Elysian Spa & Health Club
Photo Courtesy of Hilton Worldwide
No doubt you’ll want to burn some calories after indulging at one of Chicago’s gastro hot spots. Well, savvy hotels in the Windy City are taking advantage of spectacular views and vantage points by hosting outdoor workouts that range from rooftop yoga to scenic lakefront runs. Here’s a look at some of the best roof-free exercise options around:
Trump International Hotel & Tower Chicago
Forbes Travel Guide Four-Star The Spa at Trump Chicago is a beautiful homage to health and wellness, with its floor-to-ceiling windows in the fitness facility and luxuriously simple treatment rooms. However, if your Zen comes in the form of a bit of sightseeing, head to the adjacent outdoor Riverwalk to join the Five-Star hotel’s Trump Running Club on Thursday evenings. The one-hour session partially takes place on the picturesque lakefront and runs the gamut from walking, running and speed training.
Intercontinental Chicago Magnificent Mile
If you’d rather a focus on fitness that lasts longer than the duration of one class, book the Shape’SUP package at this historic Michigan Avenue hotel. The offering comes with a personal training session with local fitness guru Andrea Metcalf and in-room amenities such as a stability ball and workout DVD. Another bonus: Guests will get a paddle boarding session with the Chicago SUP rental and excursion company, which means you can paddle Lake Michigan, take in the stellar skyline views from the water and get a real workout in without really trying.
Sure, you could stay inside this Four-Star hotel’s fitness facilities and no one would blame you for it — guests have access to gorgeous locker rooms at the adjoining Four-Star Elysian Spa & Health Club, which has a mosaic-tile lap pool and ultra-posh relaxation rooms. But if you want to get some fresh air while breaking a sweat, hire one of the Waldorf’s personal trainers to get you fit out in the open. Considering all the intense possibilities, though, you may want to schedule a muscle repair treatment or lava shell massage at the aforementioned spa afterwards.
The city’s newest luxury hotel capitalizes on its proximity (and peeks!) to the Chicago River with yoga classes on the plaza adjacent to the property. The last date of the complimentary workout is August 16; you’ll want to mark it on your travel calendar because those who join in on it get some perks—a 15 percent discount for brunch at the hotel’s new café and bar Elle on the River, plus a weeklong membership to the Chuan Spa’s health and fitness facilities, which include Oriental steam rooms, a 67-foot lap pool and aromatherapy showers.
Staying fit while on the road is easier said than done, but the folks at Hotel Palomar make it hard to turn down a bit of cardio. On Tuesday mornings, runners can meet in the lobby for a stretch and bottle of water before hitting the pavement with hotel managers, who will point out noteworthy Chicago sites along a scenic run route. And barre fans can head to the 17th-floor pool terrace for a class by local studio favorite The Barre Code, a fitness program well regarded for its Pilates-meets-yoga workouts.
