Health and fitness is becoming more important for travelers, which is why hotel gyms need to be as thoughtfully designed as any other part of the hotel would be.
Dwayne MacEwen, principal at DMAC Architecture, said it’s no longer acceptable for fitness facilities to be tucked away in the basement or a small, dark and dreary room in the hotel; it needs to be out in the public space, by the pool or adjacent to a food-and-beverage outlet.
Lighting is one important aspect of a good hotel gym, he said. When people are working out and checking their form in the full-length mirrors, they want to look good, which means using the right lighting to make people’s skin tones look good.
“You can’t use commercial corporate lighting,” he said. “We build it like we’re designing a restaurant or any public space where people want to look good.”
Marc Ciafardini, senior interior designer at Wilson Associates’ Dallas studio, said “natural lighting and views of the outdoors are a must,” in an email interview.
“Owners understand the importance of providing spacious fitness centers with surrounding views, even if it means sacrificing square footage of guest rooms to accommodate this space,” he said. “Health and wellness have become increasingly important to guests. At Wilson Associates, we work very closely with fitness consultants to ensure the design and selection of equipment are optimized for the space and the property’s clientele.”
Lesley Hughes Wyman, co-founder and principal at MatchLine Design Group, agreed that the fitness center should provide plenty of natural light and access to the outdoors.
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