Any traveler who enjoys breaking a sweat knows the agony of exercising on the road. Or, more accurately, the agony of cramming your workout clothes — especially running shoes — into your luggage.
That’s why Westin Hotels and Resorts’ announcement Dec. 14 sounds so enticing: The chain is teaming with New Balance to lend guests running shoes (with disposable insoles for each use), shorts, shirts, socks, Capri pants and sports bras.
The program was announced at 10 Westin hotels, including the Westin Michigan Avenue at 909 N. Michigan Ave., which began piloting the program in October. Similar to a partnership launched last year between Fairmont hotels and Adidas, it will be expanded to all 170-plus Westins across the globe in 2011.
Lending workout clothes sounds like a fine idea but raises an obvious question: do you want to work out in clothes someone else sweated in before you?
“We had that same concern when this program was first introduced,” said Brent Menzel, general manager of the Westin Michigan Ave. “But we launder everything and it’s perfectly clean. When guests see that and that the shoes are sprayed and that they get temporary insoles, it completely goes away.”
Fair enough. I mean, just think of what went on atop those sheets you’ll be sleeping on after the workout.
In addition to the Westin Michigan Avenue, the program is being trotted out at the following: The Westin Boston Waterfront; The Westin San Francisco Airport; The Westin Maui; The Westin Santa Fe; The Westin Jersey City; The Westin Beijing Chaoyang; The Westin Tokyo; The Westin Valencia and The Westin Grand Berlin. Additional details are available at www.westin.com/newbalance.