racked up more than 780,000 views, explained that all you have to do is email the nuns with some dates, et voilà… your silent retreat awaits you.
“I had a great time when I went. It was a lot of fun,” she said, before adding that when she tried to rebook for this year, she was told they are “fully booked for the next three months.” She also shared that a cancellation list has now been introduced due to skyrocketing demand.
The post struck (a silent) chord, as thousands of TikTokers shared their thoughts on this unexpectedly trend: “the call to be a nun is too strong rn”; “I feel the nuns have been expecting us. They knew our last nerve would disappear at some point”; “this is the future”; “brat summer is out, vow of silence summer is IN.”
One TikToker even suggested taking it one step further: “We should get huge groups of women and buy lush, sprawling grounds with an old stately mansion. And we should just grow food and roam the grounds being all ethereal and stress-free.”
Another resumed the state of exhaustion with the modern world that has led to this trend by saying: “The girlies are FED TF UPPPPPPP and this is the proof.”
So, this summer doesn’t seem to be about bar hopping, beach parties or clubbing like a brat. And luckily for Gen Z, there are options out there for the ideal convent stay.
Indeed, the prestigious Prix Versailles recently published their annual list of the world’s most beautiful restaurants. Now, they’ve elected the world’s most gorgeous hotels. And wouldn’t you know it, high up on this year’s list is a stunning restored former convent in Nice, France, that could be just the ticket for this new TikTok craze.
The 17th century Hôtel du Couvent near the heart of the French riviera has 88 rooms, an abundance of greenery, and even Roman baths.
Granted, stays at the picturesque and restored nunnery can set you back about €820 and up to €2,300 per night (that last price is for the “Très Grande Suite”), but it does look mighty lovely. Let’s hope Gen Z have some deep pockets…
In case you were wondering, here is the complete selection of the most beautiful hotels in the world 2025 according to the Prix Versailles (European entries in bold):
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Jumeirah Marsa Al Arab – Dubai, UAE
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Mandarin Oriental Qianmen – Beijing, China
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Rosewood Munich – Munich, Germany
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Al Moudira – Luxor, Egypt
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Hôtel du Couvent – Nice, France
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Hôtel Hana – Paris, France
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Mandarin Oriental Mayfair – London, United Kingdom
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Ran Baas The Palace – Patiala, India
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Palazzo Talìa – Rome, Italy
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Romeo Roma – Rome, Italy
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MGallery Sosei Sapporo – Sapporo, Japan
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Todos Santos Boutique Hotel – Todos Santos, Mexico
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Shebara – Sheybarah Island, Saudi Arabia
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Raffles Sentosa Singapore – Singapore
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The Manner – New York, United States
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Namia River Retreat – Hoi An, Vietnam
So, is Brat Summer really dead? And if so, what do you make of this new viral trend?
