It’s not always possible to keep up with your workout routine while traveling. So one hotel chain is making it easier to cycle, do yoga, or sweat along to a cardio routine video without ever leaving your room.
Last month, Hilton Hotels debuted their Five Feet to Fitness in-room mini gyms, which offer 11 different fitness equipment options just steps away from the bed and nightstand. Eight rooms are currently available—three at Hilton's Parc 55 San Francisco and five at Hilton McLean Tysons Corner in Virginia.
The chain plans to add more than 100 rooms with mini-gyms around the country by the end of the year, says Ryan Crabbe, senior director of global wellness at Hilton. They'll be available in Hilton hotels in Atlanta, Austin, Chicago, Dallas, Las Vegas, New York, and San Diego.
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What kind of workout options will guests have? Features include a stationary Wattbike, medicine balls, sandbags, a Bosu ball, TRX, a yoga mat, and a foam roller, among other gear and accessories. Each room also comes with a a touch-screen "fitness kiosk" that shows guests the right way to use each piece of equipment. The kiosks are also loaded with more than 200 workout videos covering cardio, cycling, endurance, strength-training, HIIT, yoga, and stretching and recovery.
If guests aren't up for a cycling session after a long day on a business trip or sight-seeing, Hilton still has them covered by outfitting each room with other wellness-related features—such as a meditation chair, protein drinks in a hydration station, and mini Biofreeze packets for sore muscles.
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Hilton’s focus on fitness and wellness was driven by feedback from hotel guests and research into how travelers use hotels. A recent study conducted by Cornell showed that while 46 percent of travelers intend to use the hotel gym, only 22 percent end up doing a workout.
“We know that creating a wellness stage right in the hotel room might just be the solution for those guests who need the convenience of being able to get a quick workout in before breakfast or after a long day of business meetings, or those that prefer to workout in the privacy of their own room,” says Crabbe. “We also know that movement and mindfulness make for a better travel experience.”