Infuse your hotel selection with balance and wellbeing
Workplace wellness is a really big deal, and rightly so. More than ergonomic chairs and meditation apps, businesses are investing heavily in wellness programmes to help their employees manage their stress levels, health and mental wellbeing.
In a post-COVID era, it’s more important than ever.
But how does your travel programme, and more specifically, your corporate hotel programme, measure up in the wellness stakes?
As business travel begins to gather momentum, it might be time for a hospitality check-up. After all, many companies expect business travellers to spend dozens of nights away from home each year, with little thought (beyond budget caps and star ratings) on where they should stay.
It’s time to put traveller wellbeing at the heart of your travel programme, and with the right advice and hotel partners, it’s easy to do!
Boosting balance and wellness while on the road
When it comes to health and wellbeing, a few hotel groups are achieving yogi-like levels of commitment.
Leading the way, IHG’s EVEN Hotels are defying the idea that business travel needs to throw off your regular health and fitness routine. Think wellness-savvy staff, in-room fitness training zones and healthier food choices. There are currently 10 hotels in the US and, in some very good news, 10 more global properties in the pipeline!
Accor’s Pullman Hotels & Resorts who are already well known for their stylish decor, are fast gaining a reputation for their approach to wellness too. Pullman hotels feature power fitness zones, video on-demand exercise classes, Power Up menus for optimal nutrition and a global fitness programme to keep workouts fresh.
Not to be left behind, Hilton’s newest brand, Tempo will put wellness and sustainability front and centre to align with younger travellers keen on mindful and eco-friendly travel. There are 30 US Tempo hotels on the way, with the first one set to open in the second half of 2021.
Wellbeing on a budget
Are you keen to include a wellness element to your hotel programme, but are you mindful about budget? Travelodge, Village Hotels and Edyn all offer wellness benefits with a very attractive price tag.
Travelodge PLUS has invested £10m into hotels in Brighton, Edinburgh, Gatwick Airport, London and York. Features include the luxurious king-size Travelodge Dreamer bed, blackout curtains, a Bar/Café and the option of a SuperRoom with power showers and Lavazza coffee pod machines.
Village Hotels know what corporate travellers want. All their 31 UK hotels boast top-notch fitness equipment on their spacious gym floor, over 400 fitness classes a month, plus an indoor heated swimming pool, sauna, steam room and whirlpool. Twenty-nine of the hotels have their own pub/restaurant, and 19 have their own VWorks co-working spaces – the perfect place to host meetings and grab complimentary coffees. And with lead-in room rates of just £49, what more could business travellers want?
Edyn’s family of brands include Locke and Saco – aparthotels and serviced apartments that offer so much more than a basic hotel room. With over 80,000 apartments in 260 worldwide destinations, Saco offers a range of self-catering studios and apartments for every budget. Within Locke’s design-led aparthotels, there are communal co-working spaces in inspiring surroundings. Locke’s lifestyle programme includes free yoga sessions and running clubs as a brand standard, in addition to DJ nights, coffee tastings and personal shopping events. At Locke’s new Broken Wharf aparthotel (north bank of the Thames, near Millennium Bridge), studio prices start at just £99 a night!
5 tips to put wellness firmly on the itinerary
1. Create a holistic hotel programme that includes ‘company preferred’ hotels with tangible wellness benefits.
2. Ensure that travellers book hotels through approved booking channels. When travellers book through online travel agents (in other words, outside of your preferred booking platform) they face the hassle of changing bookings whenever unexpected events occur. They also won’t collect loyalty points, and will be less likely to receive complimentary benefits. Booking through a centralised point means that your TMC can track and amend all bookings – and reap the rewards – with zero stress on anyone else.
3. Ensure your hotel programme includes hotels with a gym, swimming pool and on-site restaurant. Even better? Perks like free breakfasts, late-check out, early check-in and free room upgrades all go a long way in easing traveller stress.
4. Include self-catering studios/apartments. This is a great idea for stays of three nights and longer as the extra space, cooking and laundry facilities will make travellers feel more at home!
5. Include global hotel chains (IHG, Hilton, Accor) and make sure that travellers sign up to earn reward points. That way, travellers will automatically get exclusive perks like free upgrades, welcome drinks and executive lounge access – plus, they can accumulate bonus points and use them for personal stays.
Say goodbye to poky, airless hotel rooms and takeaway meals on the fly. There is no reason to put your exercise and wellness routine on hold while travelling. Today it’s possible to breathe, eat well, exercise, and kick-back and relax on your trip.
