Hotel & Motel Management - January 7, 2008 - (Page 30) 30 Design FITNESS H&MM January 7, 2008 | HotelMotel.com www.HotelMotel.com/digital_edition BY HEATHER GUNTER, ASSOCIATE EDITOR face LIFTS Brand partners Fitness centers are among the top five features hotel guests deem important, said Jodi Sullivan, senior director of fitness, corporate development, Hilton Hotels Corp. Sullivan cited a survey of more than 500 business travelers. Hilton teamed with Precor Fitness to offer guests a consistent workout experience, whether they stay at a Hilton, Doubletree or Embassy Suites property. The co-branded Fitness by Precor facilities allow guests to continue their fitness routines while on the road, Sullivan said. “Travelers have expectations of what constitutes a great fitness center, and we feel with collaborating with Precor, we’ve created the environment that guests expect,” she said. The Renaissance ClubSport Walnut Creek (Calif.) blends a hotel and 85,000-square-foot fitness club in one facility. ClubSport is a West Coast fitness and spa company. The sports club aspect is a key attraction for many hotel guests, said Brian Amador, g.m. Guests of Renaissance ClubSport receive complimentary access to ClubSport, where HILTON HOTELS CORP. Eldorado Hotel & Spa in Santa Fe, N.M., is nearing completion of a $10.5-million renovation. The lobby features a new Southwestern-themed front desk and bellstand, custom chandeliers and sconces, and textile art. All 219 guestrooms also were refinished in the Southwestern vein with art, refreshing color palettes and woven fabrics. they can enjoy the 12,000-square-foot fitness floor, five group exercise studios, court sports, an aquatic center and childcare services. “The feel of the property is largely driven by the size of the club,” Amador said. “We have an active community population that’s part of our club. Our hotel guests join the community essentially. They’re in a class or a pick-up ball game with the club members.” Another advantage of the co-branded property is that many employee positions cater to both the hotel and fitness guest, he said. Fitness center design highlights Hotel fitness areas offer guests an experience similar to what they expect at home. Hilton Hotels Corp.’s Fitness by Precor facilities offer Precor Cardio Theater Exercise Entertainment. Each cardiovascular machine is equipped with entertainment technology from either wallmounted plasma televisions or personal liquid crystal display viewing screens and lightweight headphones. The facilities are designed to flow within the existing hotel setting and color schemes. The Renaissance ClubSport Walnut Creek (Calif.) includes 12,000 square feet of cardiovascular, circuit and free-weight equipment, group exercise studios, an NCAA-regulation gymnasium for basketball and volleyball, racquetball and squash courts and locker rooms. An outdoor aquatic area has three resort-style swimming pools, a whirlpool, bocce courts and a garden patio for special events. With its $138-million renovation under way, The Atlanta Marriott Marquis has completed projects and improvements, including the addition of three food-andbeverage venues: Pulse, a cocktail lounge; Sear, the hotel’s signature restaurant; and High Velocity, a sports bar. Renovations to the 1,663 guestrooms and 94 suites and remodeling of the Imperial Ballroom and 15 meeting rooms also is complete. Benchmark Hospitality has completed renovations for The Chattanoogan hotel in Chattanooga, Tenn. The property is updated with a rich color palette, new furnishings and softgoods. Guestrooms, the lobby and The Foundry Bar were renovated. The Holiday Inn Select in Auburn Hills, Mich., has completed its upgrade to a Crowne Plaza Hotel. This follows a multimillion-dollar renovation, which includes public areas, the ballroom, restaurants, guestrooms and the exterior. The Holiday Inn Tysons Corner (Va.) completed its upgrade to a Crowne Plaza Hotel. The upgrade includes a multimillion-dollar renovation of the hotel’s public areas, ballroom, restaurants and the exterior. Compiled by Heather Gunter, hgunter@questex.com How do you make a co-branded fitness center work? A RENAISSANCE CLUBSPORT WALNUT CREEK Jodi Sullivan, Hilton Hotels Corp.: “When Hilton was looking for the right business to work with, we selected Precor because of the total product offering—cardio, strength and entertainment—as well as their strong branding and onthe-ground resources, such as their dealer network. Precor has one of the largest dealer networks to provide ongoing service and maintenance to the Hilton partnership. A dedicated phone line and e-mail have been set up for direct and immediate contact.” A An outdoor aquatic area is one of the amenities at the Renaissance ClubSport Walnut Creek (Calif.). Brian Amador, Renaissance ClubSport Walnut Creek Hotel: “We realize all kinds of operational efficiencies. Because we’re joined, we have one staff and one management. Early on we knew we did not want to feel like a club and hotel stuck together. Everyone feels like they work for the entire property.” For more info Company Circle No. Cybex . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 377 Hotel Fitness . . . . . . . . . . . . 378 Life Fitness. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 379 Octane Fitness . . . . . . . . . . . 380 Paramount Fitness Corp.. . . . 381 Precor Fitness . . . . . . . . . . . 382 ProMaxima Manufacturing . . 383 True Fitness . . . . . . . . . . . . . 384 Quotable “ The energetic, motivating environment reflects an ideal union between two customer-focused companies dedicated to providing premium quality fitness centers.” JODI SULLIVAN, senior director of fitness, corporate development, Hilton Hotels Corp. http://www.HotelMotel.com http://www.HotelMotel.com/digital_edition
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