Comfort and elegance mark the gym of the JW Marriott in Cancun
by Natalia Ospina Vélez
"The design does not correspond to a specific style, it is about combining luxury with a relaxing atmosphere.", said Maria Micu, director of the gym and spa of the JW Marriot in Cancun, to the recent endowment of the hotel's fitness center. Taking into account the high quality standards demanded by the Marriott chain, and especially its JW brand, plus the feedback processes and suggestions from guests, this luxury hotel complex renovated the gym equipment in July 2006.
Seeking to relax mind and body, in addition to offering a different experience, the gym of the JW Marriot Cancun was designed to generate visual impact among its visitors. "The gym was located in this place of the hotel to have a privileged view over the sea, which creates a greater impact on the gym environment. This is an advantage that honestly not many places can have, not all gyms have the facility to have windows, to have such a wide view of the sea. Here you are working and you are relaxing looking at sunset or night," Micu explained.
Built-in entertainment
Variety in equipment and being at the forefront in terms of market trends are among others, one of the most important needs served by the gym of this five-star hotel. For this, the JW Marriot Cancun chose the company Life Fitness as a supplier, thanks to the fact that it met its requirements of sophistication and quality.
"The hotel decided to equip its power area with the Signature Series line that perfectly suits its luxurious environment, and its cardiovascular work area with 95T treadmills with attachable TVs, to provide each guest with their own entertainment experience," said Daselly de Freitas, marketing manager for Latin America at Life Fitness
Having as a main feature the effectiveness of the equipment, the gym has multifunctional equipment that allows more than one muscle group to work on the same machine without having to constantly move from one to another.
Likewise, these equipment offer the user different possibilities of entertainment while exercising, because they have a plasma screen that has the same channels of the rooms, that way a guest can get off his room and continue watching the same programming.
"Guests are amazed with the level of service and what they find here, because it's not your typical resort gym, it's of a higher standard. Here we meet the expectation in terms of the level of equipment, services and atmosphere. We are constantly with our eyes on the market if there is something we want to bring we do it," Micu said.
Interaction with the team
To meet the novelties of the market, the JW Marriot Cancun has among its equipment the most recent novelty of Life Fitness for the hospitality industry: the Treadmill of the Series 95.
The 95T as it is also known, was created especially so that the user has complete control of the machine while exercising and requires a minimum of supervision by the gym trainers.
Seeking to offer a unique level of mind-body connection, this treadmill allows the user to control the playlist and watch their ipod videos from the machine screen. It also allows you to create, customize and store training programs on a USB card.
Among other possibilities, the 95T treadmill has a virtual trainer that will help the user select the best training program, also explain the exercise programs and offer statistics such as distance, calories and elapsed time.
Finally, this equipment gives the user the possibility of expanding the vision of their training ground, as it includes a mountain, a 400-meter track and a 5-kilometer track.
Exercise more fun
Gyms are considered essential services within the hotel offer today, so much so that their equipment becomes another strategy to generate occupancy and extend the stay of guests.
"Equipment that is visually appealing and less intimidating, with contemporary forms and fewer industrial designs, is preferred by the world's largest hotel chains," said De Freitas.
When creating the hotel's exercise area, design, lines and colors play an important role, however, current trends are based on the possibility that users have to combine physical work with fun. This is how machines compatible with MP3 and ipods, is what the guest expects from the hotel.
"Until a few years ago, it was believed that gyms in Latin American hotels placed little competitive value on the hotel's service offering. Nowadays gyms are an extension of the hotel, so the equipment must combine with the image and style of it," concluded De Freitas.
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Life fitness experience
Working for hotel chains in Latin America such as Posadas, Palace Resort, Starwood, Marriott, Ritz-Carlton, Quinta Real, Camino Real, Hilton, Hyat, Wyndham and the Saint Regis, Life Fitness designs equipment for high traffic and all physical conditions. "Our equipment is easy to use, intuitive and designed for all types of users, from beginner to advanced level," said De Freitas.
Experience in the hospitality industry has shown Life Fitness that hotels need constant advice throughout the assembly project and completion of the installation. For this, the company offers planning and design services of the space, in addition to an after-sales service for the repair, maintenance and availability of the original spare parts.
"Life Fitness designs 2D floor plans to ensure that there is an efficient fluid of guests, and that they are comfortable and safe. Likewise, so that there is an optimal and logical grouping of equipment with respect to windows, doors, electrical connections, artificial and natural light, and entertainment options such as television screens," explained De Freitas.
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Recommendations
For the care of equipment
Constant use and manipulation by all types of users forces gyms to take special care with equipment. Renewing cardiovascular machines every 4 or 5 years and strength equipment every 5 or 8 years is the recommendation of Life Fitness to guarantee the good performance of its products. However, the company also suggests cleaning and drying the upholstery and electronic areas of the equipment with mild cleaners containing disinfectants to increase the life of the same.
Regarding preventive maintenance, they recommend performing it every six months in order to detect and repair any irregularities. For hotels located on the beach it is recommended to do it every four months.
For the choice of equipment
The space available for the gym, the category of the hotel, the number of rooms, the type of guests, the maximum capacity and the budget, are the elements that any hotel should consider for the choice and arrangement of equipment. According to De Freitas, many hotels already have a preset image, which includes the color and style of the exercise room, for this Life Fitness offers a wide range of lines, from the most sophisticated and versatile as the Signature Series power line, to those created to save space such as the double and multi-station stations of the Fit Series line.
In the same way, the budget allocated for the development of the gym allows to determine the quantity and quality of the equipment to choose. "At Life Fitness, low budgets don't sacrifice equipment quality, but it translates into essential equipment with simpler designs," De Freitas said.
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