According to PwC’s UK Hotel Forecast, there are challenging times ahead for this sector.
They predict that, although London hotels will show slow growth, the rest of the UK will have to work harder to keep room occupancy at a steady rate.
Within the current climate of Brexit uncertainty, hotels right across the UK – even London – must really up their game to ensure they stand out against the competition.
Let’s take a look at how the gym space can help drive revenue. We’ll examine how current hotel trends can be applied to gym design.
If you’re looking to upgrade your space, or thinking about incorporating a gym, then these tips can help you stay ahead of the game.
Eco hotels
Climate change is at the top of every political and corporate agenda. The hospitality industry, especially the hotel sector, is under pressure to prove its eco-credentials by shifting to sustainable methods of service delivery.
The amount of energy used by residents, combined with the fact that the majority of guests are travelling by air or road to reach your hotel, mean it’s really important to offset the hotel industry’s carbon footprint.
Research has shown that 68% of travellers actively seek eco-friendly hotels, so, with that in mind, it’s crucial to start getting with the eco programme, especially in the gym space, which can be achieved in a variety of ways.
Managing energy consumption in the space can be one way of addressing the issue. You can set timers on equipment so that they power down at times of low usage, and use sensors for lights so they don’t stay on constantly.
When you upgrade gym equipment, is it re-used elsewhere or is it broken down and recycled? If you’re unsure, then find out! If you recycle or reuse your equipment you can make this a selling point to your guests.
Plastic is a huge issue for us all. Instead of having plastic cups in the gym, residents could get their own branded water bottle. It’s a great promotional tool and will significantly reduce plastic wastage.
Floor mats tend to wear down quickly, so using mats made from recycled materials will help reduce your carbon footprint. Rubber is recycled a lot today, especially car tyres, so it’s worth exploring mats made this way.
Moving forward, gyms may generate their own power from the energy being expended by gym users. We’re a little way off that now but we are working to bring this about as fast as possible.
Don’t be a hotel
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More and more people don’t want a hotel, they want an experience. Thinking in terms of experiences is a great way to stand out against the competition.
A jaw-dropping, high-end Instagram-worthy gym space will certainly make it a destination. Especially, if you’re also offering classes or workout sessions that attract guests.
Some hotels offer personal trainers, yoga classes in the hotel gardens or on the roof terrace, spin classes with stunning views or cutting-edge, hi-tech gyms. The Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills is home to the Upgrade Labs, a brand new biohacking health and fitness facility.
The space has a cryotherapy chamber and cold HIIT classes, which currently forms part of NASA’s Mars training programme, an Atmospheric Cell Trainer and the Cheat Machine, which gives you a week’s worth of weightlifting in 15 minutes. Talk about a destination!
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Design is and of itself is not a competitive position. It’s one leg of the stool. Its one of many points that go into making something great.
Avi Brosh – Hotel Guru
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Don’t just think about the guests
If you’re thinking of doing more with your hotel gym or want to transform it into more of an experiential space, then it’s worth thinking more strategically about getting a better return on your potential investment.
By creating a membership gym for people who live nearby or stay at your hotel on a regular basis, means that the space is being used all year round, as opposed to during seasonal spikes. More and more hotels are looking to this model. In fact, we worked with Dormy House Hotel to do exactly that.
The UK economy and, unfortunately the political situation as well, is going through a challenging time right now, so anything to ensure your hotel weathers the storm is going to be crucial. Combine this with concerns about the environment on a global scale, and hotels do need to address eco concerns whilst being the go-to destination.
We may have to do a bit of research on cold HIIT classes (Beverly Hills, here we come) but at motive8 we can transform your gym to be the space you want it to be. We work with you to help to you with your growth strategy and ensure you get the best ROI from your space.
Don’t you think it’s time to transform your gym space? Contact us on 020 8481 9700 for more inspiration for your hotel gym design.
