A Guide to High-Quality Hotel Gyms, from Peloton Bikes to Personal Training

Hotel gyms and work-out facilities used to be an afterthought, filled with frayed yoga mats, dingy treadmills and outdated amenities. Matt Aspiotis Morley, founder and director of hotel- and residential-gym design consultancy Biofilico, says this is changing—and we have the past decade’s fitness revolution to thank.

“The gap between the gym experience we’re used to at our local fitness venue and the one on offer at most hotels simply became too conspicuous to ignore,” he says, noting many hotel brands thought gyms had no revenue potential. “A lowest-common-denominator approach was good enough—until it wasn’t.” Given travelers’ demand for health and wellness offerings, hoteliers realized high-quality hotel gyms could help their properties stand out. Morley says his clients aim for aesthetics that “bring the outside world in,” with plant walls and natural materials, purified air, nontoxic flooring and lighting systems that sync with the body’s natural rhythm. For equipment, “treadmills remain the go-to cardio machine, but spin bikes with virtual trainer platforms are gaining in popularity,” he says.

Which Hotels Have Peloton Bikes?

The number of hotels offering Peloton bikes is skyrocketing; some even offer live classes. Brands that carry Peloton include Kimpton, Aloft and Four Seasons. The Peloton Hotel Finder helps you plan stays, so you know which gyms are guaranteed for you to clip in and ride. At the Sheraton Times Square join a ride in the Peloton room, which features daily streamed classes and 10 bikes. Hilton is also riding the Peloton wave: By the end of the year, all 5,400 U.S. properties will have bikes.

Gym at The Westin Anaheim, California / Photo: Courtesy of Westin Anaheim

Which Hotel Brand Is Best for Running?

In 2013 Westin launched the RunWestin program in partnership with the national Rock ’n’ Roll Running Series. The brand’s robust program employs more than 225 “run concierges” offering local routes and group jogs in properties around the globe. “Prioritizing well-being and self-care continues to reign supreme among guests,” says Jennifer Connell, a vice president and global brand leader for Westin’s parent company, Marriott International. “We saw a resurgence of interest in running. It’s more popular than ever.”

Which Hotels Have Large Gyms?

When Chicago’s Hotel at Mid-town debuted, it made waves with one of the largest health and fitness spaces in the U.S. Its 575,000-square-foot facility features a turf gym, spin studio, yoga room with infrared heat panels, a boxing program created by George Foreman III, PGA golf simulators, and spa—not to mention lap pools, a hydrotherapy pool and hundreds of fitness classes. Meanwhile, the Hotel X Toronto’s 10XTO gym offers one of the area’s best views: Sweeping floor-to-ceiling glass windows overlook downtown Toronto and Lake Ontario. Guests enjoy complimentary access to the 90,000-square-foot gym, which offers top-of-the-line equipment, multi-station circuits and a free-weight area. Fitness studios feature yoga, Pilates and group cycle classes, while tennis, squash and Topgolf provide active entertainment.

Which Hotels Offer Personal Training Sessions?

Soho House, Morley’s go-to London brand, brims with fitness potential. Its Soho Health Club offers more than 40 classes per week across its four studios, including HIIT, yoga, Pilates and strength and conditioning. Guests can also enjoy sessions with personal trainers, an indoor lap pool, and high-end equipment. For post-workout refreshment, they can visit the café for protein shakes and juices. At the Sheraton Times Square, on-site personal trainers provide custom workouts, while 30-minute group fitness classes fuse cardio and strength.

Pool at Soho Health Club, London / Simon Brown

Which Hotels Offer Post-Workout Recovery?

Guests are just as interested in rest and recovery as they are in exercise—hence the launch of Westin’s Hypervolt recovery stations, which provide handheld massage guns for percussion therapy. “Guests can warm up or recover after a workout, long flight or meeting to help massage away stress and tension,” says Connell. Reap the percussion-therapy rewards at The Westin Anaheim’s Hypervolt station.