Hotels with Gyms

Hello bloggers!

Have any of you ever booked a hotel based on it having a fitness facility (among other amenities) and because you booked a luxury or upscale or semi upscale hotel, you assumed all their amenities would also be that way, but when you arrive and after checking out the place, you are distraught by the size and lack of equipment the hotel gym provided. I know I have many of times, and it bugs me to think that my workout can be compromised because of the lack of equipment.  In the recent years that I have booked hotels, I don’t normally book the most expensive hotel and I don’t book the lowest priced hotels, but stay somewhere in the middle if possible and base my search on location, amenities and reviews that I read online (not to mention the pictures) and obviously the price of the room each night.  I tend to always like my hotels to come stocked with a gym, because well, I like being able to still workout whenever I am out of town unless provided I am spending more time with someone and less time on my own but it seems like the more hotels that I have gone to, the smaller the gym and more inadequate it is.  Almost makes me laugh when I see a gym with one treadmill, one elliptical machine and one dumbbell with a yoga mat (yes this has happened to me before).  Most people might find this to not be of a bother because the pool, the hot tub, the space of the room, location, and space inside in the room seem to the most important aspects when others look for hotels, but for me, I want a good quality gym and if not in the hotel, I am always hoping there is one nearby that I have a membership for or I am doomed to use what I have. 

I am going to share with you ways to cope with a gym that is lacking when you are staying in a hotel. 

1. Check out the location of the hotel, is there a gym near you?
2. is the hotel located on a safe road where running is a option (outside)
3. do you have any family or friends in the area that have a gym membership or can provide you with information on nearby parks, etc
4. does the hotel have a gym?
5. bring your own equipment (small things) no need to pack the whole gym with you, but bring small dumbbells, kettlebells, TRX, etc with you if you wish to use them
6. ask the hotel rep what their gym is like
7. make do with what the hotel gym has, if it has cardio machines, use them.  If it has one dumbbell and a mat, be creative.
8. Look at reviews to get an idea if anyone mentions the gym 
9. do some online researching to see if any of the hotels in the surrounding area are said to have good quality gym facilities
10. how long is your stay, is it going to be a HUGE deal if the gym sucks?
11. bring dvds if the room has a dvd player and do workouts via the TV
12. is there a swimming pool, if so, use that to get a good workout in. Swimming is a total body exercise
13. Go for a walk to nearby shops and eateries, to get out and move
14. rent a bike for a day if possible and ride around the area
15. you can do crunches, push ups, planks, mountain climbers, supermans, side bends, etc all in your room. NOT ALL EXERCISES REQUIRE A GYM!!