UNDER-THE-SEA HOTEL EXPERIENCE TO DEBUT AT CONRAD MALDIVES

‘Sea’ the Maldives from an entirely new perspective…

Conrad Maldives Rangali Island has announced the submersion of what is believed to be the world’s first undersea residence, which will be completed in the fourth quarter of 2018.

The result of a significant $15 million USD investment will transform the Maldives experience for travelers who want to be truly immersed within the natural beauty of the Indian Ocean.

As the first international hotel brand to enter the Maldivian market 20 years ago and home to the world’s first undersea restaurant, Ithaa, Conrad Maldives Rangali Island continues to pioneer and innovate with the groundbreaking introduction of the undersea residence.

Aptly named THE MURAKA or coral in Dhivehi, the local language of the Maldives, the undersea residence gives guests an intimate and immersive experience of one of the Earth’s most breathtaking marine environments. Muraka is designed to blend into its environment, giving guests’ unparalleled views of the Indian Ocean at every turn. With vibrant colors and a diverse array of marine life all around, Muraka’s residents will be able to sleep alongside the wonders of the abundant and colorful marine life that inhabit the sea.

“Driven by our inspiration to deliver innovative and transformative experiences to our global travelers, the world’s first undersea residence encourages guests to explore the Maldives from an entirely new perspective below the surface of the sea,” said Ahmed Saleem, a Director at Crown Company and chief architect and designer of the undersea residence.

“THE MURAKA marks our second venture in underwater architecture and technology, next to Ithaa Undersea Restaurant, which is celebrating its 13^th anniversary this month. Through our rich history of being a trailblazer in innovative luxury hospitality, we are proud to remain at the forefront of cutting-edge design, technology and architecture.”

The undersea residence is a two-level structure comprised of space above the sea level and an undersea suite designed for sleeping under the ocean’s surface. The undersea suite features a king size bedroom, living area, bathroom and spiral staircase that leads to the upper level living room. The undersea bedroom floor level sits five meters (16.4 feet) below sea level, providing uninterrupted views of the surrounding marine environment.

Muraka’s upper level features a twin-size bedroom, bathroom, powder room, gym, butler’s quarters, private security quarters, integrated living room, kitchen, bar and dining, which features a deck that purposely faces the direction of the sunset for optimal viewing pleasure. On the opposite side of the villa sits the relaxation deck that faces the direction of sunrise and is complete with an infinity swimming pool. The upper level also contains an additional king size bedroom and bathroom, which boasts a masterfully appointed ocean-facing bathtub, ideal for soaking in views of the endless horizon. In total, Muraka can accommodate up to nine guests.

“Through our development of the world’s first undersea residence, we continue to shine a light on the Maldives as a luxury destination as well as a cultural and natural wonder for global travelers,” said Stefano Ruzza, General Manager at Conrad Maldives Rangali Island. “We are excited to present Muraka’s unique sleeping under the sea experience to our future guests, providing them with an extraordinary seascape of the Maldives from an entirely new perspective.”

Located in the Maldives’ best diving and snorkeling spots, Conrad Maldives Rangali Island has created a space that invites and inspires with a distinctive design that flows harmoniously with the natural environment. The resort features purposefully designed villas and suites, 12 award-winning restaurants and bars, two spas and a selection of culturally inspired experiences set against the awe-inspiring Maldivian surroundings. With the introduction of the world’s first undersea residence, Conrad Maldives continues to evolve the diversity of experiences offered to guests.

For more information and for reservations, please visit www.conradmaldives.com

 

FIRST LOOK INSIDE THE QE2 DUBAI: HOTEL ROOM AND BAR LAYOUT REVEALED

Pictured (above – top): image from The QE2 Dubai Facebook page, pictured (above – below): screenshot from the new QE2 website 

The future of The Queen Elizabeth 2 (QE2), one of the world’s most famous ocean liners, has been under much speculation since it retired from carrying passengers in 2008.

It sailed the seas as both a transatlantic liner and a cruise ship from 1969 to 2008 from the UK to New York City. Built in Clydebank, Scotland the QE2 was considered the last of the great transatlantic ocean liners until the QM2 entered service.

When QE2 retired from active Cunard service in November 2008, she had been acquired by Dubai World which planned to begin conversion of the vessel to a 500-room floating hotel.

Latest reports reveal that the QE2 has been moved to Dubai Drydocks World to begin her transformation into a world-class hotel at Port Rashid. A recent post from The QE2 Dubai Facebook page states: “Famed for her storied past from the 1960s, the Queen Elizabeth 2 is docked permanently at Dubai’s Mina Rashid and will soon become a floating entertainment, heritage and hotel destination.”

Fan website QE2 Story was the first to post of the ship docking at Port Rashid, with other reports suggesting that the hotel will open as early as this month. Cruise Arabia reporting that this has come from new information from the reservations team at PCFC Hotels, the operator of the new floating hotel concept.

In anticipation of the hotel launch, a new website recently went live with a “we’re hiring” notice at the top of the agenda.

At http://www.qe2.com – a “coming soon” banner is proceeded with promises of a “new take on hospitality” and a “royal experience”. You can also submit your email address to receive updates.

Pictured: On the new QE2 Dubai Facebook account, the above image was posted on 1st April 2018 revealing a first look at one of the newly renovated hotel rooms with the following statement…

“Comfortable, refined and replete with the authentic elegance of her former years, the Queen Elizabeth 2 rooms and suites have been thoughtfully restored with all of the modern technological conveniences of today, blended with her maritime interiors. Expect dark wood paneling, comfortable bedding, fresh paneling and vintage appliances redefined. It’s not long until her new journey begins…watch this space! #stillmakinghistory”

Pictured: The QE2 Dubai Facebook also revealed a first look at a renovated bar inside the hotel with the following caption…

“Discover a world of gastronomy, entertainment and nightlife experiences onboard the QE2.  From casual and fine dining, to grand theaters and nightclubs – she will have a selection of 12 diverse venues to uncover at her prime location in Dubai’s Mina Rashid… #stillmakinghistory”

We at talkabouthospitality will ensure to keep you as up to date as possible on the future of this treasured ship as a top hotel. Find out more on The QE2 Dubai Facebook page

 Pictured: screenshot from the new QE2 website – http://www.qe2.com

 

GLOBAL HOTEL INVENTORY HAS GROWN 18% IN THE LAST DECADE

According to STR’s 10th anniversary report, there are 184,299 hotels that amount to 16,966,280 million rooms around the world – representing a 17.7% increase in rooms over the last 10 years.

“The hotel sector and its rate of return continue to attract real-estate investors—that is evident through the substantial growth in performance metrics and development we have seen over the past decade,” said Robin Rossmann, STR’s international managing director.

“While the story is rarely the same for any two markets around the world, the industry as a whole continues to perform at robust levels, and we expect continued growth over the coming years.”

Talkabouthospitality recently reported that the Middle East’s tourist boom shows no sign of slowing as new figures reveal the region has overtaken Europe in regards to the number of new hotel rooms in the pipeline.

According to a new report by TOPHOTELPROJECTS – prepared ahead of this year’s editions of The Hotel Show Saudi Arabia and The Hotel Show Dubai – the Middle East is set to add 238,963 new hotel rooms to its current supply, the majority of which will open in the next five years.

Only North America and Asia/Pacific have more hotel rooms planned than the Middle East, where the UAE (222 projects / 126,576 rooms) and Saudi Arabia (143 projects / 55,810 rooms) are the two most active countries for hospitality development.

An even clearer indicator of continued growth is the Middle East having more hotel rooms on the way than South America and Africa combined.

 

TOURIST BOOM PROPELS MIDDLE EAST ABOVE EUROPE IN TERMS OF PLANNED HOTEL ROOM OPENINGS

The Middle East’s tourist boom shows no sign of slowing – as new figures reveal the region has overtaken Europe in regards to the number of new hotel rooms in the pipeline.

According to ‘The Middle East Hotel Construction Overview’ report by TOPHOTELPROJECTS – prepared ahead of this year’s editions of The Hotel Show Saudi Arabia (10-12^th April 2018) and The Hotel Show Dubai (16-18^th September 2018) – the Middle East is set to add 238,963 new hotel rooms to its current supply, the majority of which will open in the next five years.

There are 214,743 guest rooms set to open in Europe, putting the Middle East ahead of its neighboring region – despite Europe having more new hotel builds in the pipeline.

Ray Tinston, Portfolio Director of The Hotel Show events, said: “This new report reveals the extent to which the room to project ratio for Middle Eastern hospitality projects is considerably higher than average.

“Hospitality here is synonymous with luxury, opulence and pushing boundaries in terms of scale, magnitude and grandeur. As five star developments and mega resorts continue to dominate its construction pipeline, it’s not surprising that this region has an extraordinary number of rooms in development, even higher than compared with regions with a larger amount of individual hotel projects.”

The UAE (222 projects / 126,576 rooms) and Saudi Arabia (143 projects / 55,810 rooms) are the two most active countries for hospitality development in the Middle East.

An even clearer indicator of continued growth for the region is its having more hotel rooms on the way than South America and Africa combined.

“Dubai continues to lead the global hospitality industry in terms of innovation,” said Tinston. “The world’s tallest hotel has just opened here, and it is due to welcome the first hotel in the world with its own rainforest. Developers here continue to push boundaries – it’s a very exciting market.”

Pictured: Gevora Hotel – the tallest hotel in the world – recently opened on Dubai’s Sheikh Zayed Road

The region’s strong placing is being attributed to substantial growth across its major countries. Saudi Arabia, for example, is in the midst of widespread change in line with the governments’ Saudi Vision 2030 – with a focus on improving its position as a destination for tourism.

Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts currently operates 11 hotels across the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and has five hotel projects under development in its major cities of Riyadh and Jeddah, Al Khobar – popular with leisure tourists with its coastal location – and industrial city Wa’ad Al Shamal.

Marc Descrozaille, President Middle East & Africa, Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts, said: “Saudi Arabia is not only home to the Gulf’s largest population, with more than 33 million residents and a robust domestic tourism market, but has become the focal point for government and international investment, based on economic diversification plans designed to secure its long-term prosperity.

“We continue to seek more opportunities to expand our footprint in Saudi Arabia, given its long-term business, investment and tourism prospects. New cities, bigger airports, major leisure-focused tourism attractions and new visa rules are all part of the plan to put the Kingdom on the global tourism map. Saudi’s big-picture plans for development will benefit the hospitality market and the economy at large.”

Pictured: Upcoming hotel opening for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Mövenpick Hotel Heraa Jeddah

The Hotel Show Saudi Arabia 2018 is set to return to the Jeddah Centre for Forums and Events next month (10-12^th April 2018) for its sixth edition, with highlights including its highly anticipated ‘Inter-Hotel Culinary Competition’ endorsed by WORLDCHEFS, The Saudi Arabian Chefs Association and Culinary Partner, Unilever Food Solutions.

Hundreds of global brands will showcase the latest products and services designed for the hospitality industry from interiors to technology to thousands of hoteliers and restaurateurs in the Kingdom.

Meanwhile, the 19^th edition of The Hotel Show Dubai will take place 16-18^th September 2018 at the Dubai World Trade Centre. Its world-renowned live features including The Middle East Housekeepers League of Champions and The Middle East Hospitality Leadership Forum, are set to return in a big way for 2018.

Find out more about The Hotel Show Saudi Arabia 2018 and The Hotel Show Dubai 2018 at: www.thehotelshowsaudiarabia.com / www.thehotelshow.com.

Dubai’s Gevora Hotel officially launches and crowned WORLD’S TALLEST HOTEL by Guinness World Records

Gevora Hotel opened its doors on February 12^th, 2018, in the presence of the owners and dignitaries. The launch was a celebration of the great architectural and hospitality achievement which received official recognition and the title of TALLEST HOTEL IN THE WORLD from the Guinness World of Records.

Gevora Hotel stands tall at 356 meters (1,167.98 feet). A modern-day marvel, the hotel features 528 deluxe rooms and suites, 5 unparalleled dining experiences, leisure facilities with a main pool deck, a fully equipped health club, and breathtaking views.

In addition, Gevora Hotel is redefining 4-star hospitality with its opulent facilities and amenities and by being one the first hotels to offer bespoke services such as the assignment of butler for each room. Guests will enjoy the dedicated attention that their butler provides to elevate their stay experience to new standards.

“We are very excited to open the doors to Gevora Hotel. It has been a passion project and finally we are ready to share our vision with the world. The hotel addresses growing consumer demands, beyond expectations and across markets, making it a very desired experience for leisure, business and family guests. We have created a unique formula which raises 4-star hospitality to new heights and look forward to offering unforgettable stays,” said Jairaj Gorsia, General Manager of Gevora Hotel.

Stay in Style

Overlooking the beautiful city of Dubai, Gevora Hotel is the ideal option for the modern business traveler, couples or families. Whether for business or leisure, guests are welcomed in comfortably, spacious rooms that offer all the amenities for a convenient stay.

Dine and Indulge

With delectable options to choose from, dining in Gevora Hotel offers a refreshing and authentic experience for anyone. The specialty coffee shop, Le Veyron is perfect place to grab a quick bite on the go or get the morning coffee fix.  For all-day dining, set in a casual atmosphere, Gevora Kitchen serves international and local delicacies from breakfast to dinner with both buffet and a la carte options.

By mid-March the three specialty venues will also be available to serve guests. Gourmet and refined flavors will be found at Level Twelve where the chef will put a Middle Eastern twist on classic dishes and more. The Overview Pool Lounge, located on the main pool deck will offer refreshing drinks and healthy snacks to accompany the day out by the pool. And the Highest View Lounge located on the rooftop will be the perfect place to enjoy exceptional panoramic views over the entire city while enjoying Arabic and international dishes accompanied by a selection of signature beverages and flavorful shisha.

Fitness and Wellbeing

Accessible through the 12th floor, the fully equipped Health Club offers two separate gyms for ladies and gents, a steam room and sauna. A children’s pool is available on the pool deck pool for the little ones to enjoy and a jacuzzi for ultimate relaxation.

Strategically located in the heart of the city, close to key business locations and steps away from leisure opportunities, Gevora Hotel is an exciting addition to Dubai’s tourism offering and will set new standards in the world of hospitality.

Find out more: www.gevorahotels.com

 

CARLSON REZIDOR TO ENTER MALDIVES WITH WELLNESS RESORT IN 2019

Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group is set to enter the Maldives for the first time, after signing a management contract for a spa resort on the southern part of the Alifu Dhaalu Atoll.

The resort is situated 105 kilometers from Male International Airport, accessible within a 30-minute seaplane journey or by a domestic flight from the Maamigili Airport, followed by a 15-minute speedboat ride to the resort.

Rezidor will operate the property on behalf of owner Chang Hua Holdings under the Radisson Blu brand.

The 128-villa Radisson Blu Resort Maldives will be designed as a family-friendly resort with a focus on wellness.

While exact details are yet to be confirmed, the resort will be set amidst some of the most amazing coral reefs, house a large spa and a yoga pavilion, as well as a sea sports and dive centre.

“We continue our growth trajectory in Asia Pacific,” said Thomas Hagemann, Carlson’s vice president of future openings in Asia Pacific. “We’re pleased to expand our footprint into the Maldives, with an iconic Radisson Blu resort.”

Carlson Rezidor’s Asia Pacific portfolio consists of 117 hotels, including 51 Radisson Blu hotels.

The company has 78 more hotels in the pipeline for Asia Pacific. For more information visit: www.carlsonrezidor.com.

Ice hotel opens in Finland inspired by ‘Game of Thrones’

A brand new ice hotel has just opened in Finland designed after the characters, scenes and landscapes in HBO’s epic fantasy drama series ‘Game of Thrones’.

The ‘Lapland Hotel SnowVillage’ has transformed its annual ice hotel experience into a GoT-inspired frozen resort in collaboration with HBO Nordic.

GoT may not hit our screens again until 2019, but fans of the show can experience its colder landscapes (the Wall and the place beyond…anyone?) at the hotel for a limited time as summer is coming! The seasonal resort is only open until April 8th of this year.

Come face to face with GoT’s iconic ‘White Walkers’ in the form of giant ice sculptures and experience some of the more memorable features from the show such as the ‘Hall of Faces’ or a dragon, shaped in to a slide!

Located in Kittilä, within the Lapland region, just over an hour’s flight from Helsinki, the impressive hotel took only a month to build from just ice and snow by professional sculptors from the likes of Russia and Poland.

It has 24 rooms and ten suites, each with unique sculptures. Its temperature is on average just 23 degrees Fahrenheit, but this is warm in comparison to its surroundings at a mere 10 degrees. According to Conde Nast Traveler, the hotel recommends staying just one night, with the option to enjoy the rest of a stay at the ‘SnowVillage’ from one of its warmer cabins close by.

The hotel also encourages day visits, as there is much more on offer at the SnowVillage: reindeer rides, ice sculpture workshops, husky safaris, an ice movie theatre, ice restaurant (with local fare such as reindeer on the menu) and the Ice Bar.

Rooms at the Lapland Hotel SnowVillage start at $200, whilst entry to the SnowVillage for a day is $18. Find out more at: www.laplandhotels.com 

 

 

The ten most Instagrammed hotels in the world: 2017

As part of its ‘2017 Year in Review’, Instagram has revealed the ten most Instagrammed hotels in the world. This is part of its annual showcase of some of the top #travel, #hashtag, #video and other popular results from its 800 million+ users this year.

It comes as no surprise that the most popular location for Instagrammable hotels is the uber-flashy, Instagram-friendly Las Vegas, USA with seven of its most popular resorts featured. Other locations include: Miami, USA; Singapore; and our very own Dubai, UAE.

Here are the most Instagrammed hotels in the world for 2017…how many have you been to?:

1. Marina Bay Sands, Singapore 

The world’s most Instagrammed hotel also boasts the highest and longest infinity pool on the planet on its rooftop. With panoramic views of one of the most luxurious cities in the world, it’s the ideal backdrop for Instagram lovers to take a phenomenal shot, and has a following of 71k.

2. The Bellagio, Las Vegas USA

Inspired by the town of Bellagio in Lake Como, Italy – this hotel is famed for its 8-acre lake featuring the ‘Fountains of Bellagio’ – its most popular feature to post on Instagram. It boasts 229k followers.

3. The Venetian, Las Vegas USA

The world’s second largest hotel, The Venetian uses Venice, Italy as its design inspiration. Its famous features include architectural replicas of various Venetian landmarks such as the Lion of Venice Column, Rialto Bridge, St. Mark’s Square, and its Grand Canal complete with the option of gondola rides. This mini-Italy in the desert makes for some interesting Instagram shots, and is followed by 106k people.

4. Atlantis The Palm, Dubai UAE

The first hotel to open on the man-made Palm Jumeirah island off of Dubai’s glittering coastline, Atlantis is one of the world’s most popular resorts with 221k Instagram followers. Known for its outstanding leisure and entertainment options including the Nasimi Beach concert venue, popular ‘Saffron’ Friday brunch, celebrity restaurants, massive indoor aquarium, and one of the top ranked water parks globally, Aquaventure.  There is a wealth of Instagrammable features to be found.

5. MGM Grand, Las Vegas USA

The most Instagrammed hotel in the world in 2016 – the MGM Grand has 200k followers. It is the world’s third largest hotel complex by number of rooms, and the second largest resort in the USA behind The Venetian. With one of the largest gaming floors in Las Vegas at a whopping 171,500 square feet and some of its most popular entertainment options including the Wet Republic Ultra Pool day club, the David Copperfield Theater (with nightly shows by the famous illusionist), the Hakkasan restaurant and nightclub and much more – there is always something entertaining to capture at the MGM Grand.

6. The Cosmopolitan, Las Vegas USA

Rated “The Best Hotel in the World” by Gogobot in 2013 and featured on the 2015 Conde Nast Traveller Gold List as one of the “Top Hotels in the World” – the Cosmopolitan has 126k Instagram followers. The resort features 3,027 hotel rooms, many of which have their own private terrace with panoramic views of the Las Vegas strip – perfect for Instagram. The hotel is known for its ‘Pools’ of three different types: a relaxation pool, day club pool and nightclub pool. It is also home to the uber-popular Marquee Nightclub & Dayclub, the top grossing nightclub in the United States in 2012.

7. Wynn, Las Vegas USA

The seventh largest hotel in the world and the flagship property of Wynn Resorts, Wynn Las Vegas has 171k Instagram followers, and has earned Michelin five star, AAA five diamond, Mobil five star, Forbes five star and Zagat Survey Top U.S. Hotel ratings, amongst various other accolades – owing to its being considered as one of the world’s finest hotels. The Wynn Golf Course is also the only golf course on the Las Vegas Strip.

8. Caesar’s Palace, Las Vegas USA

One of its largest, oldest and best known landmarks, Ceasars Palace is an icon in the Las Vegas hotel and entertainment scene. Famous for its design based on the way of life during the Roman Empire, ‘The Colosseum’ concert venue which has hosted some of the world’s best performers from Frank Sinatra to today’s ‘Celine’ by Celine Dion and featuring in movies including ‘The Hangover’.

9. Fontainebleau, Miami Beach USA

Opened in 1954 and again in 2008 after a two-year US $1 billion renovation, Miami’s famous hotel and architectural landmark, the Fontainebleau, is known for featuring in various movies and TV shows from The Bodyguard to The City, its glamorous LIV nightclub, and design features including ‘the staircase to nowhere’ aka ‘the floating staircase’.

10. Paris Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas USA 

Last but definitely not least is Paris Las Vegas, the hotel and casino themed after the capital city of France, bringing a mini version of the glamorous European destination to the Nevada desert. It includes a half-scale tall replica of the Eiffel Tower, two-thirds sized Arc de Triomphe, and a 1,200-seat theatre aptly named ‘Le Théâtre des Arts’. The front of the hotel is also reminiscent of the Paris Opera House and Louvre Museum.

See more of Instagram’s ‘2017 Year in Review‘ including this year’s:

• Top Instagram hashtags
• Most-liked posts and videos
• Most-Instagrammed cities and locations (based on geotags)
• Most-followed celebrities
• Celebrities who gained the most followers on Instagram
• Hashtags that increased most in popularity
• Accounts with the Most-viewed Instagram Stories
• Most-used Instagram Filters in feed and Instagram Stories
• Most-followed pets

WORLD’S FIRST GUITAR-SHAPED HOTEL TO OPEN IN FLORIDA IN 2019

This one is really cool…

Upon its completion in 2019, the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood (not as in LA, but a city on Florida’s east coast, between Fort Lauderdale and Miami) will be the world’s first building shaped like a guitar.

Over 35-stories-tall, the hotel and resort – currently under construction – will boast more than 1,200 rooms and Bora Bora-style villas surrounded by water.

“Not only do you have all these individual lagoons that you can swim through, but literally rooms submerged in water, where you can stay in overnight with butler service…waterways and canals and lazy rivers – just a lot of fun stuff,” James F. Allen, Chairman at Hard Rock International, commented to reporters at a guitar-smashing (literally – a tradition for Hard Rock venues) launch event with famous musicians in attendance, recently held at the resort.

The iconic new project is an expansion of the popular existing Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino which will nearly double its current size. The US $1.5 billion renovation includes doubling the size of the casino and in time, demolishing its current nightlife venue – Hard Rock Live – to make way for a brand-new, state-of-the-art, 7,000 seat venue.

The visionary guitar hotel structure is the vision of Allen, who is also longtime CEO of Seminole Gaming.

“It will be the first building in the world that’s truly to scale designed as an authentic guitar,” he added.

“So it’s not just an exterior facade, the curving of the building will be identical to an authentic guitar. We think the building itself will be must-see attraction.”

As well as getting to marvel at the hotel’s avant-garde shape, guests will have the opportunity to experience its 41,000-square foot spa as well as several restaurants and lounges. A 10-acre complex at its base will offer beach club dining, watersports, private cabanas with plunge pools, multiple waterfalls, and more.

Find out more: www.seminolehardrockhollywood.com

AKTIV PARTNERS WITH HILTON AS THEY LAUNCH, FIVE FEET TO FITNESS™

AKTIV – the industry leader in functional fitness facility design and supply that is exhibiting at the Leisure Show in Dubai, has teamed up with Hilton Hotels & Resorts,  to provide an immersive exercise experience in-room as part of its new “Five Feet to Fitness™” offering.

Aktiv’s guided-training platform will serve as the on-demand engine for a wide variety of curated workout programs that guests can choose from based on their personal workout preferences.

In the Aktiv system, the personal kiosk is embedded within a Gym Rax™ functional training bay to create a compact, yet comprehensive gym in the comfort and privacy of one’s room. The dynamic fitness experience will assist Hilton in wowing today’s health-conscious travelers who are increasingly committed to maintaining exercise regimens while on the road.

Hilton has unveiled Five Feet to Fitness, an in-room wellness concept that brings over eleven different fitness equipment and accessory options into the hotel room. The new room category makes it more convenient than ever for road warriors, exercise enthusiasts, and those who prefer to workout in private to maintain their routines while staying with Hilton. The rooms are part of Hilton’s innovation efforts to modernize the hospitality fitness experience and make it more inclusive for all by redeveloping fitness centers and offering fresh fitness concepts tailored to the hotel’s location and regular guests.

“A guest room that combines a sleep and fully integrated fitness experience delivers an impressive new dimension of convenience and personalization – an industry first,” said Ryan Crabbe, Senior Director, Global Wellness at Hilton. “Five Feet to Fitness has been thoughtfully engineered to serve as a guest’s personal wellness stage, complete with sports performance materials and best-in-class gym accessories. Guests will quickly realize we have gone much further than simply placing a piece of equipment in a room.”

The new room type features an indoor bike from British cycling innovator Wattbike that is used for either longer ‘indoor-cycling’ type exercise sessions or focused interval-training workouts. Next, dynamic Gym Rax^TM functional training station provides apparatus and accessory that delivers unlimited strength, core, suspension and High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) style workouts to guests.

At the heart of the concept is the Fitness Kiosk, a touch screen display embedded within the Gym Rax system where guests receive equipment tutorials and follow guided workout routines. In partnership with Aktiv Solutions, Hilton has created more than 200 bespoke fitness videos in categories ranging from Cardio, Cycling, Endurance, Strength, HIIT, Yoga, Stretch and Recovery.

“The variety of activity the room enables is motivating. One morning a guest can decide to roll out of bed for quick guided stretch and yoga poses. Then later that evening, he or she may return from a stressful day and take a brisk bike ride while catching up on a favorite show or the day’s business news. The room is made to suit the varied and evolving wellness habits of our guests.”

The introduction of the fitness room is the biggest change in the fitness hospitality space since Hilton became the first major hotel company to standardize hotel gyms twenty years ago.

“We know that no matter how determined people are about making healthy decisions while at home, the ability to replicate those choices are often not as accessible as they should be while traveling. We’re creating choice and control for guests to drive their own fitness experience,” said Mr Crabbe.

Creating an exercise environment is only part of the new guestroom wellness experience. Five Feet to Fitness also offers a meditation chair for the mindful traveler, blackout shades for restorative sleep, Biofreeze to ease muscle tension, and a selection of protein and hydration beverage options.

Hilton’s Five Feet to Fitness is currently available at Parc 55 San Francisco – a Hilton Hotel and Hilton McLean Tysons Corner and is coming soon to markets including Atlanta, Austin, Chicago, Las Vegas, New York and San Diego.

For more information on Aktiv Solutions, visit www.aktivsolutions.com or email info@aktivsolutions.com.