The rise of fitness residences in spas

With the fitness industry worth close to £5 billion, according to Leisure DB’s 2018 State of the UK Fitness Industry Report, it seems Brits are investing in a healthy and balanced lifestyle more than ever before. The popularity of gym memberships and the ClassPass phenomenon, for example, have grown in line with the wellness movement, with people understanding the importance of both for taking care of mind, body and soul. 

The power of the wellness and fitness industries to improve mental as well as physical wellbeing has become better understood, giving rise to a fusion of lifestyle-integrated services and solutions that team impeccable spa treatments with access to first-class fitness instructors, nutritionists and work-life balance coaching. As such, the collaboration of fitness and spa to provide a fully integrated 360-degree approach to wellness has truly developed. 

Whether it’s spas working with fitness practitioners to develop boot camp-style programmes that enhance a client’s retreat results, or establishing fitness residences in partnership with exercise titans to deliver spaces where health, fitness and spa are one combined offering, the two industries are now very much intertwined. 

But what are the financial benefits of these relationships? Well, having a well-thought-out fitness element not only broadens a spa’s offering and boosts treatment results, but helps make use of underutilised treatment rooms and introduces a new revenue opportunity, making the business a lot more profitable. 

For fitness practitioners, many want an Instagrammable space to rent or a reputable wellness company to collaborate with, so teaming up with a big spa name could really raise their profile. It also gives these experts access to a new client base, some of which may not have felt comfortable in a gym environment but could benefit from one-to-one personal training, becoming loyal customers in the future. It really is a win-win situation. 

Are you thinking of bringing a fitness element into your business? Take some inspiration from these spa-fitness partnerships. 

Champneys Super-Ager Fitness Retreat with Wayne Lèal, Tring 

Spa group Champneys has partnered with health coach Wayne Lèal on a fitness programme that combats age-related issues such as weight gain and low energy levels. The retreat helps older clients take ownership of their health, understanding that getting into shape in your 30s and 40s is different to the challenges you face in your 20s.

The two-night retreat includes low-impact, high-calorie burn programmes Jumpga (rebounding and yoga hybrid) and Kun-aqua (like Tai-Chi in the water), alongside an intermittent fast. The programme is taking place at Tring throughout the year.

Lanserhof at The Arts Club, London 

German medical spa brand Lanserhof has partnered with private members’ The Arts Club to offer an integrated approach to health and wellbeing. The medical gym uses high-end diagnostics to give clients a deeper understanding of their health, including an MRI scan to create an accurate body-composition analysis, cardiopulmonary exercise testing and an examination of any potential spine imbalances in the Spine Lab. 

This information is used to create bespoke lifestyle programmes for clients and sits alongside other facilities such as physiotherapy, cryotherapy and acupuncture to prevent sport injuries. The state-of-the-art gym is kitted out with Technogym equipment.

Electro Muscle Stimulation at Grantley Hall, Yorkshire 

Grantley Hall is the first spa in the UK to offer Electro Muscle Stimulation (EMS) to clients as part of a 360-degree approach to wellness. The vest and belt equipment from Miha Bodytec strengthens the body while reducing fat, and uses technology that causes the major muscle groups to contract via an electrical current, causing more intense contractions than traditional training. 

EMS is teamed with a 20-minute, low-impact workout, which consists of a variety of body-weight exercises. It is offered as part of Grantley Hall’s Three Graces Spa or Elite experience.

Matt Roberts Gym at The Langley, Buckinghamshire 

The Langley has partnered with personal trainer Matt Roberts on a boutique gym where the goal is to offer a higher level training environment than other UK hotels, while also supporting the spa arm of the business. 

Clients can enjoy personal training sessions that incorporate a variety of disciplines such as strength, mobility, stretching and cardiovascular exercise, alongside hammam and body treatments in exclusive membership packages. Clients also have access to a full-body composition test which tracks their progress and monitors changes. The fitness pro is also launching Matt Roberts Retreats at The Langley later this year.