Fortunately, hotels have started to pay attention to this common problem, and many have begun offering in-room fitness equipment for guests, as well as equipment and clothing rentals.
The idea of making fitness more readily available to travelers is not entirely new. Westin Hotels & Resorts launched a gear-lending program pilot back in 2010 with just 10 properties, and the program is now available globally. Since then, the concept of having a fitness kit or workout apparel that can be delivered to your room, upon request, has taken off at major brands and hotel properties around the world.
At the W Boston, for example, you can now get workout apparel delivered to your room through a partnership with Reebok.
So, where else can fitness fiends stay to have access to in-room exercise equipment, workout gear and other wellness perks? If you don’t like working out with strangers in the hotel gym, or you just never have space in your suitcase to pack your sneakers, consider a stay with one of these hotels brands.
Westin Hotels & Resorts
Westin was a pioneer in the in-room fitness space, being one of the first hotels to cater specifically to guests looking for new, more convenient ways to exercise during their stay.
Select rooms even come equipped with a treadmill or stationary bike (including Peloton bikes at some locations), plus dumbbells, resistance bands and a stability ball only feet away from your bed.
And don’t worry about forgetting your workout clothes. Westin has teamed up with New Balance to provide guests with workout shoes and clothing for just $5.
Call Service Express from your in-room phone, tell them your sizes and you’ll have freshly-laundered clothes and sneakers delivered to your room. The socks are yours to keep.
Kimpton Hotels
Are you a traveling yogi? It can be tough to travel with a yoga mat, and most of us don’t want to get down on the hotel room floor in child’s pose, but Kimpton Hotels is making it easier to find your flow on the go. Kimpton puts a Gaiam yoga mat and access to a dedicated yoga TV channel in every hotel room.
Hilton Hotels
Hilton Hotels has designed a new room category for exercise-addicted travelers that combines the regular amenities of a guest room (don't worry, you won't need to sleep on your yoga mat) with a mini-gym built around a Gym Rax functional fitness station featuring 11 pieces of exercise equipment, including a touchscreen display with guided workouts, a balance ball, a TRX suspension trainer, yoga mat and a stationary bike.
Hilton’s so-called Five Feet to Fitness rooms are currently available at more than a dozen hotels across five different brands (Hilton, DoubleTree, Embassy Suites, Homewood Suites and Hilton Garden Inn).
At the Hilton McLean Tysons Corner in Virginia, for example, you can book the Five Feet to Fitness king-size room from $160 per night, or 55,000 Hilton Honors points per night.
Even if you're not booking a dedicated Five Feet to Fitness room, Hilton loyalists will find that every Hilton Garden Inn offers Stay Fit Kits that include a pilates band, yoga mat, resistance bands and small weights. The kits are complimentary and can be checked out at the front desk.
Hotel credit cards that come with an annual free night
Tryp by Wyndham
Tryp by Wyndham hotels offer select rooms with treadmills, elliptical machines, or stationary bikes and complimentary workout clothing in their signature Fitness Rooms. You can request one of these rooms for an extra charge at Tryp Hotel properties around the world.
And don’t worry about space. While the size of fitness room varies depending on the location, they are typically larger than standard rooms. For example, the fitness rooms at Tryp by Wyndham New York City Times Square South are an average of 340 square feet with nine-foot ceilings, while standard deluxe rooms are between 215 and 265 square feet.
Even Hotels
Even Hotels, operated by InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG), debuted a few years ago with a focus on wellness. One of the hallmarks of Even Hotels are their in-room “training zones” that come with a foam roller, yoga mat, yoga block, exercise ball, resistance bands and in-room training guides.
In addition to these mini gyms, rooms are stocked with organic snacks, natural linens and decorated with motivational slogans so you don't waste the fitness equipment available to you right in your room.
There are currently a dozen Even Hotels open or forthcoming in North America, including three in New York City (Midtown, Central Park and Brooklyn). Travelers will also find an Even property in Miami, Sarasota, Seattle, Pittsburgh, Omaha and Norwalk, Connecticut, among others.
Omni Hotels
Maybe the idea of having a small fitness area in your room is too much for you. If you still want to work out in the privacy of your room but don’t need a whole area of your room dedicated to exercise, you can request to have a fitness kit delivered to your room at some hotels.
At Omni Hotels, for example, you can request a complimentary fitness kit that will be delivered right to your room. A “Get Fit Kit” includes a five-pound kettlebell, mini contour weights, foam roller, push-up bars and a yoga mat.
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Sheraton Hotels
At Sheraton Hotels, guests can order a complimentary "workout in a bag" that includes workout cards, a workout mat, foam roller, resistance band and massage stick to be delivered to their room. On-demand fitness videos and training programs are available on the television.
