12 Fitness-Friendly Hotel Chains

2013-09-12

In the not-so-distant past, hotels offered little for fitness enthusiasts other than barebones, often run-down, fitness centers — if that. In those situations, the lack of a designated workout space meant you might be relegated to doing lunges down the hallway, running up and down the stairs (with the constant fear of being locked out) or creating a mini-gym in your room. Welcome to a new era in hotel fitness. In recent years, hotels have listened to the demands of fitness-minded travelers — 53% of road warriors say they always or often exercise on the road, with 52% calling the hotel gym their preferred workout locale, according to a TripAdvisor survey — and are upping the ante on their fitness offerings. For starters, the number of hotels with fitness facilities — 84% to be exact — reached an all-time high in 2012, according to the American Hotel & Lodging Association. That’s up from 63% in 2004. But while fitness centers are nice, some hotels are pulling out all the stops to help guests stay fit and healthy. Not one, but four chains on our list offer complimentary bike rental. Others have the option of booking rooms with gym equipment like ellipticals and stationary bikes — and for a couple, light equipment like exercise balls and yoga mats are standard for all guests. If you want to lighten your luggage, leave your workout clothes at home if you’re staying at certain of our selections: chains like Trump and Westin have you covered (check for availability, of course).

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