Relax/Recharge

Fewer travelers will feel drained and exhausted from their trips in the year ahead as more brands look to inspire, recharge and energize travelers. A growing number of opportunities for holistic and educational programming await so your self-improvement routine doesn’t take a break when you’re on the road.

Meditate the Stress Away

Hyatt is launching a new partnership with the wellness app Headspace to bring the latter’s popular range of relaxation exercises, tools and wellness advice right to your guest room or mobile device. This furthers the hotel brand’s growing focus on wellness, and with nearly 60 million users enjoying Headspace content around the world, this is no passing fad.

The subscription-based service, which includes everything from restful sleep sounds to guidance from a former monk, will be free to Hyatt guests during their stay. It will offer free in-room meditation and mindfulness content while World of Hyatt members can also access content through the World of Hyatt app.

Business travelers who attend or plan meetings may notice a spring in the step of some Hyatt employees, too. That’s because staff members are being given free subscriptions to Headspace. Happy staff leads to happy guests!

If the content sounds familiar, perhaps you have seen or heard it aboard a recent flight. Headspace offers content through many airline’s inflight entertainment programming including Delta, United and Virgin Atlantic.

American Airlines partners with app-based Calm providing “sleep stories” and meditation sessions on domestic and international flights. Other programming available through Calm includes relaxing sleep sounds and soothing talks designed to reduce stress and anxiety.

Stir Up New Ideas 

Marriott hosts regular TED Fellows Salons in many of its hotels, inviting guests and locals to interact with regional thought leaders. Much like a traditional TED Talk, the audience listens to engaging speakers and then has the opportunity to discuss their ideas together. In addition, Marriott live streams talks from the annual TED conference to a dozen of its hotels around the world.

Even if you are not staying at a hotel with a live event, specially curated content is available through in-room televisions and WiFi online landing pages. This free content covers a range of topics designed to inspire travelers and provide access to new ideas and innovations from around the world.

If you’re tired from a long day and looking to wind down (and not rev up your mind), Marriott thought that one through. The in-room selections are organized by time of day or mood so that people can watch invigorating programming in the morning and save more reflective talks for bedtime.

Not Your Average Workout

If you’re looking for an alternative to the average hotel gym, many hotel brands are putting some thought into that as well. Westin’s Run Concierge program takes guests on guided jogs in popular area neighborhoods around the hotels where they’re staying, allowing them to experience the destination and exercise simultaneously.

Elite members in the World of Hyatt program are in for a treat. Top-tier Globalist members enjoy free access to Exhale Spa Barre, cardio, and yoga classes when paying an eligible rate (including redeeming points) at a Hyatt hotel. Both Globalist and Explorist members get one week of free fitness classes, regardless of a hotel stay, at participating Exhale locations in more than a dozen cities including Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Miami, and New York.