REPORT FROM THE U.S.—The standard hotel gym doesn’t cut it for some guests who want to stick to their normal fitness routines.
That’s why some hotels with a focus on guest wellness are offering in-room fitness options ranging from yoga mats to equipment for high-intensity interval training.
Hilton recently launched its “Five feet to fitness” in-room option, which includes an indoor bike and a training station for strength, core and suspension-style workouts.
Ryan Crabbe, senior director of global wellness at Hilton, said it’s a “new guestroom dedicated to movement and mindfulness.” Hilton came up with the concept after initial success with in-room cardio and yoga options, he said.
The first “Five feet to fitness” room debuted at the Parc 55 in San Francisco, and Crabbe said the concept will go live at hotels in Atlanta; Austin, Texas; Chicago; Las Vegas; New York City and San Diego. The in-room fitness option has sparked interest from developers and owners, Crabbe said, adding that it gives them “the power to reshape room types.”
On the types of guests utilizing these rooms, Crabbe said it’s a good option for:
- parents traveling with children who want to keep an eye on their kids while they work out;
- corporate travelers working out around tight schedules; and
- less-confident customers who might be intimidated by the gym.
Tryp by Wyndham properties offer guestrooms with an elliptical, exercise bike or treadmill. (Photo: Wyndham Hotel Group)
Early adopters
Companies like Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants and Wyndham Hotel Group were a little ahead of the game when it came to offering in-room fitness options.
The Kimpton Topaz in Washington, D.C., began offering deluxe yoga rooms and energy rooms when the property opened in October 2001, hotel GM Raeshawna Boone-Scott said.
Boone-Scott added that there are eight total rooms between the two room types, which can be selected at the time of booking.
“Many of the people who request these rooms are road warriors or business travelers that are looking to keep their momentum going while they’re on the road, from what they normally do at home, and possibly experience something new as well,” she said.
Tryp by Wyndham properties also have fitness guestrooms, which are 500 to 600 square feet, according to Kate Ashton, SVP of full-service brand operations at Wyndham Hotel Group.
Ashton added that the fitness equipment-bedroom combination is spacious enough for guests to work out without stumbling over the bed. The rooms were created because Wyndham recognized “that not everyone wants to work out in the same way.”
“A lot of people just want to wake up; they don’t want to have to comb their hair or whatever the case might be. (They) just want to get up, get out of bed, jump on the bike, treadmill, whatever the case might be, because … that’s probably what they do at home,” she said.
Ashton said 65% of people don’t work out while traveling because it’s less convenient, and Tryp strives to make exercise more convenient and comfortable for guests.
The room “doesn’t make you feel like you’re in a gym, which is the whole idea,” she said. “You want the comfort of your room, the privacy of your room, but you want to comfortably” work out.