Improve your fitness facilities

The modern traveler is an active traveler. This means that not only are they maximizing their itineraries with meetings, events, sightseeing or shopping, but they are also keen on exercise. When they visit a foreign city, they don’t want their workout regimens to suffer. Hence, it’s important that hotels capitalize on this movement in order to appeal to the increasing number of health-conscious individuals. A property’s gym and any other associated sports facilities are often neglected, so here are eight ways to give them a new burst of energy.

1. Great trainers. Just as your staff is the lifeblood of the hotel, your trainers form the core of your fitness operations. They must be attentive, knowledgeable and highly personable. They should make themselves available to everyone, not just those who have an appointment. They should remember names, past conversations and any particular concerns people have had.

2. Make the gym social. Yes, trainers play a large role in this by talking to people and connecting guests with one another. But it’s also a matter of arranging the space so that it encourages interactions. Think TVs, lounge areas with comfortable seating and a juice bar.

3. Sports training. The three most common – and therefore expected – forms of gym usage are weight loss, building muscle and toning. Designing a sports-specific program or two will differentiate your fitness product. Plus, these are typically fun and highly interactive. Obviously these are dependent on what specific facilities you have (tennis courts, pools, running tracks and so on) but there are still quite a few sports that can be covered on the gym floor.

4. Complex machines. Just as how hotels establish a strong sense of place with unique lobby and guestroom designs, so too can you elicit a similar feeling for your gymnasium by installing intricate and eye-catching machinery. Chest presses and lat pulldowns are in every club around the world (read: boring), but how many have spacious TRX setups or a FreeMotion Dual Cable Cross? There are also many new fascinating machines on the market nowadays; take for instance the recently patented Isophit from Striation 6 – a physiotherapy studio here in Toronto – which is an adjustable bench solely for isometric workouts.

5. Differentiated towel service. Close your eyes and imagine your average gym towel: square, reasonably sized, off-white color and probably not that soft on the skin. Given this as an expectation, there are several options to exceed. First, any fabric destined to touch a guest’s skin should be the pinnacle of soft. You can also make an impression by choosing a colour(s) for your towels to make those of your brand. Lastly, consider scenting them – for instance, with a zesty lemon smell.

6. Fact of the Day. Make your fitness room more interactive by posting helpful tips throughout. These can range from pictures outlining how to use multi-purpose machines to brief dietary pamphlets by the reception or juice bar. These tidbits will heighten the space’s interactivity if they aren’t totally overwhelming in their length.

7. Start the Day Strong. Many of us only have less than an hour in the wee hours of the morning allotted for a workout. Not only should your fitness room be open at this time to appease the early risers (5:30 a.m. preferably), but it should be as lively a space as it is later on in the day after everyone’s had their first coffee. This will elevate the moods of those guests exercising and thus heighten the overall experience.

8. Cleanliness. A dirty gym may be 99 per cent as functional as a spotless one, but it doesn’t inspire people to perform at their best. Yes, staff should be constantly roving the floors to tidy weights and remove garbage, but cleanliness goes beyond this. It involves hygienic aesthetics such as pleasant aromas to mask sweat and metallic odors, appealing music outside of the latest Top 40 pop singles and perhaps a few grander upgrades like small fountains at the entranceway.

Larry Mogelonsky is the founder of LMA Communications Inc. (www.lma.ca), an award-winning, full-service hospitality consulting and communications agency. His work includes three books Are You an Ostrich or a Llama?, Llamas Rule and Hotel Llama. Contact: larry@lma.ca.