“Self-care is giving the world the best of you, instead of what’s left of you.” – Katie Reed
Whether your planning for your big thru hike or your first marathon, sometimes work takes you away and out of your routine. You spend the week cooped up in a hotel, eating out and working late, stuck in meetings all day. How are you supposed to stick to your painstakingly laid preparation plans?
Some hotels have realized this and have begun a shift in what is being offered to their guests. My recent stay at the Westin Annapolis Hotel, in Maryland, was a surprising example of how hotels are changing to meet the changing needs of their guests. From health and wellness to sustainability and ecofriendly, this hotel met that challenge head on, and are winning.
Wellness Factors
Healthy eating
With a section on their breakfast menu for “Superfoods” it’s the perfect way to fuel your day. Their breakfast menu boasts foods that are “packed with nutrients and energy, antioxidant rich and naturally low in calories.”
During a meeting or conference, it can be a challenge to get the foods you need to fuel your day. Especially, if you have special dietary needs. The staff does their best to accommodate with things like coconut milk for your coffee.
The restaurant food is quality, the conference food, could be different. In my case, everything had cheese in it and was on bread. So, if you have any dietary issues you could be stuck eating fruit and a salad consisting mostly of kale and dried cranberries. Luckily, in these cases, there are also some fantastic restaurants nearby.
A good night’s rest
The rooms are definitely spacious, with wonderful blackout curtains and big comfy beds. The beds themselves are slightly firm but there is a thicker comforter style blanket and an abundance of pillows. The room provides everything you could need to relax and rest.
Sticking to your workout routine
The hardest part about work travel is being able to stick to your workout routine. Whether you are sitting in a conference room all day listening to talks, or having late night business meetings, it can be tough on your schedule. Not to mention your body.
The Westin tries to give you lots of options to keep you on track, with things like a 24-hour fitness and pool room and an outdoor running route. They also offer workout clothes a shoes for a small fee. Just one less thing to pack. During my stay I was training for my first half marathon. I kept telling myself, I need to go for a run. At least once while I was there.
But the conference was all day, then you would go out with other attendees for dinner at night. It felt like it was impossible. And not being a morning person, there was no way I would be getting out of bed extra early to do it.
I asked the front desk if there was anywhere outside to go for a nice run. They immediately produced a laminated card depicting a running route through the town, with 3-mile and 5-mile options. I was shocked. The hardest part was being in a town you don’t know and wearing running clothes that do not allow you to carry said card.
So, I did my best to memorize the route and took off a little early from the meeting one day, hoping I wouldn’t get lost. I mostly stayed on the route. Although running through town wouldn’t be my first choice, I still managed to sneak in 5-miles. And the town itself is really cute, so the scenery was worth the trip.
After that I headed to the pool. As soon as you enter the quiet of the pool area, a calm settles over you. They have lower ceilings with a soft white light, the pool is a comfortable temperature, and there is a hot tub to soothe those sore muscles after an intense workout. I will say, however, that the hot tub, once turned on, was so loud you wouldn’t be able to carry on a conversation if you tried.
If running isn’t your jam, their fitness room offers weights and workout machines to help you burn off the stress of the day.
Sustainability Factors
Saving water
Not only is this hotel fitness and wellness oriented, it’s also ecofriendly. I think more hotels are going this way, with door hangers declining room service. To save on water, you agree to reuse your towels and not have your bedding cleaned during your stay.
Bonuses for sustainability
They also provide some bonuses for joining the sustainability movement. I have seen this in one other hotel. They have a door hanger that says you get $5 for every day you forgo room service. They don’t just slip a 5 under your door or anything but if you ask the front desk they give you a voucher. Or, if you are looking to cut the cost of your hotel room a little, you can have it come off your stay. Hey, 5 dollars is 5 dollars, and that adds up after a couple days.
In the end…
Overall, I think this hotel offered a lot in terms of helping you stay on track with your goals. My biggest beef with this hotel is that you have to pay for internet. I am of the opinion that no hotel should ever charge for that. It is taking advantage of people coming to stay at their hotel for business and is a total rip off.
But if you are looking for a chance to turn off from the constant buzzing of email and continue working towards that hiking or marathon goal, I would recommend staying here when you visit Annapolis, Maryland.
*All opinions from this post are my own. I was not asked by Westin to write a review of their hotel, nor was I comped anything during my stay. I stayed at the hotel for a work conference and was really impressed with their dedication to wellness.
