Several of my personal training clients in London treat themselves to a couple of nights in luxury hotels which have high-end gyms and spas. I’ve noticed a recent trend in UK mini-breaks for the health-conscious, to avoid the nightmare of flight cancellations and Covid risks associated with overseas travel this year.
The UK has many luxury hotels in the countryside which cater for those who want a healthy break. However, if you’re a Londoner and time is short, why not treat yourself to a city break without leaving your home city?
The Bulgari Hotel in Knightsbridge boasts a state of the art gym, the Workshop Gymnasium, with 150 square metres of the latest resistance machines, cardio equipment and free-weights. The gym was founded by top personal trainer Lee Mullins, and a lot of thought has gone into the range of equipment and layout. Personal trainers are on hand to give you a workout session tailored to your requirements, and there is a range of fitness activities available such as pilates, yoga and boxing. The hotel also offers in-room personal training.
If you enjoy swimming, there is a 25 metre pool to do some serious lengths. Swimming is a great way to exercise the whole body, build muscular endurance, and boost your cardiovascular fitness. Try the Water Barre class for something a bit different.
When you’ve worked out in the gym or pool, you can pamper yourself in the luxury surroundings of the Bulgari Hotel spa, which boasts a vitality pool covered in gold-leaf tiles. The whole spa is fitted out in onyx, oak and Vicenza stone (a light ivory-coloured stone quarried in north east Italy) with no expense spared. A range of massage therapies and physiotherapy is available, as well as fascial stretching therapy and a sauna.
(Dominic Londesborough is a personal trainer in London and an online nutrition coach.)
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