Welcoming Wellness

Wellness is the word of the moment in the hotel industry. The growing desire among travelers to maintain a healthy routine away from home has spawned a movement that's quickly gaining momentum. Hotel initiatives to capture the loyalty of wellness-minded guests range from rental workout gear and sleep-inducing bedding to yoga breaks and catering menus themed around super foods.  

Some chains, like Starwood's Westin Hotels & Resorts and InterContinental's new Even Hotels (which debuted this past June with a 129-room property in Norwalk, Conn.), have built their entire brand concepts around the wellness culture.

Marketplace research supports these efforts. According to several recent traveler surveys, staying fit and eating well are among their biggest concerns. The May 2014 Small Business Report by Expedia queried more than 7,000 employees and found that 81 percent make an effort to eat healthfully while on the road, and an impressive 52 percent take advantage of a hotel's gym facilities.

These findings are largely mirrored across the pond. In a 2013 study of 675 European business travelers by the Global Business Travel Association, 65 percent of respondents said maintaining a healthy diet while on the road was a key concern, and 46 percent said sticking to their exercise routines was a definite priority.

Following is a closer look at the wellness initiatives of some major hotel chains and several individual properties.


MGM Grand, Las Vegas 
 

Sin City might not spring to mind as a wellness destination, but that hasn't stopped the 5,044-room MGM Grand, MGM Resorts International's flagship hotel, from taking up the banner. Last year, the property teamed up with Delos, a U.S.-based wellness real-estate developer, and unveiled 42 Stay Well rooms equipped with 20 features intended to allow guests to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Demand was so great for the product that this year the hotel converted all 171 rooms and suites on its 14th floor into the Wellness Collection, and introduced the new Stay Well Lounge exclusively for those guests.

"It was a huge commitment converting these rooms, but the demand is absolutely there," says Gregg Herning, vice president of sales for the property. "Once groups find out about those rooms, they are intrigued. They want to book them for their VIPs, corporate leaders, speakers, even for their heavy lifters who are working these large conventions round the clock."

Among Stay Well rooms' features are a vitamin C-infused shower, an air-purification system, blue-shaded lighting to increase energy and reduce jet lag, blackout shades, and a minibar loaded with energizing snack foods such as raw almonds, yogurt-covered raisins and coconut water.

At press time, Delos and MGM Grand took the concept into the boardroom with the launch of Stay Well Meetings. Created with input from wellness guru Dr. Deepak Chopra and the Cleveland Clinic, this initiative is designed to enhance the health and productivity of attendees via curated menus and mental and physical exercises, supplemented by wellness elements built into the meeting space, including air- and water-purification systems, creativity-enhancing color schemes, aromatherapy and more.

The program was unveiled at the MGM Grand in mid-August, when Dr. Chopra was on hand to help cut the ribbon to 13 newly designated Stay Well meeting rooms.
 

Omni La Costa Resort & Spa
 

Last year, in response to growing demand from meeting planners, the 607-room Omni La Costa Resort & Spa in Carlsbad, Calif., unveiled a Workplace Wellbeing program series for business guests at its Chopra Center, founded by, yes, Dr. Deepak Chopra. Groups from Merrill Lynch, Bank of America and IBM are among those that have participated in the programs.

The Workplace Wellbeing program centers on six key categories developed by Dr. Chopra specifically for business groups: leadership, stress management, movement through yoga, nutrition, communication and achieving balance in life. In addition, meditation, massage and medical consultations are optional add-ons to any curriculum.

"Planners are adding a wellness component to the traditional meeting, whether it's a sales or an investment meeting," says Patsy Bock, director of sales and marketing at the Omni La Costa. "When we tell them we have a program they can incorporate as a team-building activity, they are immediately interested."

Beyond the Chopra Center programs, the resort offers in-room yoga exercises via its dedicated LiveWell TV channel; in-room yoga mats are provided for guests' use, with the option to purchase. Moreover, a new BeeWell sustainability effort incorporates honey harvested from the Omni's two beehives into honey-inspired dishes on its menu and honey-infused spa treatments at the on-site Spa at La Costa. Groups can tour the beehives with the resort's beekeeper and learn about the secret lives of these interesting insects.


The Woodmark Hotel, Kirkland, Wash. 
Part of Destination Hotels & Resorts, the 100-room Woodmark Hotel on Lake Washington in Kirkland, Wash., landed on Condé Nast Traveler and Travel + Leisure's global "best of" lists in 2013. This January, U.S. News & World Report named it one of the state's top hotels.

 

Key to its winning status is the hotel's emphasis on incorporating wellness, which extends to group business. From May to September each year, groups can take part in Rock the Dock, a spin-cycling class held right on the Woodmark's lakeside dock as a live DJ plays adrenaline-pumping tunes.  

For those who prefer a more meditative approach to connecting with their surroundings, the resort offers Silent Walks, guided by Traci Bartee, owner of the neighboring Fly Fitness Studio. "It can be awkward at first, because people's first instinct is to fill the silence with dialogue," says Bartee. "But then they become introspective during the walk, and that's when their creativity jumps out and insights surface."


Corinthia Hotels & Resorts 
Earlier this year, the Malta-based über-luxury hotel chain Corinthia Hotels teamed up with British nutritional therapist Jeannette Hyde and famed sleep physiologist Dr. Guy Meadows to launch two new products across its nine properties designed specifically for the group market.

The first is the chain's gluten-free Food for Thought menus. A collaboration between Hyde and Corinthia's executive chefs, these meal choices highlight locally sourced proteins, grains and vegetables, and eliminate processed sugars and refined carbohydrates. "We wanted to design menus that would help people focus, feel well and be able to concentrate throughout the day," says Hyde. "We're not talking about calorie counting and salad bars -- that's so yesterday. We are giving them something with nutritional value that they will absolutely like getting their teeth into." Among the new menu options are blueberry smoothies, blackberry and grapefruit yogurt, roasted fresh figs with honey and ricotta, and quinoa and chickpea stew.

The second initiative is the new in-room pamphlet written and designed by Dr. Meadows, founder of London's Sleep School and the author of several books on training yourself to be a better sleeper, offering 10 tips for getting a good night's sleep on the road. Topics include how to beat travel fatigue and jet lag, and why brief cat naps are essential to improving memory and problem-solving during the workday. A bonus: Groups can book Dr. Meadows for a private presentation or clinic on better sleep patterns.

Westin Hotels & Resorts 
 

In March of this year, Westin launched a yearlong, $15 million campaign dubbed the Westin Well-Being Movement to urge guests and employees to live a healthier lifestyle at its 200 hotels globally. It is the latest effort by the chain, which has long touted its six brand pillars: Feel Well, Work Well, Move Well, Eat Well, Sleep Well and Play Well.

At the 430-room Westin Denver Downtown, where group business accounts for 50 percent of bookings, guests can take part in employee-led 5K runs and hikes, or join an early morning yoga class with a local instructor on the resort's new pool deck while enjoying the impressive mountain view.

In New York City, the organic rooftop garden on the 42nd floor of the 774-room Westin New York Grand Central is a popular spot for groups to catch a breath of fresh air between sessions. "Our chef will give them a guided tour of what he's growing, and they can even pick their own menu items for the day's meals," says Maureen O'Brien, director of sales and marketing.  

The hotel's meeting-break menus feature items such as wheatgrass shots, yogurt, fruit slices and dark chocolate. Break stations also hold several iPads loaded with descriptions of the foods being served and articles on healthy eating.

All Westins feature a WestinWorkout area, which is open 24 hours. Several years ago, the brand teamed up with New Balance for a program that lets guests rent shoes and workout clothes, including socks, for just $5 a day. "We replace the insoles of the sneakers after guests uses them. They get to keep the socks," says O'Brien. "With people opting for carry-on to avoid checked luggage fees, and workout shoes taking up so much room, it has been a huge success with our business travelers."


Even Hotels
The InterContinental Hotels Group, whose brands include InterContinental, Crowne Plaza, Hotel Indigo and Holiday Inn, considered the traveler's desire to stay well on the road as the core concept for Even Hotels. IHG debuted the brand in Connecticut in June, with the 129-room Even Hotel Norwalk, followed quickly in July by the 167-room Even Hotel Rockville in Maryland. Three more properties are set to open in New York City in 2015: two in Manhattan and one in Brooklyn.

The person in charge of an Even Hotel property isn't called a general manager; he or she is chief wellness officer. That's how far the health mission permeates Even, which focuses on four tenets: eating well, resting easy, keeping active and accomplishing more.

"It's meant to be a very consistent brand," Adam Glickman, head of Even Hotels, told M&C at the grand opening of the Connecticut property. "You'll see the exact same things here that you'll see at the Rockville hotel."

All guest rooms have an In-Room Training Zone with a yoga mat, foam roller, exercise ball and a mounted Even Hotels Trainer for strength, stretch and cardio workouts. Guests can change the mood of their rooms with color LED lighting. The desk is on wheels for creative placement while working, and there's a fold-down standing desk for those who are tired of sitting.

The lobby at the Norwalk property is an open space that flows from check-in to an area where coffee and snacks and fresh-squeezed orange juice are available. Here, the brand's Cork & Kale food-and-beverage concept is highlighted. Casual seating is plentiful, a small bar serves cocktails with healthy twists, and guests can order from a menu of items made from simple, natural ingredients, to be enjoyed in the lounge or in their rooms.

"Our franchisees are excited about the look, feel and warmth of the elements," added Glickman. "IHG invested a significant amount of time on the brand before building the hotels."