I’ve been writing hotel reviews for the places where we’ve stayed since we started our website in February, 2017. My reviews include the cost of the room, the check-in process, and a review of the room and dining options, such as breakfast or on-site restaurants. I also include information about laundry facilities, the pool and hot tub, spa options, and gym facilities if available. However, I have only ever used a hotel gym once. That was during our trip to Hawaii in 2012. At that time, we were going to exercise classes, and I woke up early due to jet lag, so I decided to head out to the the gym.
As we were checking out of our most recent hotel, Sharon asked me if I stopped to take pictures of the gym. I said I had, but I wasn’t sure why we included this in our reviews. For all the hotel gyms I’ve photographed over the years, I can say that they’ve been empty 90% of the time. When the occasional guest had been working out, all I needed to do was show up 30 minutes later, and the gym was empty.
I wanted to know if having a gym in a hotel is a significant factor for people when they book a hotel room. Although it’s not essential for us since we don’t exercise during our vacations, it might be important for someone who travels frequently. So, does the quality of a hotel gym affect your decision when choosing a hotel?
Here is a selection of the empty hotel gyms I’ve visited over the past year.
While hotels all have gym facilities, do people actually use them? It depends on who you ask. If you ask the guests, 50% to 80%, depending on the survey, say they will try to work out while traveling.
However, a recent survey shows that only 22% of hotel guests will actually use the on-site gym.
And many hotel gyms don’t match the workout regimens of everyday people. Look at those pictures. You have a few stationary bikes, treadmills and free weights. You’ll also find a few yoga mats at most places.
But people who work out at home are likelier to have a Peloton bike or head to classes at the nearby SoulCycle or Equinox.
That’s why it’s a big deal when a hotel has a connected Peloton bike.
But as someone who doesn’t work out on a regular basis, I’m curious about how important the quality of a hotel gym is to selecting a hotel. Will you pick one hotel over another based on the workout options available?
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