By Barbara Wade © 2011, All Rights Reserved
Jet-setting across the country can be exhilarating, but all too often, traveling can cramp your style. Grabbing fast food meals, working long days and hauling around heavy luggage seriously sets back your routine, leaving you tense and fatigued. Just because you’re away from home doesn’t mean you can’t maintain a healthy lifestyle. Booking your stay at a number of select boutique hotels can be the solution you need to travel healthy. Whether traveling for several weeks or just a few days, you can now ensure you’ll stay energized, look your best and feel as good (or better!) than when you left.
A few innovative boutique hotels are now dedicated to supporting the healthy habits their guests are accustomed to. They offer amenities, programs and even room service menus that foster healthy travel. The next time you’re planning a trip, make a point to search for luxury hotels that offer programs which let you:
Select Nutritional Food Options
Being on the road doesn’t automatically mean you’ll stray from healthy food choices. Need a snack? You’ll be pleasantly surprised at the wholesome goodies many boutique hotels offer in their mini bars. From organic foods to herbal teas, grabbing a quick bite to hold you over until mealtime doesn’t have to mean undoing your entire day. Exhausted from staying too late at last night’s company event? You’ll need an energizing breakfast instead of the pastries and donuts most traditional hotels offer. Enjoy one of the many healthy breakfast and light, low-fat fare some select luxury hotels offer on their in-room dining menus.
Indulge with In-Room Treatments
After back-to-back meetings, collapsing in your hotel room and kicking off your heels is probably the only thing that sounds good. When you choose a boutique hotel that offers in-room spa treatments, you can indulge yourself in something special. When you need to get relaxed and ready for the next busy day, there’s nothing like a revitalizing massage or facial to get you back on your feet.
Stay Centered with In-Room Yoga
Even during a whirlwind trip, you know you’ll feel better after a workout or yoga session. Check and see if your hotel offers on-demand instruction or a complimentary yoga tote bag, . and ask the front desk for mats, straps and exercise bands. That way, you can keep up your yoga, Pilates or meditation practice, staying fresh, calm and centered on the road.
Restore Yourself at a Full-Service Spa
You may find that you want extra relaxation and pampering, whether you’re traveling for business or pleasure. Some boutique hotels offer full-service spas so you can delight all five senses with restorative skin and body treatments that melt away stress and help you keep up your beauty regimen.
Enjoy Work and Play
All work and no play makes for a dull business day. When you only see the inside of an airport, a taxi and a conference room, getting out in the evening can be a breath of fresh air. Wind down your day with a glass of Chardonnay or Pinot in your hotel’s restaurant bar or lounge. Some boutique hotels offer hosted evening wine hours, too, so you can meet other guests and make new contacts. . Whether you’re transitioning to a night out with business associates or to in-room dining with your laptop, mix it up by sharing a drink and spending some quality time with other guests.
While seeing new sights and flying around the country can be exciting, it can also take a toll on your body and mind. By staying at select hotels with a health-oriented focus, you’ll be taking care of yourself-and feeling your best in the process.