Not long ago, a hotel having a gym was seen as a nice bonus – today it's expected. In fact, industry experts flatly state that the hotel gym is no longer optional; it's often a deal-breaker for guests choosing where to stay. The rise of wellness tourism and fitness-conscious travelers means that offering fitness facilities is as fundamental as offering Wi-Fi or hot water.
Below we break down five key reasons why hotel fitness amenities have shifted from luxury perks to absolute must-haves in the hospitality world.
1. Guests Expect Fitness Options During Their Stay
The first and most important reason: guest expectations. Today's travelers, whether on business or leisure, prioritize staying healthy on the road. They look for hotels that align with their lifestyle. A well-publicized survey found that a whopping 78% of travelers are more likely to book a hotel if it offers wellness facilities (gym, spa, etc.). That's over three-quarters of potential guests swayed by the promise of a fitness amenity.
Even those who don't end up hitting the gym often want the option available. It's a psychological comfort – guests like knowing they could work out if they choose. Research from Cornell's School of Hotel Administration highlights this "intention vs. reality" gap: about 46% of hotel guests say they plan to use the gym, but only 22% actually do so.
Why This Matters
This statistic shows that nearly half of your guests care enough about fitness to consider it in their plans. The presence of a fitness center influences their booking decision, even if ultimately only a quarter of guests use it in practice. The last thing you want is a guest thinking "I'd like to keep up my workouts, but this hotel doesn't have a gym… I'll book elsewhere."
Bottom line: A hotel gym or fitness room has become an expected standard for full-service hotels and even mid-range properties. Travelers equate it with a hotel's overall quality. Just as free internet moved from nice-to-have to mandatory over the past decade, fitness facilities have undergone the same shift.
2. Competitive Advantage: Attracting Bookings and Loyalty
In a crowded hospitality market, offering fitness amenities can be a major competitive differentiator. Guests often compare hotels based on amenities, and a gym can tip the scales. A hotel gym is a desirable amenity for many demographics and can be the deciding factor that makes a guest choose your hotel over another.
Moreover, having robust fitness offerings broadens your appeal. You can attract new segments of guests that might not have considered your hotel otherwise – from fitness enthusiasts who never skip a workout, to long-stay business travelers who need routine, to families who want to keep up active habits.
Brand Loyalty Impact
Especially among frequent travelers, those who value fitness will develop loyalty to brands that consistently offer good gyms. Business travelers, for example, often return to the same hotels where they know they can stick to their morning run on the treadmill. If your hotel (or brand) builds a reputation for great fitness amenities, you'll gain repeat guests.
Being competitive isn't just about having a gym—it's about having a good gym. Savvy guests will note if your fitness center is just a token room with one old treadmill versus a properly equipped space. If all your nearby competitors have fitness centers, the goal then is to make yours stand out.
3. Revenue Boost: Fitness Amenities Can Increase ADR and ROI
Investing in fitness facilities isn't just about avoiding lost bookings – it can actively increase your revenue potential. Hotels that offer high-quality gyms often find they can justify higher room rates because they provide more value. In fact, industry data suggests a well-equipped hotel gym can allow you to raise your nightly room rates by around 5–10% on average, without hurting demand.
For a concrete example, let's crunch a simplified number. Suppose a 100-room hotel operates at 70% occupancy (which is roughly 70 rooms sold per night). That's about 25,550 room-nights in a year. If the ADR was $150, annual rooms revenue is about $3.83 million. Now, add a decent gym and bump the ADR by even 5% to $157.50. If occupancy holds, annual revenue becomes $4.02 million – an increase of $190,000.
ROI Calculation
When budgeting for gym equipment, you might literally calculate: "If I spend $30k on equipment now, but I can raise my ADR by, say, $5 and maintain occupancy, I'll recoup that investment in X months." For many hotels, X is a very short time – possibly even one high season. Everything after that is effectively gravy.
Even beyond room rates, a gym can boost ancillary revenue. Think about it: a hotel gym helps entice health-conscious guests who are also likely to spend on other services. Perhaps they'll buy a healthy smoothie from your lobby cafe after a workout, or they'll stay extra nights knowing they won't miss workouts.
4. Improved Guest Satisfaction and Positive Reviews
If you've ever browsed hotel reviews on TripAdvisor or Booking.com, you know that amenities can be the heroes or villains of guest feedback. A good fitness center can directly translate into positive reviews and higher satisfaction scores for your hotel. Guests appreciate when their expectations are met or exceeded, and they often mention it.
You'll frequently see comments like "Loved that the hotel had a gym – it was small but had everything I needed!" These positive mentions can sway future bookers who read reviews. On the flip side, not having a gym (or having a subpar one) can lead to lukewarm reviews: "Decent stay but disappointed there was no fitness room."
Review Impact
In an era where over 80% of travelers read reviews before booking, those sentiments matter a lot. A single missing amenity can be the difference between a 4-star and a 5-star review in some guests' eyes. One hospitality report noted that a hotel gym is an "enticing amenity that past guests will want to include in their review, and that potential guests will want to hear about".
There's also a psychological aspect: a hotel that cares to include fitness facilities sends a message that they care about guest well-being. This boosts the overall perception of the hotel's service quality. Even guests who don't use the gym tend to view the property more favorably simply because it has one.
5. Tapping into Wellness Trends and Catering to Key Segments
The final reason is more forward-looking: staying ahead of industry trends and serving the evolving traveler demographic. The global push towards health and wellness is not a fad – it's a fundamental shift in how people live and travel. Hotels that embrace this trend position themselves as modern and relevant.
One key segment is the business traveler. Corporate travelers in particular increasingly insist on fitness options. According to recent studies, 35% of business travelers actively seek access to a hotel gym when booking accommodations. These are guests who may be on the road weekly; providing them the means to maintain their workout routine is a huge draw.
Younger Generations
Another segment is the younger generation – Millennials and Gen Z travelers. These age groups are generally more wellness-focused and expect healthy options wherever they go. They're also the ones posting about their travels on social media. A cool hotel gym or wellness offering can become a shareable highlight, indirectly marketing your hotel to their peers.
There's also an opportunity to serve fitness enthusiasts and wellness tourists. These folks actually choose travel plans around health experiences. While a small hotel gym might not turn your property into a wellness resort, having solid fitness amenities can attract those who would otherwise book a more wellness-oriented hotel.
Staying on top of wellness trends can also lead to partnerships and programs that further elevate your hotel's profile. For instance, some hotels partner with local fitness studios or hire certified trainers to offer on-site sessions. Even something as simple as a "running concierge" or maps for local jogging routes in addition to an on-site gym shows you're committed to guest wellness.
Conclusion
In summary, hotel fitness amenities are no longer optional – they're essential in today's hospitality landscape. Guests expect them, competitive market dynamics demand them, and the upside on revenue and satisfaction is significant. By offering a well-thought-out fitness center (no matter your hotel's size or category), you cater to modern travelers' needs and distinguish your property as a leader rather than a laggard.
The five reasons above make a compelling business case: From meeting guest expectations and outshining competitors, to unlocking additional revenue, delighting guests into five-star reviews, and riding the wave of global wellness trends – a fitness amenity drives value on multiple fronts.
For any hotel owner or GM still on the fence, ask yourself: how many potential bookings am I losing by not having a gym? And what impression is my hotel giving without one? In an era when a hotel stay is expected to nourish body and mind, providing a place to exercise is a baseline requirement for success.
Ready to Get Started?
It's time to treat your fitness amenities as core components of your service offering – your guests (and your bottom line) will thank you. Contact us for a free consultation on designing the perfect fitness space for your hotel, no matter the size or budget.