No Room at the Inn for Working Out?

I get off the plane feeling cramped, congested and terminally cranky. I can hardly wait to get to my hotel’s gym so I can begin my workout and rejoin the human race. My anticipation is tempered somewhat because I have absolutely no idea what kind of gym equipment this particular hotel will have--cutting edge, run-of-the-mill or antediluvian.

Easing stress after a tedious flight is critical. A recent survey indicates 90% of adults feel that traveling for business creates tremendous stress. So, what’s a traveler to do when she hits the road for business? When it comes to health and fitness, it often seems the hospitality industry has not kept pace with the public’s interest in these activities. We all know there are plenty of beautiful spa destinations, but most business trips aren’t to spas.

Last week, for example, I was headed out of town, away from the park where I run and the gym where I weight train. Before departing, I called ahead to see if my hotel (booked by my company) had a gym.

‘Yes, indeed!’ exclaimed the seemingly accommodating concierge.

“Would you e-mail me a picture?” I asked.

He responded that there was no picture of the gym facility available.

Hoping for the best, I packed my gear, looking forward to fitting a workout into my hectic days of meetings, dinners and late-night entertaining. I awoke early the morning after my arrival only to discover the gym didn’t open until 8 a.m. When I returned later that afternoon, I discovered there was only one old stationary bike, and that was occupied by a man who looked as if he were glued to the seat.

Story of my life. I’ve been fighting this battle for years. The lack of suitable hotel exercise accommodations has sparked a creative fitness streak in me. Once, stranded in Canada without access to a public gym and desperate for a workout, I slipped into the Olympic ski team’s gym. Additionally, I confess to dragging my husband to every YMCA east of the Mississippi and logging many a “mall mile,” too.

Do I sound like a fanatic? Well, keep in mind that I work in the fitness industry and must travel frequently. In addition to business travels, my family is scattered throughout the United States, Europe and as far away as Papua, New Guinea. (One time, I hiked the highlands of this remote Pacific island to get my workout.) I’ve interviewed a lot of business (and leisure) travelers along the way, and I know I’m not alone.

But I’ve picked up some useful information through my travels. Here are some tips to help health-conscious, busy travelers get their exercise while on the road:

“Hotel Gyms-the Fitness Guide,” by Kyle Merker (Incline Press, 1997). This paperback book rates fitness facilities in 45 U.S. cities and at all the major hotel chains, describing specific equipment at each location, such as how many treadmills there really are in that hotel gym.

City Sport Worldwide (https://www.cityguide.com) is a guide to sports and leisure activities in cities around the globe. In Seattle, for example, hiking day trips range from easy to moderate treks just north of the city to more challenging destinations.

“Fitness Passport”: Every year the Lung Assn. of New York issues this coupon booklet, which contains more than 50 workout passes for some of the best clubs and private studios in New York City. It costs $60. Call (800) LUNG-USA.

For information about fitness facilities at YMCAs or YWCAs in Los Angeles and New York, you can call New York, (888) 222-9622, or Los Angeles, (888) 246-9622.

Also, if you belong to a local gym that has sites in other cities, find out if it has “passport” memberships or offers discounts to gyms in the city you are traveling to.

One hotel chain that usually offers superior fitness facilities is the Four Seasons group. The luxury hotel chain even has a toll-free phone number and a Web site that allows you to get specific information about a particular hotel’s fitness center and whether it offers certified personal trainers.

Perhaps more hotels will catch up soon with society’s love of fitness. Until then, we’ll have to rely on some of the resources listed here and on our own ingenuity to exercise that business travel stress out of our systems.

Stephanie Oakes is a fitness correspondent for Discovery Health Channel. She can be reached by e-mail at stephoakes@aol.com.