Luxury Hotel Offers A Run For Your Money
A leading luxury hotel chain has started a scheme that allows guests to borrow running shoes and clothing.
Westin Hotels and Resorts have gone into partnership with the New Balance company in the new ‘healthy and fit’ programme.
The New Balance running shoes are equipped with disposable insoles that can be thrown out after each use, and the clothes will be laundered after every run. Hotel guests can borrow a variety of running gear including shorts, shirts and socks for men, and shorts, Capri pants, socks, shirts and sports bras for women.
“Guests simply need to show up ready for a great workout. We provide the rest,” said Nancy London, Vice President of Westin Hotels & Resorts.
The complimentary programme has been piloted at ten Westin properties, including The Westin Boston Waterfront, The Westin Michigan Avenue in Chicago, and The Westin San Francisco Airport. It should begin rolling out to all the chain’s luxury hotels around the world in 2011.
According to the Wall Street Journal, the hotels are stocking women’s size shoes from 6 to 10½ and clothing from small to extra large; and men’s size shoes 8½ to 13 and clothing from medium to XXL.
Some travellers are already embracing the idea. Jenn Blazejewski, a 31-year-old management consultant and daily runner, told the Journal she had no problem with the idea of loaner gear. “Running socks aren’t very intimate compared with bed sheets and towels,” she said.
by Andy Moreton
There are now more than 170 Westin properties worldwide – find some of them among Luxique’s comprehensive list of luxury hotels.
