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Innkeep

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I had an interesting conversation with a business guest today. She has stayed here on several occasions recently, and one time one of her colleagues also stayed here. She says that this colleague plus a third person who comes with their company prefer to stay in a motel down the road because they need to hit the exercise machines every day. The "fitness center" in this motel is a bicycle and a treadmill.
I mentioned to her that one of my regular business guests uses his YMCA membership in St Louis to reciprocate with the Y here in town, so he gets his exercise fix.
So, I am wondering how much business I lose because of this. My guest today said she does not want me to put my exercise bike where she can see/use it because then she wouldn't have an excuse to skip exercising. I think I'll find out exactly what the reciprocation agreement is with the Y here and post it on my website.
Anybody else have this issue? If the discussion warrants it, I'll post a poll about how many offer exercise equipment.
 
We get a fair number of requests for bike routes & walking routes but have never been asked on the phone if we have any kind of exercise equipment. What I have generally seen for 'gym' space in hotels is a section off the pool, totally visible to the lobby, for what your local motel has. No one cleans that stuff. You're breathing chlorine fumes the whole time. Why bother? Go for a walk.
So, for you, once you find out the reciprocity for your local Y, post on your website that you have planned routes for walkers to 'get out and get some fresh air!' Yes, it rains or it's cold or it's whatever, but it might lure a couple more in who just needed to know there is a place to walk.
 
Innkeep,
If you find that you could increase your occupancy with a bike and treadmill let me know - I have both in the basement that are not getting used! Maybe we could work out a deal - I am not that far from you!
 
FYI YMCA's offer free use to visitors from local hotels/B&B's. I have seen this time and time again. Hotels act like they are paying for it but they aren't. They say this iN LIEU of having an actual "fitness centre."
We have had many guests go (and since it is a new Y, they enjoy it) altho we cannot go for free! When my sister was visiting from Ireland she would take her whole brood and go numerous times after I mentioned that to her (pool use and everything). Yeah we can't do that and we live here.
 
PS we have HILLS and one dog eager to show them to you. We have had guests take our pooch for walks, they don't realize how hilly it is til they return and tell me about it! Of course there are less hilly walks. I have a historic walking tour map I can put out and tell people some nice walks.
 
I have a brand new treadmill in my bedroom that is a very good clothes hanger .. before you think exercise equipment including bikes, think LIABILITY
 
FYI YMCA's offer free use to visitors from local hotels/B&B's. I have seen this time and time again. Hotels act like they are paying for it but they aren't. They say this iN LIEU of having an actual "fitness centre."
We have had many guests go (and since it is a new Y, they enjoy it) altho we cannot go for free! When my sister was visiting from Ireland she would take her whole brood and go numerous times after I mentioned that to her (pool use and everything). Yeah we can't do that and we live here..
Joey Bloggs said:
FYI YMCA's offer free use to visitors from local hotels/B&B's. I have seen this time and time again. Hotels act like they are paying for it but they aren't. They say this iN LIEU of having an actual "fitness centre."
We have had many guests go (and since it is a new Y, they enjoy it) altho we cannot go for free! When my sister was visiting from Ireland she would take her whole brood and go numerous times after I mentioned that to her (pool use and everything). Yeah we can't do that and we live here.
I have called several times and the local Y here refuses to do that for our guests. There is a day use fee and by gum they're gonna collect it.
 
I wonder if you could have a discussion with your local Y, that if your b&b joined as a member, could your guests use it? Maybe you could work something out with them.
 
Absolutely think liability. DH was chugging away on his exercise bike when he got the call ON A SUNDAY from his cardio to cease and desist. He had an aneurysm of the size that was ready to pop.
I have a rail-trail 50 feet from the house that my exercing guests make use of if they are so inclined. And I also have a couple of HILLS (not the Midwest version of hills - no offense meant to midwesterners, I just remember walking for half an hour looking for the hill that the sign said to beware of. Never did find it.).
 
My friend has a B&B next door to a large hotel which has a gym and a pool and she has a deal with them that she pays so much a year for so many passes and her guests can use it as much as they like and she and her daughter can do (lends out to me and DH as well) We are about 7 mins walk away and consider making a deal but I wonder how much people would use it.
 
If you do have long term business guests this might be something they would be interested in having. But for your typical one or two night stay visit, it is not something I would worry about having. Most people will get out and walk if they are into getting their exercise. I woudn't invest in equipment.
 
Go in and ask for some "guest passes" then you have a few on hand. You don't need to join, just ask. Don't ask the front desk, ask the manager. Also offer discounts to them for room stays. :)
 
We have an exercise room with a weight machine, elliptical machine and recumbent bike in our very large B & B but its for our use only due to liability issues. Visitors like our friends and grown kids use it as well. Since we have a lot of folks stay for week long personal retreats, we worked out a deal with our local Snap Fitness (they have these all over the SW) I have a personal membership and then they gave me a sign up sheet and an entry pass for our guests in exchange for a link and advertising on our web page. It's not an actual advert, just featuring the info that we offer free gym privileges to our local Snap Fitness. At check -in, the sign-in sheet and pass and easy directions are available but only the longer term stays tend to take advantage of it. I certainly prefer this to our guests who do hip hop abs or whatever with their dvds and pound away on their floors early in the morning!
So, my advice is to work out a link and promo deal for free visitor privileges with your local gym. In our area, we're the only B & B that has this and it just adds to the perceived (and actual) amenities and value.
 
Guests here could go to our YMCA which used to be 5 blocks away (now 10 blocks) for free on a day pass. I just called them and set it up for the guest.
Also, we had some super-fit outdoor and excercise enthusiasts guests who actually went to a local fitness franchise and they gave them guest passes for free. We have an outdoor 17 mile riverwalk which is 2 blocks away...open any season with a great view and free.
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We have kayaks - I call them the "big green monsters" because they are big and heavy. When I kept them on the "roof", it would take the crane to lower them to the water and retrive them. Now, we store them on the swim platform and just kick them off when someone wants to use them.
I've kayaked across to the other side of the marina and around the spoil island. Wow...what a workout just for that short tour! Especially if it's windy. So, for any one wanting a workout, we have the kayaks and the scenery is spectacular! Beats a gym most days (cold or rainy days, few here, are the exeption).
 
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