Business travelers are on the go. But they spend much of their time sitting down — on a plane, in a meeting, at a desk. Here's information on five hotels with great facilities for helping you to get off your butt and to get your blood flowing — plus some working advice on working out from a representative of each facility. So don't just sit there. Do some sit-ups!
| Where | Equipment | Cost | Training Tip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hyatt Regency Austin Austin, Texas www.hyatt.com |
The Hyatt features an outdoor pool, a whirlpool, and a sundeck. Its on-site health club includes life cycles, stair climbers, and Nautilus equipment. A nine-mile hiking-and-biking trail starts beside the Hyatt. | Access to workout facilities is free for hotel guests. The Hyatt offers bike rentals from sunrise to sunset for $3 per hour. | The best times to hit the trail are early in the morning and around 2 p.m., says Bobby Garcia, a concierge at the Hyatt. Steer clear of the lunchtime and after-work crowds, he advises. |
| The Fairmont Hotel Chicago, Illinois www.fairmont.com |
The Lakeshore Athletic Club at Illinois Center, a multi-level "superclub," sits next door to the Fairmont. Along with standard equipment, the club has a 100-foot rock-climbing wall that guests can scale. | Fairmont guest passes cost $10 for one day, $17 for two days, and $23 for three days. The climbing-wall orientation session costs $30 including shoe rental. Otherwise, the rental fee for climbing shoes is $4. | Todd Hengsteler, the club's climbing coordinator, advises first-time climbers to wear long, loose-fitting shorts, in case they fall or slide down the wall. Avoid climbing after work, when the wall is in highest demand, he adds. |
| The Westin Bonaventure Hotel and Suites Los Angeles, California www.westin.com |
The Westin has a small fitness center. But next door, the Stuart M. Ketchum YMCA provides strength-training equipment, a junior Olympic pool, and courts for racquetball, tennis, squash, and basketball. | Guests can use the facilities located in the hotel for free. A day pass to the YMCA costs $7.50. | Rosanne Malogolowkin, the YMCA's director of fitness and health enhancement, urges racquetball players to enter the challenge-court tournament, which takes place from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. every Wednesday. |
| Doubletree Grand Hotel on Biscayne Bay Miami, Florida, www.doubletree.com |
The Grand Health Club is a state-of-the-art waterfront fitness facility. It includes massage facilities, a sauna, and a 700-square-foot free-weight area. There is also an Olympic-size pool, along with four jacuzzis. | Admission to the club is free with a hotel ID card. At the nearby marina, jet skis can be rented for $40 per half hour. | Chimenne Honore, a sales assistant at the Doubletree, says that the hotel has no control over water-sports fees, which can vary. Guests should check with the hotel concierge before making reservations. |
| The Drake, Swissotel New York New York, New York www.swissotel.com |
Park Avenue Spa & Fitness, located on the lower level of the Drake, features a fully equipped workout area. The spa offers a wide range of massage, hydrotherapy, facial, and body treatments. | Hotel guests pay $10 per day to use the fitness facility. Massages, seaweed wraps, and hydrotherapy sessions cost extra. | Amanda Whitney, one of the spa's licensed massage therapists, recommends a hydrotherapy session, followed by a personally tailored massage, for the ultimate in stress relief. |
A version of this article appeared in the January 1999 issue of Fast Company magazine.
