Biofit: hotel gym designers on assignment in Tuscany

Sustainable hotel gym design project 2020-2021

We are currently working for an Italian hotel developing gym design concepts for their property near Florence, a historic palazzo that is being reimagined into a new luxury wellness destination.

Our hotel gym design services provide comprehensive support, including layout planning, equipment selection, and sustainability integration, to create distinctive and functional fitness spaces tailored to various hotel demographics.

The photo above is taken from the site of a future outdoor yoga / workout space. Additionally, there will be a nature-inspired indoor hotel gym with a possible indoor-outdoor gym extension in response to Covid requirements around social distancing and the health benefits of working out in the fresh air rather than in ventilated indoor spaces. Unlike larger resorts, boutique hotels often prioritize space efficiency while still offering essential fitness amenities, making them ideal for urban areas.

indoor hotel gym design

An allocated indoor gym space of around 50m2 is big enough for the obligatory hotel gym essentials of a couple of treadmills, a spin bike, a full set of dumbbells, exercise bench and yoga mats for stretching. Creating a successful hotel gym requires effective space utilization and aesthetic harmony to enhance the overall guest experience. Interior designers play a crucial role in integrating fitness expertise with interior design to create distinctive gym spaces. Integrating free weights into the gym layout is essential for strength training and functional fitness.

We then add extra personality to the fitness room with wooden wall bars, a pull-up bar, plenty of mobility equipment, a balance board, cork or eco rubber flooring, forest aromatherapy, acoustic music playlists, circadian lighting to follow the body’s natural rhythm, and more.

indoor-outdoor hotel gym design

In the light of new Covid restrictions, we have been evaluating the option of extending the modestly sized indoor gym out onto the adjacent 100m2 terrace already covered with a canopy, meaning it has natural ventilation, fresh air and the equipment is largely protected from the elements.

Here we recommend a softer gym flooring solution that encourages more movement based training, for example a green turf, or a combination of eco-rubber and turf with a generous underlay for cushioning. Designing a gym floor that accommodates physical exercise equipment and creates an inviting atmosphere is crucial. This has the benefit of making the floor comfortable for training barefoot or in minimalist footwear.

This location would merit a large monkey bar rig in stainless steel inox, a full set of stainless steel inox dumbbells and larger format training equipment that requires more space, such as a huge tyre, pushing sled, balance beams and agility ladder.

A number of cardio machines that are easy to move on wheels, such as a spin bike and rower, also work well in this context as they can be stored indoors during the winter season.

outdoor gym design for A wellness hotel

We are equipping a multi-use outdoor workout deck with a range of functional fitness equipment that can be easily moved around or stored away when not in use. This allows for yoga classes using blocks and mats, just as well as high intensity interval training with some light weights, sandbags or medicine balls. Creating well-planned fitness facilities that cater to various exercise modalities is essential to enhance the guest experience.

Modern hotel fitness facilities require ample open space and the integration of the latest technological trends to meet the evolving expectations of hotel guests.

Installing permanent training equipment such as hurdles, climbing ropes and other obstacles for OCR / Spartan** training** is an additional component of the overall offer but one we have decided to place away from the outdoor deck itself to respect the tranquillity needed for mind-body practices.

Such outdoor jungle gym set-ups are great additions to a family-friendly hotel that attracts teenagers, CrossFit fans and the younger at heart… but we prefer not to ask those guests to keep the noise down!

mobile gym concept for hotel guests

Covid has fundamentally altered the meaning of what it means to be safe and healthy. Indoor gyms have been guilty in the past of providing inadequate ventilation and questionable cleaning protocols in what are inevitably high-touch surfaces. Not to mention cardio machinery packed in like sardines! Those days are gone, at least for hotel gyms in luxury hotels and resorts. From now on, cleanliness and personal space are going to be a valuable resource.

In today’s competitive market, offering unique guest experiences and high-quality amenities is crucial for standing out among various hotels. Exceptional gym facilities can serve as a unique selling point, attracting health-conscious travelers and differentiating the hotel from others in the market. Our mobile gym concept is a capsule collection of our favourite pieces of gym equipment, including an exercise mat, dumbbells, push-up bars, medicine ball, bands, TRX and a foam roller.

When beautifully presented in an attractive basket, delivered to a suite on a trolley or transported to an outdoor workout location on a hotel branded cargo bike, this is the perfect set of tools for solo workouts or personal training sessions, either 1-on-1 or in a small group format.

To contact us about your hotel gym design project, email Matt by clicking here.