For many travelers, maintaining healthy habits while on the road — whether related to eating, sleeping, or exercising — can be a real challenge. Hotels have long responded with basic fitness options like a treadmill or stationary bike, but in recent years many properties have upgraded to full-service fitness offerings, including personal trainers, modern strength and cardio equipment, and group classes.
Westin Hotels & Resorts has been a leader in hotel wellness for more than a decade, developing the brand’s Six Pillars of Well-Being to help guests and associates “be their best selves”: Sleep Well, Eat Well, Move Well, Feel Well, Work Well, and Play Well.
In October 2016, Westin commissioned a global survey of travelers. Of the 7,900 respondents, 51 percent of North Americans said they planned to focus more on wellness while traveling in the coming year, and 83 percent said access to programs that support their wellness routines would factor into their accommodation choices.
Biking © WESTIN
“Around the world we are seeing travelers realigning their priorities to put their well-being first, and Westin is proud to empower our guests to rise to the occasion and be their best selves on the road,” said Brian Povinelli, global brand leader for Westin Hotels & Resorts.
Povinelli noted a shift in traveler behavior: millennials increasingly view fitness as a social activity, while business travelers are moving away from traditional country-club routines in favor of running clubs and group exercise.
Responding to this demand, Westin launched its Let’s Rise initiative in January 2017, designed as a rallying call to help guests balance the demands of an always-on lifestyle by prioritizing wellness.
Westin’s Gear Lending program, introduced in 2012 at all properties, lets guests travel lighter by borrowing New Balance shoes and other workout gear for a nominal fee. Many Westin hotels have upgraded their WestinWORKOUT fitness centers with enhanced strength-training and cardio equipment. Guests who prefer to exercise in private can book a WestinWORKOUT Room, which includes in-room exercise equipment along with standard guestroom amenities. Nearly 200 runWESTIN concierges around the world also offer guided runs and local route recommendations.
Selected Westin properties offer unique outdoor wellness experiences, such as a surf concierge at The Westin LAX, a cycling concierge at The Westin Peachtree Plaza in Atlanta, and an on-mountain boot camp at The Westin Bear Mountain Golf Resort & Spa in Victoria, British Columbia.
Beyond international hotel brands, some destinations focus exclusively on wellness travel. Canyon Ranch, with locations in Tucson, Arizona; Lenox, Massachusetts; and Kaplankaya near Bodrum, Turkey, is a long-established example.
In February, Canyon Ranch introduced the Sansego Experience, a program that combines the expertise of three-time Ironman World Champion Craig Alexander and his coaching team with the resort’s wellness services.
“Canyon Ranch is truly a one-stop shop for the endurance athlete,” Alexander said. “The state-of-the-art peak performance testing and mental prep services, combined with world-class training venues and our Sansego coaches, offer a package focused on the whole athlete.”
The Sansego Experience is tailored to each participant, from seasoned triathletes seeking performance gains to intermediate athletes working toward the next level and newcomers building fundamental skills. For those seeking an exclusive challenge, Alexander leads The Crowie Experience, a five-day camp limited to 30 athletes that offers personalized plans and group training aimed at helping triathletes reach their goals.
Mountain Trek hike © MOUNTAIN TREK
Mountain Trek in British Columbia offers North America’s first mountain-based hiking, fitness, and weight-loss retreats, available as one- or two-week all-inclusive programs. These intensive retreats begin early each day and are highly personalized, with a typical week limited to 16 guests and a staff-to-guest ratio of about 4:1.
Mountain Trek customizes each guest’s experience, handling practical needs like laundry and providing meals and snacks that meet dietary requirements. The program includes tailored exercise classes and hiking groups and daily instruction on the five pillars of the Mountain Trek Way: nutrition, fitness, detoxification, sleep health, and stress management.
Travaasa Experiential Resorts, with properties in Austin, Texas, and Hana, Maui, center their programming on local, place-based activities that encourage discovery and personal growth. In Austin, guests can try a mechanical bull workout, hatchet throwing, or the Prickly Pear Challenge Course; in Hana, activities include outrigger canoeing, aerial experiences, and ukulele lessons. Both locations offer traditional fitness and cooking classes so guests can continue healthy habits after they return home.
On Antigua, the five-star Carlisle Bay resort introduced island bathing, a two-hour meditative wellness excursion inspired by the Japanese practice of shinrin-yoku (forest bathing). Guests are taken by private boat at sunrise or sunset to a secluded island, where a wellness guide leads them through guided meditation and breathwork amid the sounds of surf and rustling palms.
Research, including studies cited by Columbia University, suggests that negative ions generated by crashing surf may help improve mood, stimulate the senses, support oxygen absorption, and even strengthen resistance to illness.
Across hotels, resorts, and specialized wellness destinations, travelers now have more options than ever to maintain or deepen their wellness routines while away from home — whether they’re traveling for business, leisure, or a mix of both.