Fitness-Minded Hotel Chain May Be Coming to San Diego

Everyone knows that staying fit and healthy while travelling is no easy task. Rest areas, airports and hotels all seem to be surrounded by fast food giants, rather than grocery stores or healthy alternatives. In addition, a sedentary lifestyle is inherent in most travelling, especially for business. So what’s a jetsetter to do when they want the best of both worlds? A new hotel chain may just have the answer. InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG,) one of the world’s most prolific hotel management companies –they own Holiday Inn, Crowne Plaza, Candlewood Suites and more – has plans to launch a chain of fitness-oriented hotels. And the best news is, San Diego is one of the first cities on list to host these new quarters.

The new hotel brand, EVEN Hotels is set to launch in the U.S. in early 2013, and the company hopes to have 100 hotels open within the next five years. The healthy hotels will feature facilities and amenities that promote healthy lifestyle choices when it comes to four core areas: eating, exercising, working, and sleeping. Rooms in the EVEN hotels will feature in-room workout gear that is functional, yet aesthetically appealing. Think coat rack that doubles as a pull-up bar. In addition, guests will have free access to state-of-the-art gym equipment, group exercise classes and equipment rentals. The idea for the unique hotel chain was born out of intense research of IHG’s customers’ preferences.

“Americans either want to be healthier or have to be healthier, and leading a healthy, balanced lifestyle is increasingly becoming more important to them,” a company statement reads. “The brand specifically responds to extensive customer research that tells us that guests are frustrated from staying in hotels that do not meet their entire lifestyle and wellness needs. The EVEN brand solves this inherent problem and enables “travel life balance” for these travelers.”

Other selling points of the hotels include nutritionally balanced meals, free coffee and smoothies in the morning, and an open air café. Guests will also enjoy powerful showerheads, hypoallergenic linens, natural lighting, and more.

Confident that the new hotels will catapult in popularity, InterContinental has invested $150 million in the project. The company plans to announce the first location in summer 2012, but has its eye on particularly fit cities such as San Diego, San Francisco and Los Angeles.

Photo Credit: Tulane via Flickr