Eco hotel gym interiors concept

Eco-friendly functional fitness hotel gym

What makes an eco hotel gym?

Designing a hotel gym has its own distinct parameters, most notably that there is a unique commercial aspect to the space when compared to a standalone gym business.

The former is not there to generate revenue directly, it is more of an indirect source of value within the hotel guest experience.

Most hotels will aim to include a fitness room, no matter how small, if only to tick the box with a treadmill, weight rack and mirrored walls.

We’ve all been there - faced with a quick, pre-meeting workout on a business trip we are left with few options other than tackling the tiny 20m2 space the hotel has on offer, possibly in a basement with no natural light.

Brave are those that hotels that allocate a more desirable space to their gym, perhaps allowing for views out onto nature or the surrounding skyline. Anything but the basement option, please!

When aiming to add an eco-friendly design to a hotel gym, which is the Biofit preferred approach, we therefore have to look to other ‘levers’ in order to dial-up the nature credentials, most obviously via the choice of gym equipment and wall decor.

Functional fitness gym equipment

When charged with equipping a hotel gym, we begin by understanding the target market in question, in other words, what type of clientele is the hotel expecting?

The reality is of course, that a hotel gym, if a nature gym or a functional fitness gym, is always going to have to offer what we call ‘the basics’.

A hotel gym simply isn’t complete without a treadmill, a spin bike and perhaps a recline bike or elliptical for the less active or injured.

Breaking out of that paradigm completely is a challenge, so we prefer to work within the limitations of the cardio selection and then play with the strength zone, converting it into a functional fitness area.

This equates to a set of dumbbells and kettlebells, as well as pull-up bars, TRX suspension trainers, sandbags and some ropes.

Arguably there is nothing that can’t be done with this set-up, except perhaps some heavy leg strength training, in which case the addition of a squat rack with barbell and plates solves the problem.

Eco-friendly cardio equipment options for hotel gyms

Given that a Biofit designed hotel gym will always have a cardio zone, we look to work with specialist suppliers such as SportsArt eco-friendly machines that pump a modicum of electricity back into the grid, or Woodway Curve treadmills that are a superlative option for interval training as well as longer indoor runs.

Nohrd and WaterRower may be our go-to brand for home gym equipment but their grinder (inspired by a movement from sailing) and rowing machine are both worthy additions to our gym equipment procurement list.

Botanical wallpaper in an eco hotel gym

Finally then, in this concept we have added a final nature gym flourish with a botanical wallpaper that adds both a element of biophilia, bringing the outside world in, as well as a note of elegance that is often missing from a gym interior.

We’d pair this with a mirror wall opposite to double the biophilic design effect and to make the modestly sized hotel gym appear just a little bigger than it really is.

contact us to discuss your gym design requirements