Generally I use this blog to inform you the reader (Mom and Dad) about travel related things I like or am interested in. This typically means I write about credit cards I like, enjoyable trips, travel plans, etc. But occasionally I read something about travel that I simply totally disagree with and need to write about. If you don’t care what I think or have to say then please use the little sidebar to the right to find something more interesting.
Gyms In Hotel Rooms
The other day the Washington Post put out an article about in-room fitness centers. That article was then tweeted out by @HiltonNewsroom which is where I discovered it. The Hilton tweet read as follows:
We listened to consumers & are adding fitness equipment to some of our guestrooms.
It seem Hilton Hotels is pushing in-room fitness rooms for the fitness conscious traveler. Based on some of the images I’ve seen from Hilton these new fitness rooms feature several free weights, medicine balls, a spin bike, an on-demand fitness television, and a whole lot of other things I don’t know how to use. The idea is that guests no longer have to visit the on-site fitness facility and can instead get a good workout from the comfort of their own room. According to Hilton, this luxury costs guests, on average, an extra $45/night! Although I think it’s great that Hilton Hotels is improving their fitness offerings in many of their properties, I’m not sure in room fitness centers are the answer.
My Issue With In Room Fitness Centers
It should be no surprise to anyone that hotel rooms are absolutely disgusting. Over the past year we’ve seen many pieces from investigative journalists into the cleanliness of hotel rooms. Hotels often have to cut corners to turn rooms over in time for the next guest. Obviously this isn’t the case with all hotels, but it happens. The issue I see with in-room fitness is the cleanliness. Are hotel staffers really going to fully wipe down the equipment between guests? What about things like the in-room chair, comforter, or other surfaces where guests sit after sweating. See what I’m saying?
I’m going to assume that guests that pay $45 for an in-room gym aren’t the same guests that casually walk on the treadmill. I’m guessing these are the same people who are going to crank the heat in the room and get a nice sweat in before starting their day. So I’m predicting these rooms are going to get very gross very fast. Obviously the hotel’s know this and have probably devised controls to curb the issue, but even so I just don’t see how it’s possible to deep scrub each room between guests.
Besides the cleanliness issue, I also see the noise from guests working out as a potential problem. How many of these guests are going to drop weights, crank music, etc.? Again, I’m going to assume the person paying an $45/night isn’t the same person listening to calming music while doing yoga! These are the folks cranking jock jams (great albums highly recommend) while spinning their way through the french countryside. I see the amount of noise coming from these fitness rooms as a potential problem.
Are Shared Hotel Gyms That Inconvenient?
One thing I’ve noticed over the past several years of traveling is the overall improvement in common areas. For years hotel gyms were simply a few free weights, a flat bench, and maybe a treadmill or elliptical. Today hotel gyms feature a ton of the same equipment found in luxury fitness clubs. I can’t remember the last hotel I stayed at that didn’t have a fitness center worthy of not going to after a huge dinner working out in.
Even more interesting is that the “pilot” hotels often are more upscale Hilton properties that already feature incredible fitness centers. For example, the Parc 55 San Francisco features a fitness center that rivals many public gyms! I can’t imagine paying an extra $45/night for an in-room fitness center when the hotel’s is as nice as it appears.
Final Thoughts
I have to give it to Hilton, they absolutely nailed the name of their new in-room fitness guest rooms. Five Feet To Fitness may be the best marketing slogan I’ve heard in a while. (See Delta’s Strive For Five). I’m glad to see Hilton taking the time to survey guests and responding to guest’s requests, but I just don’t understand who would take advantage of this, especially for the added cost.
Sure I bet it’s nice to roll out of bed and into the gym, but do you really want to sweat and stink up your hotel room? On top of that, would anyone be comfortable staying in one of these potentially filthy rooms? Personally, I don’t understand the idea nor would I every choose this type of room. I’d much rather Hilton continue to improve common area amenities to enhance on-site experience. Would you stay in one of these rooms? Feel free to comment below.
Featured Image Courtesy Of Hilton Hotels
