One of the biggest frustrations of being on vacation is the sudden lack of commitment to exercise. Somehow, we just can't justify spending time in the hotel gym when there's sunbathing to do or sites to explore.
Luckily, a few years ago we were introduced to City Running Tours, a tour company founded by Michael Gazaleh, a chiropractor and life-long runner who, at the time, only ran the operation in New York City. Back then, he expressed a desire to expand, and now, he has. City running tours are available in Chicago, San Diego, Washington, DC, Charleston and Austin.
Just perfect for our generation of short attention span travelers (and we definitely include ourselves), Westin Hotels are going to help us get fit by including the Wii gaming system in their fitness centers. That means that we'll be able to play virtual bowls or do some virtual boxing rather than just sitting on an exercise bike staring at the TV. And that means we have half a chance of being interested enough to do it.
The Westin-Wii deal has started out with installation at the Westin Bellevue near Seattle and the Westin Times Square in New York. During this month, the Wiis will be turning up in a number of other Westins including Houston, Kansas City, San Francisco and Toronto, and if guest feedback is positive they plan to install them in more.
Nintendo's done a deal with Westin to give them Wiis that will automatically update to the newest versions and games, no disc required, so it's not even a system that will get out of date. We have to admit, we think we would make a booking decision purely based on the Wii. Would you?
We're starting to think there is very little that the Nintendo Wii gaming system can't do.
Recently, the Le Parker Meridien in New York introduced the Wii Workout at their gravity fitness and spa. The workout takes place inside the center's racquetball courts where the Wii workout is projected off the 20-foot wall with surround sound and a private instructor takes you through an intense workout centered around the Wii sports.
A round of jabs with the trainer before you perfect your skills on the Wii Boxing! Some sprints to warm you up before you use that forehand on Wii Tennis. The minutes will fly by! The one hour session will consist of a warm-up and exercises based around the game. Intermittently, one will play the 'Wii" game using the skills just learned and with the trainer coaching one through it.
The cost of the training session is $120. But if you aren't keen on doing a Wii workout, you can still play the Wii. The hotel allows up to four players in the racquetball court to play the Wii sports. And it's not limited to hotel guests. NYC residents looking for more space are welcome too. The rental cost is $50 for the court plus the $25 gravity fitness fee if you are not a hotel guest or gym member.
We used to think the Wii at the Gansevoort's penthouse was awesome but this is bigger and better and doesn't cost the price of a penthouse suite.
The gym and the Wii workout is open from 6:00 am to 11:00 pm, weekends 7:00 am to 8:00 pm.
If we're perfectly honest, we haven't used a whole lot of fitness equipment in hotels in recent years (or even decades). We tend to have a look in the gym, admire it a bit, then figure we'll come back later, and don't.
Hyatt Hotels don't want to let us off the hook that easily. The Hyatt online shop is offering a range of merchandise in their StayFit at Hyatt brand so that we can continue the whole exercise hassle even from home. They've got a bunch of yoga DVDs, and one of those huge fitness balls for $40 (which seems a lot more than the cost of one in the mall). Plus they have yoga mats (in a neat carry bag) and resistance bands, and then a three-pack of gym towels emblazoned with the Stay Fit at Hyatt logo for $25.
If you're such a huge fan of Hyatt Hotels that you can't bear the thought of working out without their stuff, then this is the shop for you. We're still trying to get motivated just to work out, with or without hotel-branded equipment.
The Hilton New York has just completed a renovation of its 8,000-square foot glass-domed fitness facility that features floor-to-ceiling windows offering you killer views as you break a sweat.
The renovation added cushion flooring, Precor cardiovascular machines with personal entertainment on each machine and some new strength-training equipment. But have no fear if you fear working out in public. The hotel also offers private in-room yoga and Pilates workouts.
And for you Movie Set Hotel junkies the fitness center was used in a scene of Michael Clayton starring George Clooney.
The Gansevoort South Beach is aiming for a mid-February opening but we don't know for sure if that will really happen. However, if you want to snag a membership to the exclusive David Barton Gym before it opens on March 1, now is the time.
The gym which was once a part of the Delano Hotel, is offering a special pre-sale rate of $75 per month along with a $75 fee to reserve membership. The gym and membership will include:
unlimited kickboxing, spinning, krav maga (an Israeli fighting art), yoga and pilates. There will be 5 designated studios for these special trainings.
There is a 10,000 square foot spa with aromatherapy steam rooms and sauna. There are 2 Gourmet 5 Star restaurants and three beachfront swimming pools.
This all sounds incredibly impressive. Gym rats in Miami never had it so good! However, we still don't know if hotel guests will be able to use the gym for free or for a fee. A hotel rep said they are working out the details.
We hope it's free of course because we all want to, in the words of the David Barton gym motto, "look better naked." And FYI: That's David Barton in the picture above.
Feeling a bit couch-potato-like or just like a vacation that gets your muscles working? The Orchid Resorts & Escapes group have put together just the package for you at Pure Kauai. The resort's Pure Kauai Adventure Boot Camp package works out to be a 5-day trip involving both a bit of pampering and a fair bit of exercise.
Included in the package is a host, all transportation on Kauai, meals from your private chef, three day-long hikes, private yoga sessions and either weight training sessions or Pilates. You can also pay a bit extra to get a daily massage in your room (after the hikes you'll probably need it). As far as the daily hikes go, you'll be taken on different routes including a Na Pali hike, a Sleeping Giant hike and an excursion on the Hanalei Ridge Trail.
The accommodation choices include the Bali Hai Oceanfront (the cheapest for this package, at $3,000 for the week per person based on a twin share), right up to the Kohola Point house where you can stay with up to five of your friends ($3,500 for the week based on 6 people staying).
Sounds like a way to have a week-long vacation, a bit of fun, but not too much guilt, as you quickly work off any calories you consume. Unless, of course, you're the kind who wants to just relax while on holidays, then we're not recommending a Kauai boot camp for you.
Just a touch too late to really tie in with the US Open, but maybe not too late to catch our tennis enthusiasm, the Westin and Sheraton Grand Bahama Island Our Lucaya Resort is offering an unusual fitness deal called the Grand Slam Workout.
Working on the principle that tennis is an excellent calorie killing exercises (apparently it's in the top five activities for burning calories), Our Lucaya is offering 60 minutes of exercise with a tennis pro for $150. The special part of it all is you'll be playing four quick sets on all four Grand Slam surfaces, red clay, grass, Rebound Ace and DecuTurf.
Our Lucaya reckons they'll burn 500 calories off you in the hour workout, but even if they don't, it sounds like the kind of experience that makes for an interesting story to tell, at least.
One of the biggest frustrations of being on vacation is the sudden lack of commitment to exercise. Somehow, we just can't justify spending time in the hotel gym when there's sunbathing to do or sites to explore. 
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by jennm
