Can you think of an amenity as expensive yet criminally underused as the hotel gym?
We love a dip in the pool. The spa’s always fully booked. The breakfast buffet line looks like Disney World. Yet that pristine hotel gym, with iron plates scratch-free and glittering and treadmills unburnished, sits barren.
It’s time to change that.
New Year or not, fitness should be a part of our lives, and hitting the weights on holiday should be the newest travel trend. To get you in the mood, we’ve found some of the best hotel gyms in the world.
Budget options for a hotel gym
Kimpton Maa-Lai
Location: Bangkok, Thailand
Price: $200+
Vibe: Bangkok for your buck
The rundown: There’s no getting around the value Southeast Asia offers travelers from the US and Europe. With hotels of this standard clocking in at $200 in Thailand and sometimes under, you’re getting an absolute steal.
And the level of care has never been more evident than in Kimpton Maa-Lai’s hotel gym. It’s a sprawling space, decorated with a cool industrial slant, and offers everything any fitness buff would need, from well-stocked squat racks and free weights to functional equipment and machines. There’s no excuse for not burning off your pad thai.
Hilton Sedona Resort at Bell Rock
Location: Oak Creek, Arizona
Price: $280+
Vibe: Battle-ready resort
The rundown: Hilton Sedona Resort at Bell Rock is an expansive property at the best of times, offering an all-in-one destination in a pretty unbelievable location. The red rock formations frame almost every room view, and the Grand Canyon is just two hours away. However, it’s the Athletic Club that steals the show.
The traditional hotel gym is as comprehensive as they come—this is no “five light dumbbells and a rickety treadmill” affair. A full selection of free weights, including a squat rack and a wide variety of machines, facilitate any workout, while a 25-meter lap pool and pickleball courts offer a more leisurely activity base. But the highlight is the warrior pit, an outdoor HIIT-focused space with battle ropes, tires, sledgehammers, and anchors.
Mid-range options for a hotel gym
Jumeirah Beach Hotel
Location: Dubai, UAE
Price: $450+
Vibe: United Arab Emir-weights
The rundown: It’s no secret that the United Arab Emirates goes big on just about everything. So it’s no surprise the hotel gym at Jumeirah Beach Hotel in Dubai is as spectacular as it is. Its wellness center, the J-Club, is an all-in-one facility boasting a state-of-the-art gym, a 25-meter lap pool, outdoor workout areas, squash courts, and private training.
But if I’m being honest, it’s all about style here. It’s incredibly well-equipped. When a gym looks this good, you can’t help but feel encouraged to work out. And with the iconic Burj Al Arab Hotel looming in the background, you’ll never forget you’re in Dubai.
Planet Hollywood Adult Scene
Location: Cancun, Mexico
Price: $480+
Vibe: A-lister shape finder
The rundown: Alright, so the likelihood of you getting Chris Hemsworth or Gal Gadot’s physique after three workouts and 40 margaritas is pretty slim, but you might have a taste of the A-list fitness experience at the hotel gym at Planet Hollywood Adult Scene in Cancun.
The adults-only resort puts a heavy emphasis on its fitness offerings, with an expansive open-plan functional fitness area and unique classes. The Hollywood abs intensive will drag you down to the beach and blast your core with HIIT exercises on the sand, while the Spartan obstacle course offers a fun way to burn some calories. There’s a ton more on offer, though!
High-end options for a hotel gym
Park Hyatt Tokyo
Location: Tokyo, Japan
Price: $850+
Vibe: Exhausted in translation
The rundown: You might recognize this hotel from the Bill Murray/Scarlet Johanson movie “Lost in Translation,” prompting a quirky visit for you to sit around the ultra-cool bar sipping whisky and looking sad while the neon lights of Tokyo glow beneath you.
But what you might not know is that it’s got an utterly killer hotel gym. It’s equipped with everything you need for a good workout and even removes the excuse of “I forgot my stuff” by offering free clothing rentals. But let’s face it, if the thrill of working out on the 52nd floor of a Tokyo skyscraper won’t keep you motivated, nothing will. And the pool is sublime, too.
Equinox Hotels
Location: Hudson Yards, NYC
Price: $800
Vibe: High-end gains
The rundown: Equinox Hotels are owned by the same company that operates the luxury gym group of the same name, so you can be sure this NYC high-end hotel’s fitness offerings will match the reputation its gyms hold. The newly-opened property has been making waves for its exceptional style and serene atmosphere, acknowledged as one of the 50 best hotels on the planet.
But for those with an eye on the hotel gym, complimentary access to the adjacent Equinox center will grab your attention. The sprawling 60,000-square-foot gym is spectacular, covering every fitness base possible in the form of machines, free weights, and classes of every type.t also features many stylish extras like an outdoor heated pool, sundecks, a saltwater lap pool, and plunge pools. Locals pay over $3,000 a year to use the gym, but you get to use it as your hotel gym.
by travelers, for travelers.
