It’s a new year, and with that comes a plethora of weight-loss and fitness resolutions. Traveling does not need to equal time off from a healthy lifestyle, nor does keeping active have to mean endless hours at a hotel gym. “I see wellness as a crucial part of what discerning travelers are looking for as they make decisions on where to stay,” says Christianne Phillips, director of Spartan Gym and Mind & Movement for 1 Hotel South Beach. “It’s an expectation, not a luxury, for travelers to have a variety of options to work out, relax and to eat right, even when traveling for work or pleasure.”
The term “wellness travel” no longer applies only to travelers embarking on a health-centric journey. It is now focused on mainstream travelers who want to integrate healthier activities and meals into their overall vacation experience, according to the Global Wellness Institute, which also predicts that wellness tourism will grow another 37.5 percent to $808 billion by 2020. As Matt Hurlburt, area director of hotel operations, mid-Atlantic for Kimpton Hotels, notes, “This segment is definitely growing. A larger number of travelers are looking to keep their momentum going from what they have been doing at home, and possibly experience something new as well.”
Mind, Body & Soul in Miami
Last month, 1 Hotel South Beach opened the first Spartan Gym and the first U.S.-based Bamford Haybarn Spa. Spartan Gym offers Spartan Race, a leader in the sport of obstacle racing, with local certified Spartan trainers. Bamford Haybarn Spa offers 12 treatment rooms, manicure and pedicure stations, and a relaxation area, Woodland Room. Spa packages also combine yoga, Pilates and meditation options.
In celebration of the openings, 1 Hotels South Beach is offering the Become a Spartan package (starting at $350 per night) that includes a $100 F+B credit for use at all 1 Hotel South Beach outlets and access to Spartan-approved menu options, and 15 percent off personal Spartan coaching sessions, including a private welcome consultation with the lead Spartan SGX Coach to develop a customized athletic experience. The 1 Hotel brand doesn’t take wellness lightly, and at 1 Hotel South Beach a director of Mind & Movement curates all wellness- and fitness-related programming. “This new custom experience directly connects guests with experts in the space of mind and movement. Guests are able to receive a personalized approach and program that personally fits their lifestyle and needs during their stay,” says Phillips. The Mind & Movement program features strengthening the mind, body, and soul by providing an array of complimentary outdoor fitness and wellness classes ranging from Deep Detox Yoga overlooking the Atlantic Ocean to Core Body Burn.
Pampering in Palm Springs
Located in California’s Coachella Valley outside of Palm Springs, Miramonte Resort & Spa is an idyllic setting for guests seeking to nourish their mind, body, and soul with a desert escape. For starters, the 12,000-sq.-ft. Well Spa, located in the center of the property, is modeled after an ancient well discovered in the area hundreds of years ago. It features two salt pools, a eucalyptus-infused steam room, a meditation room and 13 treatment areas. “The Well Spa ties into the history of the property and the city, where an actual hand-dug well was built by settlers hundreds of years ago,” says David Folkeson, director of sales and marketing for the resort. “The treatments at the spa are crafted with indigenous items such as Coachella Valley dates. The wellness classes offered at Miramonte always tie into history or nature—full moon yoga connects the guest with the environment, morning wellness
walks through the historical neighborhoods and chef’s cooking classes employ healthy,
fresh concepts.”
When hunger strikes, guests can stop by The Grove Artisan Kitchen for a taste of executive chef Paul Hancock’s culinary creations that use locally sourced and seasonal ingredients in a farm-to-fork approach. Then, to burn off calories, guests can head to one of the many nearby hiking trails offering mountainous valley views. Or, they can hop on one of the property’s bike tours along the San Andreas Fault line. Yogis can reach their Zen during a morning or full moon Vinyasa session. Rates start at $259 for winter stays; $134 in the summer.
Zipping and Zening in Virginia
The Omni Homestead Resort in Hot Springs, Virginia has added a zipline to its recreational options. Offering guests views of the Allegheny Mountains, the new Zip Line Tour (starting at $99 per guest), with nine cable ziplines strung throughout the resort’s ski area, is a fun option for those seeking to stay active while on vacation. The first zipline, the dual-line Red Tail Racer debuted in November, and the remaining lines will open early this year.
In addition to ziplining, guests can also take in a Cascades Gorge hike, or go kayaking and biking. Plus, on Saturday mornings guests can take an aqua yoga class in the hot springs pool set within the Serenity Garden. The on-property spa also offers the Aqua Thermal Suite with a collection of European-style healing aquatic environments including various treatments of hot and cold temperatures. Starting rates start at $180 per night.
Wellness Around Washington
Kimpton Hotels might as well be synonymous with wellness with the array of programs offered across the brand. For starters, they make it easy for guests to get their workout in by equipping each room with a yoga mat, plus TVs offering 24-hour yoga or Pilates workout channels. In addition, they’ve amped up their water service with infused water stations in every lobby, plus complimentary bikes and helmet rentals available from the front desk. The Kimpton Topaz Hotel in Dupont Circle in Washington, D.C. gets detox-specific in its wellness regimen by offering the District Detox Wellness package, which includes pairing a puree artisan juice cleanse with a reformer/chair class at Toolbox Pilates, a 30-minute session with a wellness coach, a cooler bag for the juices, and Detox Purifying Sea Minerals Bath Salts by Pur Soma. Rates start at $229 per night including deluxe accommodations.
Over at the Kimpton Carlyle Hotel, guests can run with the GM, Thomas Frahner, on a 3-mile run of their choice on Tuesday and Thursday mornings at 6:30 a.m. This complimentary program takes guests from the hotel to the White House and explores the trails of nearby Rock Creek Park to running down U Street, Adams Morgan, and 14th Street to see former jazz hideaways. After their run, guests are welcomed with water, towels and fresh fruit.
“Wellness can mean different things to different guests, and we truly have something for everybody, whether their preference is an intense workout at cross-training classes available in Kimpton Glover Park Hotel’s 2,000-sq.-ft. boutique gym, Urban Athletic Club, or relaxation and rejuvenation through spa treatments at our Kimpton Lorien Hotel & Spa,” says Hurlburt. “Additionally, our restaurants have a number of healthy options including freshly pressed juices and vegan or gluten-free options that allow for more conscious choices.”
Contact Information
1 Hotel South Beach: 1hotels.com/south-beach
Kimpton Hotels: kimptonhotels.com
Miramonte Resort & Spa: miramonteresort.com
The Omni Homestead Resort:
omnihotels.com/hotels/homestead-virginia
