Michels and Taylor puts guest wellness experience front and centre

Hotel management expert, Michels and Taylor (M&T), which manages a range of 20 hotels, from well known brands such as Hilton, Marriott, Holiday Inn and Best Western to a number of independents, has installed Peloton Bikes in the gyms at its Hilton hotel in Bournemouth, Welcome hotel in Stratford and The Abbey in Birmingham.

 

The bikes, which have seen 250 hours of use by guests in just three months, have got off to a flying start, according to M&T’s Commercial Manager Leisure, Spa and Golf, Marc Wood. He says: “The Peloton Bikes have been really well received. In fact, on a recent two-day visit to Bournemouth I couldn’t actually get on a bike as they were being used non stop; it’s been so successful, and that’s before we’ve had a chance to do anything proactive to promote them.

 

“I think a lot of people were in a difficult position with their mental health during lockdown, but now realise the activity they did during that time made them feel better; both mentally and physically. They don’t want to go back to their pre COVID lifestyle. Even if it’s a 20 minute walk, they want to get up and do something to energise them throughout the day. It’s part of their lifestyle and they’re determined to do it three times a week, whether they’re at home, at work or away for business or leisure.

 

“The next step for us is putting Peloton Bikes in-room to see the impact of 24-hour access. A lot of people are interested in the bikes, but have never had the chance to experience using one, so we can see there will be a lot of excitement around it from these people, as well as Peloton Bike owners.”

 

 

M&T believes the guest wellness experience is so important it has created Marc Wood’s entire role around commercialising its hotels’ spa and leisure offerings.

 

Commercial Director, Nora Kurittu explains: “During the pandemic we realised how much pent up demand there was for spa and wellness. There’s been a massive shift in what consumers want; there’s so much more to it than ‘is the pool clean?’. Now travellers want to continue their new habit when they’re away – it’s a lifestyle change that’s more about how it makes them feel than what they look like.

 

“With that in mind we want to have a more commercial take on the business and apply some science to it. The idea is stop spa, leisure and golf being separate entities and bring them fully into the hotel as part of the overall business – just like running a bedroom, looking at average occupancy, transaction value etc, so we can give wellness an average hourly rate.

 

“A lot of corporate guests don’t have time for the gym but still want to look after themselves. An in-room offering with Peloton Bikes and the Peloton App means if they can’t sleep or want to get up at four in the morning they can meditate, do a Pilates class or even a bike ride in the peace of their own room. Equally importantly, on the road, some corporate clients might not see anyone they know for several days at a time. By offering a solution such as the Peloton Bike or app they have access to a community they know; familiar faces that take the loneliness and isolation out of their trip.”

 

A captive market

Wood believes aggregators will also help to support this new offer. He says: “Our hotels are listed on sites like Spabreaks and Spa Seekers, so if someone doesn’t know where they want to go, but is looking for a spa break, our hotels will come up, along with the option to have a Peloton Bike in-room. We like being on Peloton’s own hotel finder too, so we can be part of that captive market that specifically wants to stay where there’s a Peloton Bike. It’s a no-brainer!”

 

The idea is that guests would pay a little extra, possibly £20, for a room with its own Peloton Bike, but Kurittu is adamant this has to be bookable online. She says: “We’re not looking to charge anything ridiculous. Just a little premium for a premium service. But we have to make this easy to access for guests, so when you’re booking a bedroom you’re automatically asked what wellness aspects can we add to that for you? Would you like to book a massage? Would you like a Peloton Bike in your room? We’ll also offer them the option to upgrade just before their stay too.”

 

Ultimately, the concept M&T is looking to push across its hotels is wellness. “It’s not a gym offering, it’s not a spa or a leisure club. We want to create a full wellness experience, no matter what hotel you’re in,” explains Kurittu. “They’re booking the room because of the spa or the leisure facilities; it’s created a reason to stay, a point of difference that makes our hotels stand out in a sea of same, so we need to make sure we’re giving guests the best experience we possibly can, whether that’s in the bedroom, the gym or the pool, and record that as a value to the hotel.

 

“Our aim is to make wellness available any time and at any place in our hotels. We don’t want it to be restrictive. If someone wants to exercise from the comfort and privacy of their room at 4am we want to make sure they can do that.”