Heres my guide on how to score yourself a nice hotel gym / spa for free:
We’ve all been there, you’re booking your next holiday somewhere nice and you begin researching hotels.
Before long your looking into the facilities to find one with a nice gym and now you’re making your judgment based on the quality of the gym equipment and pool size instead of the important stuff like location, restaurants and price.
What if I told you there was a way to make use of all those awesome facilities without the need to shell out on a 5 star hotel?
Here’s how it’s done:
Step 1️⃣ Pick the hotel you want to stay at and then research the other hotels in the area. Think big fancy 5 star hotels near the one you’re actually staying at.
Step 2️⃣ After entering the lobby find the board that gives you the directions to the rooms. Pay attention to the room numbers and pick one. Not all hotel room numbers run 1,2,3 and so on, some go 101,102 or even 1001,1002 so don’t be the guy who’s staying in a room that doesn’t exist. It’s important you do this now so you appear confident when you reach the spa/fitness centre.
Step 3️⃣ Find the spa/fitness centre (they’re almost always the on or near the top floor)
Approach the desk, smile politely at the staff member and ask them to let you in, they’ll usually just ask if you’re enjoying stay (You’re always having a nice stay and you always just arrived last night) they usually ask your room number and at this point you’ll need to sign a check in book. It doesn’t matter what you write in this just put anything down. (I usually write T.Beltsander or Tony Beltsander or Sir squatsalot. It doesn’t really matter because nobody ever reads it.
Step 4️⃣ Enjoy all that your awesome hotel has to offer, use the weights, swim in the giant, heated pool, hit the sauna. Just don’t overstay your welcome, be considerate and pick up after yourself and draw as little attention as possible (now is not a good time to attempt a new deadlift PR)
Things to consider:
Pick the nicest hotel in the area: Cheaper hotels usually have a card reader instead of a staff member on a desk. You can get around this by asking a staff member to let you in because you “forgot to bring your card” but it will raise suspicions.
Wear nice clothes: rocking up in your battered converse and torn gym shorts is a big no. Put on your best / newest gym gear. I doesn’t need to be designer, just good enough to pass as a guest of the hotel.
Travel light: Turn up with as little baggage as possible. A change of clothes, swimwear and headphones are about all you’ll need. This makes it look like you just left your room. If you turn up with a suitcase full of various crap it’ll be pretty obvious you’re not staying there.
The elevator requires a room key: Not to worry. Simply insert your room key from the hotel your actually staying at and wait for the elevator to reject it. Look all annoyed and keep trying it until someone comes along and offers to try their key. Hey presto, instant access to any floor.
Now go enjoy all that the ritz carton or the 4 seasons has to offer.
Tony Beltsander,
(I just arrived last night)