February 23, 2011

Jetset: Travel Healthy with Kimpton

Palomar DC, one of the properties offering the program.
Earlier this month, Deacon made a quick jaunt to the Big Apple for meetings, meetings, and more meetings. While we were certainly excited for upcoming business ventures, one of the things we hate most about spending so much time on the road is the havoc it can wreak on our waistlines and workout routines. Being on-the-go often means skipping our daily gym sessions and eating out (and much later) than we normally would.

While there's absolutely nothing wrong with splurging every now and again, our jetsetting lifestyle means we're on the go a lot - which is why we were particularly intrigued when we found out about one of our favorite brand's new healthy travel initiatives. Kimpton's  new "Travel Healthy" program is offered in conjunction with Joy Bauer, Today Show regular and Kimpton's wellness correspondent.

When you book a room at participating hotels (the program is slowly being rolled out across the chain), you'll get access to dedicated videos on demand, in-room fitness equipment like a hula hoop, jump rope, yoga mat and resistance bands, plus in-room dining options with low-calorie healthy options for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

What really made us happy? The “Travel Healthy” in-room meals are offered all day (meaning you don't have to limit yourself to just dinner) and offer a wide array of flavors and options, all under 500 calories. Our favorites? The hearty oatmeal and rich turkey burger.

Healthy Option: Yogurt Parfait
Bauer also stars in Kimpton's four new “Travel Healthy” short in-room videos titled Healthy Breakfast, High Energy Snacks, Tips for the “Morning After” and In-Room Workout. In the videos, travelers are encouraged to pick nutrition-packed foods to start the day or to refuel later; hear advice on shaking off a late-night of overindulgence; and get a boost of energy from a quick workout without having to leave the guest room. While we admit that we'd normally bypass the "how to" videos, they were interesting - particularly the morning after one....

But our favorite part? Having our workout at the touch of a button. In addition to the brand's already-standard 24-hour yoga channel, complimentary yoga mats, pilates classes and meditation classes on-demand, several hotels in the brand also offer full-service spas and outdoor or group exercise classes.


70 Park Avenue Hotel
We opted to stay at New York's 70 Park Avenue during our most recent trip. Eventi, the brand's newest NYC property, also offers the program, as does DC and Arlington's Hotel Palomar. 70 Park, while one of the brand's older properties, offered the same high-quality Kimpton service and exceptionally friendly hotel staff. The rooms were spacious (incredibly so, by New York standards) and the fitness equipment was already waiting for us upon arrival, as well as a copy of Bauer's "Slim and Scrumptious" healthy cookbook. While we probably would have preferred a healthy living magazine, we have to admit the recipes looked good.

It had been quite the stressful day, so after a long soak in the tub, we busted out the yoga mat and opted for a short stretching sequence to wind down before heading to bed. Would we have taken the time to otherwise go for a run? Never. But given the convenience - it was all right there - and the ease of use, it was hard NOT to want to work out.

And let's just face it - when the choice to be healthy is an easy one... we're all about it. Overall, we'd highly recommend a stay at Kimpton to anyone looking to hit the road - whether fitness is a primary goal or not, it's always better to live a healthy lifestyle when you can. Particularly if that healthy lifestyle comes in a chic boutique hotel package.

Our visit was sponsored by Kimpton Hotels. The author's opinions, however, are 100% her own.

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