One way to get fitter is to spend time exercising while waiting for a flight. Essential Travel (www.essentialtravel.co.uk) has come up with its Top Ten airport gyms, including Heathrow and Manchester, which have facilities where you can work out, jog or do Yoga.
Airport Health Club – Miami International Airport: The airport is home to a fantastic mini gym with all the equipment you may need. Or if you pefer relaxation, make your way to the top of the airport’s Marriott Hotel to lounge beside the palm tree shaded pool, surrounded by a jogging track.
Airport Fitness And Wellness Club – Zurich International Airport: Zurich Airport now houses the Airport Fitness and Wellness Club, a 2,000-square-metre club in the basement with a sauna room in the shape of an aeroplane, cardio and strength equipment, steam bath and massage facilities. And the fitness club even has traditional Chinese medicine available.
Start! – Minneapolis Saint Paul International Airport: Minneapolis Airport has teamed up with the American Heart Association in its campaign to promote exercise, healthy eating and maintaining a healthy heart. The campaign, Start! Walking Program, has resulted in a 1.4-mile walking path being added to the terminal. As this is a looped path, you can join from any terminal and end up at the same place. There’s even an option to extend your walk.
G-Force Health Club – Dubai International Airport: The G-Force Health Club is in the Sheikh Rashid Terminal in the Dubai International Hotel. For about £8 an hour, you can make use of the treadmills, bikes, weights and more. You can also buy a longer package if you’d like more time to use steam rooms and saunas. Best of all, the health club is open 24 hours a day and there are also superb shower facilities to freshen up before your next flight, complete with towels, toiletries and hair-dryers.
Yoga Room – San Francisco International Airport: Designed by the same architects as San Francisco Airport’s Terminal 2, comes the Yoga Room (above). The room has already become a popular spot for travellers to unwind. It has features such as a floating wall and is painted in tranquil blues to produce a feeling of serenity. Last year, felt-rock creations were also added to create the same atmosphere as a Zen Garden. To find the room, look for the signs of a person in a lotus position.
Ambassador Transit Hotel Fitness Centre – Singapore Changi Airport: The Ambassador Transit Hotel Fitness Centre in the Ambassador Lounge in Terminal 2 is open 24 hours a day, and offers more than your typical cardio and strength training equipment. For £12 a day, you not only have access to the gym, but also the pool and showers. You are even given basic toiletries and can rent gym clothes.
The Absolute Spa – Vancouver International Airport: The airport’s 24-hour gym is inside the Fairmont Hotel. The Absolute Spa welcomes all travellers. Probably one of its best features is a mechanised lap pool which allows you to adjust the current according to how challenging you want your swim to be. And there’s even a dryer for your swimsuits. If you’re looking for a more calming and serene workout, try one of the yoga or pilates classes costing about £10 a day.
Living Well Heathrow – London Heathrow Airport Terminal 4: This gym is complete with modern and stylish apparatus. Visitors can also use the swimming pool before they go to “expel all their toxins” in the sauna or steam room. The gym even offers the service of personal trainers to help you along and can provide swimming lessons. There are also beauty treatment facilities to refresh you after a long flight.
Sheraton Fitness And Spa – Amsterdam Schiphol Airport: Here you can work on your fitness levels and get your heart rate up with some cardio, sweat it out in the steam rooms and then take a wonderfully cleansing shower in one of the large rainforest showers. Once you’ve exercised and showered, you can treat yourself (and your muscles) to a massage. The centre even has physiotherapists on hand to sort out any aches and pains. Open 24 hours every day.
Marriott Leisure Club – Manchester Airport: This club features cardio machines, weights and even a complimentary fitness class. Personal trainers are also on standby to give helpful tips and motivate you. The club has an indoor pool and whirlpool and towels are provided. Alternatively, why not catch up on your tan in the solarium? Even if you went to the coldest destination on holiday, you can still return home looking like you were in the Caribbean!
Essential Travel is an online travel extra provider for car parks, hotels and lounges at all major airports across the UK. Click here to book with www.essentialtravel.co.uk
